Women’s health rehabilitation is a specialty practice area of physical therapy. It is an area of physical therapy that addresses the unique medical needs of women. Women’s health rehabilitation includes treatment for pre-natal and post-partum patients, continence problems, osteoporosis, pelvic, hip and back pain.
Pre-Natal and Post-Partum Care
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- Pelvic and back pain can begin or be exacerbated with pregnancy and can continue after giving birth
- Many pregnant women experience both low back pain as well as pelvic floor dysfunction
- Urinary incontinence is common with 45% of women experiencing it up to 5-7 years after giving birth
Physical Therapy can help the following:
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- Tailbone or Hip pain
- Diastasis Rectus Abdominis (DRA) management (separation of abdominal muscles during pregnancy)
- Scar tissue mobilization (post episiotomy or post c-section)
- Post pregnancy issues (pelvic floor weakness due to episiotomy or tearing)
- Thoracic/mid-back pain/poor posture
- Shoulder/arm pain and tingling
- Professional guidance with modification of an established exercise program during pregnancy/return to prior level of fitness post-partum
Back, Hip and Pelvic Pain
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- Pelvic pain has many causes and can affect both men and women.
- Symptoms may include burning pain in the pelvis, painful intercourse or pain with bowel
movements.
Urinary Dysfunction
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- An involuntary loss of urine that can affect women and men of all ages.
- Symptoms may include leaking urine when coughing, sneezing, lifting and laughing or having difficulty controlling leakage.
- Over 25 million Americans struggle with transient or chronic urinary loss.
- The typical length of treatment for incontinence is once a week for 6 to 8 weeks.
Osteoporosis
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- Osteoporosis affects 10% of adults over 50 years old and low bone mass (precursor to Osteoporosis) affects nearly 50% of adults.
- Weight bearing exercise has been shown to stimulate increased bone density and bone growth.
- Your physical therapist will work with you to design a weight bearing exercise program.
Capstone Physical Therapy is an outpatient physical therapy clinic that specializes in the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal problems and Women’s Health Care. Jeannett Penner is a physical therapist with over 15 years of experience in physical therapy. She has taken advanced training in women’s health care, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, back, hip and pelvic pain.