Diastasis rectus abdominals (DRA) is a common condition many postpartum women are familiar with. If you haven’t been pregnant you may not even know what this condition is. But did you know you can get diastasis rectus abdominus without ever being pregnant? There are other reasons someone, including men, might develop DRA.
Should You Get Surgery To Correct Your DRA?
Abdominal separation can be difficult to manage. Is surgery the right choice to correct your abdominal separation? Or can you regain function again working with a pelvic floor physical therapist? While exercises alone may not fully close your abdominal separation, what exercise does do is build strength and stability in the musculature to improve your function and symptoms enough that you can return to normal daily activities.
Physical Therapy or Personal Training-Which One Is Better For Your Needs?
There may be confusion between the roles of a physical therapist and a personal trainer; even the letters at the end of our names are very similar (PT for physical therapist and CPT for certified personal trainer). And to be honest, there is some overlap between the two professions. When you have an injury or are experiencing pain or a loss of body function, I highly recommend starting your healing journey with a visit to your local physical therapy clinic. Especially if the issue you want to fix is diastasis abdominals recti.
5 Tips to Modify and Progress Your Plank
In addition to working the core muscles, planks are also great at activating the shoulders, arm muscles, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles. Keeping these muscles strong is essential for supporting your posture and keeping you stable as you move through the day.
After having a baby, or maybe a few, it can be extremely difficult for some moms to return to planking. During pregnancy, the core and glutes can become weak, making holding a plank difficult to do. And if poor form is present, then injury can happen. Modifying a traditional plank is a great way to build up strength, form, and stability.
Identifying and Minimizing Diastasis Rectus Abdominus (DRA) in Pregnancy
Diastasis Rectus Abdominus (DRA), or abdominal separation, is very common during pregnancy. In fact, a study found that diastasis rectus abdominus “may affect up to 100% of pregnant women and it may persist in the immediate postpartum period in 35-60% of women.” By being aware of the existence of abdominal separation, which needs to occur to some degree to make room for the baby, you can start to prepare your core for birth and postpartum during pregnancy to reduce the effects of abdominal separation after birth.
Why Is My Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist So Concerned With Fiber?
Fiber is important for maintaining a healthy GI system. Adequate fiber intake also impacts your pelvic floor muscles and pelvic function. One of the benefits of fiber is it helps keep our bowels regular, reducing the occurrence of constipation, abdominal bloating, and pelvic floor disruption. When we are constantly carrying around a poop baby, it’s not good for our system. This is why pelvic floor physical therapists are so concerned with their patient’s fiber intake!
The Importance of Rib Cage Mobility and How It Changes During Pregnancy
As the uterus grows during pregnancy, it presses up on the diaphragm and out on the abdominals to make room for the baby. This in turn causes the rib cage to be in a constant state of expansion, decreasing the ability of the rib cage to contract to a “normal” state. When the mobility of the rib cage decreases during pregnancy, you can have difficulty with upper extremity movement, posture, back pain, and lower extremity mobility. These accommodations don’t just “bounce back” after pregnancy. There needs to be a concentrated effort at working on rib cage mobility after pregnancy to get everything moving again.
The Truth About Pelvic Organ Prolapse: What is it and how can I heal it with pelvic floor physical therapy?
Pelvic organ prolapse is the descent downward of one or more of the pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, or rectum) into the vaginal canal. When you have pelvic organ prolapse you could experience a number of symptoms. Pelvic floor physical therapy can be tremendously helpful in managing your symptoms.
What is Pelvic Pain?
Pelvic pain is very common among women. Pelvic pain is pain in and around the pelvic area and can be sudden or chronic, or may even come and go at times. A pelvic floor physical therapist is the best type of physical therapist to see for this condition. They specialize in the muscles of the pelvic floor and will be able to help pinpoint muscular, postural, or movement dysfunctions that may be contributing to pelvic pain.
Having Pain With Intercourse? Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help!
