Like many other women, you may be experiencing complications after your birth, discomfort or even pain when you sit or do normal everyday things. This can really impact on your life, and your ability to function day to day. At Physique Physio, we specialise in helping women recover and thrive after giving birth, so if this sounds familiar, then read on to find out more!
Many women (and even many regular women’s physios) leap to the conclusion that all post-birth complications can be solved by focussing on the pelvis. It makes sense, right? That’s the area of your body that has been doing all the work lately. But because of our background in sports physio, our approach to pre- and post-natal physio is different. We don’t just treat the symptoms; we look at the body as a whole. Say, for example, an athlete twists her ankle, we wouldn’t simply treat her ankle alone, we’d investigate all the way up the spine; we would see what else the injury has affected and treat that too. We know she hasn’t only sprained her ligament, she’s also pulled through her nervous system, so that will need recalibrating too.
Well it’s the same with your post-natal body. You may be experiencing symptoms in and around your pelvis, but we know from experience that the cause is often located elsewhere, and to truly treat you we need to treat your whole body. We will look at your whole body alignment, your breathing, your movement, and ask you questions about your symptoms, all of which will combine to give us a full picture which will inform your treatment plan. We know this gives much better results long term. But don’t just take our word for it, here’s one of our many patients:
“I was really struggling post-partum with incontinence. It got to the stage where I couldn’t leave the house, it was awful! I worked with Ruth at Physique Physio and was surprised at first that she didn’t just focus on my pelvic area. And then last week I was in the kitchen, and suddenly it started to rain. I dashed down the garden to bring the washing in, and it wasn’t until I got back into the house that I realised there’s no way I could have done that a month ago. It’s a small thing but it affected my life in a big way. So thank you Ruth and the team!” (Claire M, Physique Physio patient)
We also find that with our approach, a common side effect is that other problems also clear up. For example, fatigue is a common by-product of being a new mum. But often when we’ve treated a patient for something else, and optimised the way their body and organs are functioning, their energy levels massively improve. We find these positive side effects are particularly common in women who have interventions during birth or a traumatic birth.
So if you’re experiencing pain or discomfort post-partum, don’t just assume it’s all part of being a mum. Come and see us and we will get you back to doing what you love.
Ruth Cockerill, Physique Physio
Chapel Allerton Pilates/Physique Physio, 90 Harrogate Road LS7 4LZ