How Clinical Pilates Can Treat Pain During And After Pregnancy (And Other Added Benefits)
Pilates is one of the safest and most targeted forms of exercise for women during pregnancy. Women can experience many forms of pain as their body adapts and changes to prepare for the miracle of carrying and birthing a child.
Pilates can assist with the treatment of such pain by stabilising, mobilising and safely moving your body.
Clinical pilates with a physiotherapist can also be specifically tailored to individual needs during every trimester and be adapted according to fitness levels as well as assisting them to prepare for the recovery post natally.
Pelvic pain and lower back pain are two very common ailments women experience during pregnancy, due to an increase in the relaxin hormone that can cause the ligaments in our pelvis to become lax.
The surrounding joints in our pelvis and lower back can then become inflamed and unstable, causing pain especially when walking and during movement. This can be treated effectively through ensuring women aren’t performing the incorrect movements that may aggravate their condition, stabilising exercises with clinical pilates equipment and through guided pilates exercises at home.
A typical pregnancy pilates exercise program whilst focussing on maintaining general strengthening and conditioning, is also specifically focussing on the activation of deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. During pregnancy, the deep abdominal muscles are being stretched as women go through their trimesters and it is important to keep them engaged correctly to prevent significant separation in the abdominal muscles post natally, as well as protect the lower back through stabilising.
The pelvic floor is important before, during and after childbirth. If someone has weak pelvic floor muscles, it can make childbirth more challenging and the recovery much harder, it is important to prompt women throughout their pregnancies to engage correctly to avoid incontinence and prolapse for their recovery.
Whether it’s using the reformers with a physiotherapist or a pilates instructor or doing mat-based and band work at home, pilates exercises change as women progress though trimesters. They are encouraged not to do sit ups as it may increase the separation in the abdominal muscles, they are discouraged to work at super high intensities, and women are encouraged to be exercising for longevity and because it feels good to move! After 20 weeks women are discouraged from exercises lying on their back, therefore a physiotherapist can effectively guide them with exercise modifications and advice on how to perform exercises correctly.
Pregnant women don’t have to train for personal records, they are encouraged to train for because it feels good and enjoy moving in a safe way for themselves and their unborn bub!
Limitless are now offerings Mums, Bubs and Bumps classes for pregnant women and women who have just had their babies- it is a safe small group exercise class run by a physiotherapist and of course babies are more than welcome! Head to our website or ring our reception for more information.