Did you know that 3 out of 4 women experience painful sex at some point in their life? The most common reason I see in my clinic is dysfunctions of the core and the pelvic floor muscles. In most cases the pelvic floor muscles are hypertonic - or holding tight. There are several reasons pelvic floor muscles become tight. And a combination of factors is usually the culprit!
Healing Postpartum: How Long Does It Really Take To Recover From Childbirth
There is a serious problem with postpartum care in America. What is it you ask? There is none! At least not the kind and amount that women should be getting after birth. Pregnancy is a long 9-month journey of hormonal, postural, muscular, and functional changes. Then you birth a baby, an event that stresses your entire system causing hormonal changes, physical changes, and possibly mental changes.
It’s inconceivable that women can just rest for 6 weeks and then “bounce back” to normal functional activities and exercise. Taking the time to build your foundation and slowly return to high-impact exercise reduces your risk of injury, pain, and incontinence postpartum.
The Whole Body Is Connected: Why Physical Therapists Need To Treat The Whole Body And Not Just The Pelvic Floor
The connections in the body go much deeper than just the bones and muscles being connected together. Our thoughts, emotions, stress levels, habits, movement routines, and diet all tie into our body’s function. When the body is totally ramped up from stress, trauma, injury, poor diet, and/or sleep habits, it’s really difficult to get results. Your pelvic floor can be hypertoned. You can have increased pain. Increased leaking. Pelvic organ prolapse. Or any other symptoms.
Exercising with Diastasis Recti: Busting Myths
With the right technique, progression, form, and guidance, you can do ANY exercise with diastasis recti. It’s all a matter of starting slow, building a foundation, and working up to more challenging exercises. This is how you safely return to exercise with diastasis recti.
Incontinence- The Breakdown: Defining The Cause And Different Types Of Incontinence
Incontinence. It can affect anyone. Men, women, young or old. According to the National Association for Continence, over 25 million adult Americans experience temporary or chronic urinary incontinence. While anyone can experience incontinence, it is most prevalent in women over the age of 50. There are 4 different types of incontinence: Stress, Urge, Functional, and Overflow.
Read moreCan I Exercise During Pregnancy?
After working with many moms over the years, the most common fear associated with exercising during pregnancy is that they are going to hurt themselves or the baby. In reality, the ACOG recommends pregnant women get at least 150 mins of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Keep reading to find out more about exercising in pregnancy.
Read moreWhat is Pudendal Neuralgia and Why Does It Happen?
Have you birthed a baby and now noticed some numbness, sharp burning pain, or a swollen feeling “down there”? Or maybe you're having a high incidence of urine or fecal incontinence? This may be Pudendal Neuralgia and unfortunately, this condition happens in about 32% of vaginal births.
Read moreWho Needs Pelvic PT?
It can be confusing when it comes to pelvic floor physical therapy. Often times it’s thought of as a therapy for women who have given birth. But this is NOT the case. Anyone can benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy… even men! Read on to find out more about who can benefit from pelvic floor therapy.
Read moreYou don’t have to live with pain, leaking, or discomfort during sex
Many moms have fears and worries about returning to sex post-baby. Leaking, pain, and discomfort during sex don't have to be your experience. Seeking out pelvic floor therapy can help to eliminate the discomforts of sex.
Read moreKeeping Your Pants Dry During The Holidays
The added pressure that we put upon ourselves during the holidays can cause a serious uptick in pelvic floor symptoms. Have you ever noticed that your pelvic pain or leaking increases during the holidays or stressful situations? Why does worrying about making a holiday meal or ensuring everyone makes it to grandma’s on time cause pelvic pain or peeing your pants?
The 4th Trimester Revealed- What No One Talks About After Birth
The 4th trimester is a difficult period of adjustment where you may not be sure what's going on or how to deal with it. Most moms feel totally unprepared for this trimester. Surrounding yourself with a support system and healthcare professionals like a pelvic floor physical therapist can greatly improve the postpartum healing process.