From Pregnancy Rehabilitation Therapist, Kristen Harrington, DPT, PCES
Almost one-third of births in the United States are delivered via cesarean section. Many think that having a cesarean, or c-section, won’t impact their abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. However, a cesarean is considered to be major abdominal surgery! Meadville Medical Center’s Women’s Health Therapies can help you with the side effects from having a c-section delivery!
Women who give birth via c-section are at risk of developing scar tissue adhesions to their abdominal wall. The effects of scar tissue can actually be the root in a series of other conditions that continue to develop. For instance, the scar tissue adhesions can lead to decreased depth of breathing and improper use of abdominal muscle movement, which then could eventually affect one’s posture and pelvic floor function. If any or all of that occurs, one might then begin to also experience lower back pain, painful sex, urinary urgency and leakage, bowel issues, pelvic pain, and prolonged weakness of abdominal muscles.
So, how can scar tissue be treated to prevent or alleviate these symptoms? First, there is scar tissue massage, which is done only when the c-section incision has completely healed. Scar tissue massage helps to break down some of these adhesions and realign the tissue underneath. Pregnancy and postpartum rehabilitation also includes education on retraining abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, a personalized exercise program, and even training on body mechanics with childcare, all of which is designed to help you regain strength as you progress through postpartum recovery.
Meadville Medical Center’s postpartum and pelvic floor physical therapists recommend the benefits that every mom would receive from an evaluation and personalized exercise program to reduce the severity of and improve symptoms following childbirth, for both vaginal and c-section deliveries. Ask your provider about a plan for therapy around 6-weeks postpartum. However, intervention and support can be provided anytime, even 5-years postpartum!
For More Information
Meadville Medical Center’s physical therapy and occupational therapy departments have select therapists who specialize in the department of Women’s Health Therapies. Kristen Harrington, DPT, PCES (pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist), is a physical therapist who has completed specialty coursework in pregnancy/postpartum rehabilitation. For more information about how the services of Women’s Health Therapies can benefit you, call: 814-373-2075.
