A Healthy Pregnancy Is In Your Hands Read On To Know More

Being in a state of motherhood is the most beautiful feeling a female can experience. Just the thought of having another life within you adds a lot of responsibility and protectiveness for ones own body. At the same time pregnancy is a state in which a female's body goes through various changes which effects her physically, systemically and mentally. These stresses keeps on increasing from first trimester to second trimester. Then in the normal course, women become used to the changes and become more aware about her body, says Dr. Bharat Gupta. Senior Physiotherapist & CEO (Spindle Care)But the anxiety keeps on building during the whole gestation period.

• Physiological Changes that happen include increase in blood volume, blood viscosity, blood circulation, fat tissue and incontinence.

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• Psychological Changes that take place are due to increase in level of stress hormone and release of relaxin. These changes includes lethargy, anxiety, mood swings, depression and unusual cravings.
• Physical Changes that take place in a pregnant woman are the hormonal changes and physiological processes which lead to increase in body weight up to 10 to 12 kg. These increase in gestational weight is usual. But may cause additional stress on the joints specially the weight bearing joints. The associated physical problems are back pain , knee pain, heel pain and wrist pain (carpel tunnel syndrome). The muscles and nerves also get weakened which may cause cramps, varicose veins.

Role of Physiotherapy

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Physiotherapy is required for all such kind of problems. It can not only decrease the pain but can also helps in preventing the recurrence of such problems. The physiotherapy sessions can be started from first trimester and can continue till the completion of gestation period. Each trimester includes some specific exercises which will help a women to cope with the body changes during pregnancy and even after delivery.

Read More: 8 Causes Of Back Pain In Young Mothers

During pregnancy 

Posture correction

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Rounded shoulder and slouchy posture is mostly seen in pregnant ladies. This may lead to early cervical spondylosis changes, frozen shoulder etc. Increased curvature of lumbar spine can cause mechanical low back pain, sciatica etc. Core stability exercise, stretching of postural muscle helps in relieving symptoms like muscular cramps which is common at night in calf, thigh and low back. Here gentle relaxation exercise, strengthening of weak muscles, cold pack application and increase fluid intake will help. 

After pregnancy 

Physiotherapy after delivery of a child also plays an important role in dealing with muscular and neural problems such as weight gain, neck pain, back pain and heaviness in arm. Cardiovascular conditioning, aerobic exercise and specific weight reduction exercises will help you in regaining prior fitness level. Physical activity in pregnancy is safe and healthy under the guidance of qualified physiotherapist.