PRE / POST NATAL OSTEOPATHY
During pregnancy the body undergoes huge physiological and hormonal changes which have a significant effect on its biomechanics and musculoskeletal pregnancy pain is very common as a result!
As your bump gets bigger, it starts to put increasing amounts of pressure on the spine and the hips causing the lumbar, pelvic and lower extremity muscles to tighten up in order to compensate and adapt.
The rapid weight change and alteration in your centre of gravity results in a different posture and gait and as a result the muscles are used in a different way. As pregnancy continues, certain hormones increase which causes ligaments and muscle tendons to loosen in preparation for labour and they are therefore at danger of straining more easily. Disorders such as pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) often develop as a result as well as general pelvis pain and hip pain. So as you can see it’s unsurprising that so many women suffer with aches and pains throughout their pregnancy!
These hormonal and postural changes continue after birth with the body having to re-adapt when reversing back to your original weight while at the same time ligament loosening hormones will still be present for up to 6 months. On top of this, nursing and carrying your child will create the potential for back issues to persist.
Osteopathy can be highly successful in alleviating these symptoms through conservative treatment helping you feel more comfortable and reducing the stiffness and pain throughout your pregnancy and beyond. We are happy to treat through every term of pregnancy, and discuss any concerns regarding this with the patient individually prior to treatment. However we recommend patients gain advice from their consultant or midwife first. The safety of you and your baby are paramount to us, along with your comfort during treatment.
At Wandsworth Town Osteopathy we pride ourselves in treating pregnancy related postural pain. However, alongside this, Osteopathic techniques may be utilised in order to reduce muscular tension and increase blood flow. You will be under the best specialist care and safety for you and your baby is our number one priority.
Pregnancy Massage based appointments are also available at Wandsworth Town Osteopathy. All our osteopathic practitioners are trained in treating pregnancy related musculoskeletal pain. Pregnancy massage appointments are simply osteopathy treatments for pre-natal patients, with a greater emphasis on soft tissue release and remedial massage. Book Online or call our reception to find an appointment suitable for you.
Mummy MOT®
Mummy MOT®‘s are available at Wandsworth Town Osteopathy. Up to half of all women experience weakness in both the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor muscles after pregnancy and up to a third still have a tummy gap at eight weeks post-birth. This can cause instability or poor core strength leading to women developing pelvic or back pain or bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction. These conditions should not be something you should just put up with as a result of having a baby.
A Mummy MOT® is a specialist postnatal examination for women following both vaginal and caesarean deliveries. It will assess how your posture, pelvic floor muscles and stomach muscles are recovering after birth. And if they’re not, then we can provide you with exercises and treatment to help in your recovery and to return to exercise safely.
Our specialist Mummy MOT® practitioner Mollie provides a comprehensive postnatal check-up including a full postural screen, pelvic floor muscle assessment and abdominal muscle examination.
Initial consultations are recommended from 6-8 weeks postpartum, however the appointment is suitable for women who may have given birth years ago but still have a tummy gap or are experiencing pelvic floor related issues.
Treatment can include manual therapy, tailored exercise rehab, advice, and education in order to alleviate your symptoms.
Please bring shorts to wear at the appointment. If you would like a chaperone to be present during an examination, please inform your practitioner.
For more information about Mummy MOT®‘s please see www.themummymot.com