Pre-natal Physical Therapy

Abstract

Background Information: During the pre-natal period, a woman can suffer various physiological and physical changes. Sometimes, these changes carry over to the post-natal period.Therefore, it is important for all pregnant women to understand their changing bodies pre-natally to optimize post-natal recovery and the possible complications can be treat with physical therapy that consists of a series of physical activities and exercises that are  strengthening and preparing the future mother for the moment of the birth.

Purpose: To identify how the pre- natal physical therapy can be treat the most physical discomforts experienced during pregnancy as a shortness of breath, diastasis recti, leg cramps, sacro-iliac joint dysfunction, pubic symphysis pain and/or separation, thoracic pain, urinary incontinence, and constipation, helping to improve the physical and emotional well-being of the pregnant women.

Methods: twenty pregnant women without associated pathologies of various ages participated in several sessions of pre- natal physical therapy throughout pregnancy until one week before childbirth in the office of the commune, treated by a physical therapy and a midwife, to observe the benefits of this procedure in users.

Results:  of this research, we found that almost 90% of pregnant women in the study, no complications during pregnancy, childbirth and / or postnatal period.

Conclusions: For all this, it’s very important for pregnant women to receive the pre-natal care across the physical therapy since it help to reduce the discomforts that commonly are experienced during the gestation and avoid possible complications in the childbirth and post-natal period.

Key Words: pregnancy, physical therapy, exercises, childbirth.

Pre-natal Physical Therapy

“During the pre-natal period, a woman can suffer various physiological and physical changes. Sometimes, these changes carry over to the post-natal period. Therefore, it is important for all pregnant women to understand their changing bodies pre-natally to optimize post-natal recovery.”

Most physical discomforts experienced during pregnancy can be treated with physical therapy. The physical therapist will evaluate, inform and educate the future mother in these activities that will help to strengthen and relieve her musculature of the spine, to adapt the joints that intervene in the childbirth, to stimulate the blood stream, through the prenatal gymnastics, respiratory exercises, new positions in the pregnancy and the childbirth, etc.

About me

My name is Paulina Alejandra Hermosilla Gajardo,  i'm twenty two years old and my birthday is in October, 28 :)

I live in Santiago, in San Bernardo with my wonderful parents, Katia and Edgardo and three monster brothers called Gabriel, Rodrigo and  the more little called Javier. They are so messy, but i love them <3
I have a boyfriend too, his name is Juan Carlos and  we have a beautiful relationship, because he is mi partner, my friend and my everything. I love so much :)

Actually i'm student of the second year of the carrer Midwifery in the best University of Chile, and i'm so happy for that, because always was my dream and now that comes true :)

I'm a sociable girl, kind, cheerful, but sometimes i'm irritable because i feel stressed out because of study and the gerenal life overload.

In my free time, when i don't have to study a lot , i like to listen music for relax, play with my brothers or my cat's called Pom pom and Petunia when i was boring. I like to go out with my friends to shopping when i have money, go to the church with my family, to do exercise in the week when i have time. Sometimes i like read some book's and cook in the weekend :)