Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic can offer safe and effective relief for many unique health challenges faced by pregnant women. The American Pregnancy Association recommends chiropractic care during pregnancy for controlling symptoms of nausea, reducing the time of labor and delivery, the potential for cesarean delivery, relieving back, neck and joint pain, and for maintaining the expectant mother’s overall health and comfort.
From the onset of pregnancy, prenatal chiropractic care can help establish pelvic balance and alignment, which has been clinically shown to allow for optimal fetal positioning, and can aid the expectant mother’s ability to have a natural, non-invasive birth. Closer to term, the Webster Technique has been proven effective in helping babies move into the correct position for birth, particularly in complicated breech or posterior presentations.
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy has also proven to bring relief to many of the common discomforts associated with pregnancy, including lower back pain, poor posture and muscle strain. Physical therapy is not just for recovery, as is commonly thought: a well-designed regimen can actually enhance the body’s ability to have a healthier pregnancy and smoother birth process. It is a medically-based approach to identifying and treating pain that has been proven effective in mitigating the strain pregnancy puts on the body.
During pregnancy, various factors such as weight gain, hormonal fluctuations and decreased posture can trigger pain, which can then lead to inactivity and increased fatigue. Physical therapy can help address this pain and alleviate the stress associated with the body’s new status. Exercise, particularly following a custom exercise plan designed by a licensed physical therapist, can increase physical endurance and strengthen the muscles of the hips, back and abdomen, positioning the expectant mother for a better delivery. The benefits of therapeutic exercise will extend past delivery, as toned muscles will increase metabolism, helping to combat fatigue and accelerate postpartum weight loss.
Pre-Natal Massage Therapy
NY Chiropractic & Physical Therapy also offers prenatal massage therapy to expectant mothers as an excellent way to reduce stress and relieve many of the common discomforts of pregnancy. Our massage therapist uses supportive cushions, multiple positions and soothing massage techniques to ensure clients are comfortable throughout the massage. The massage can be tailored to each woman’s specific symptoms, including backache, leg cramps, stiff neck, headaches and swelling.
A proper pre-natal physical therapy program will combine an active or exercise-based approach with a passive one. The doctors and physical therapists at NYCPT have education of their patients as their ultimate goal, so that each expectant mother can be independent in her program, and learn how to treat herself with proper guidance. The pre-natal regimen outlined by our doctors and physical therapists can help to make pregnancy healthier, delivery easier, and recovery faster.