Physical Therapy: A New Mom’s Best-Kept Secret

Congratulations, you’ve just had a baby! Whether this is your first child, or you’ve had many before, taking care of yourself postpartum is just as important as taking care of your baby. Many new moms attend their six-week postpartum checkup and are cleared to do whatever they want but don’t feel ready or don’t know how to begin exercising safely again. Not to mention, new moms may be experiencing other symptoms like urinary leakage, pelvic pain, or low back pain. These symptoms are often assumed to be normal, but they can be helped with the assistance of a physical therapist.

At your first physical therapy appointment, your physical therapist will talk to you and gain a thorough understanding of what your symptoms are, what activities you may be having difficulty with, and what activities you would like to get back to doing. Then, they will assess the muscular strength of the hips, core, and pelvic floor and will likely get you started with a couple of personalized exercises to get you on the road to recovery!

Whether you’ve just had your first child or you’re a seasoned veteran, here are some common postpartum findings that can be treated in physical therapy:

• Postural changes
• Upper/lower back pain
• Pelvic pain
• Weak abdominal muscles
• Diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
• Scarring from c-section
• Perineal or vaginal tearing and episiotomy scarring
• Bladder and bowel dysfunction (urine or stool leakage, urgency, constipation)
• Painful intercourse
• Feelings of pelvic heaviness or pelvic organ prolapse
• Guidance with returning to regular exercise routine

Physical Therapy Can Help

You don’t have to wait for your six-week checkup to seek help from a physical therapist. Our team is here to answer any questions you may have about recovering after having a baby. Contact your local Athletico Physical Therapy clinic and schedule a free assessment. Free Assessments are available in-clinic and virtually through our Telehealth platform and are a great resource to learn how physical therapy can help you.

Request a Free Assessment

*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.