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Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Pregnant Women and New Mothers, Preventable & Treatable

Pelvic floor dysfunction, or PFD, is a broad term used to describe several physical conditions that occur mainly as a result from pregnancy and childbirth. As a pre and postnatal fitness specialist for over 20 years, almost every one of my clients has had some form of PFD. What does this mean and why is it relevant to women’s fitness? I will further define PFD in detail and explain how it changes the way we as exercise professionals program design for this clientele.

First, let’s look at the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor looks like a sling or hammock that forms the floor of the bony pelvis and it serves several important functions in our bodies.  The internal layer or “pelvic diaphragm” work with the external muscles of the pelvic floor to support our internal organs, stabilize our bodies, allow for sexual function, urinary and bowel movements and assist in contracting and pushing in the birthing process. These muscles are prone to trauma from the various functions they perform.  The stress of the growing uterus in the body during pregnancy coupled with the changing gravity, posture and production of the hormone Relaxin all contribute to weakening the pelvic floor muscles.

Second, consider the whole Neuromuscular Core system. Pelvic floor muscles connect to the Transverse Abdominus (TVA) and they work together in harmony essentially hold the body upright. It is almost impossible to engage one without the other. Tightness in the hips combined with weak pelvic floor muscles creates PFD.

Diastasis Recti, Symphosis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), Urinary and or fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, chronic lower back pain, Piraformis syndrome, sciatic pain, pelvic organ prolapse are all conditions under the pelvic floor dysfunction umbrella.  Below these conditions are listed and defined in more detail.

Diastasis Recti: This is a separation of the right and left side of the Rectus Adbdominus in the Linea Alba connective tissue more than 2 cm in width

Pubic Symposis Disorder: A separation of the pubic bones, which often occurs during birth but sometimes during the third trimester.

Urinary incontinence: Uncontrollable leakage from bladder.

Fecal incontinence: Uncontrollable leakage of fecal matter from colon. Usually as a result from severe tearing during birth.

Pelvic pain: This type of pain can be during sex or when performing a movement that is irritating or uncomfortable, many possible underlying issues.

Chronic lower back pain: Unexplainable chronic lower back pain

Sciatica: Pain that radiates from lower back down one leg along the sciatic nerve as a result of compression of the sciatic nerve

Piraformis syndrome: Also a result of an inflamed sciatic nerve but more localized

Pelvic organ prolaps: When organs of the pelvis fall as a result of weak pelvic floor muscles.

These conditions can be limiting for many women and go untreated because they are embarrassed or told that they are normal “experiences” after giving birth. Until recently, very few fitness programs existed to help women strengthen pelvic floor muscles. It is my opinion that every pregnant woman and new mother should be automatically screened for PFD and treated right away. If women do not learn proper strengthening exercises of pelvic floor muscles they can potentially live in discomfort for years. The sooner preventative care is offered the better the quality of life for these women.

As mentioned earlier, many of these conditions are preventable and remedied through a combination of functional strength with corrective, posture-based range of motion exercises. When a woman becomes pregnant there is an immediate increase in pressure to the pelvic floor muscles. The body begins to produce relaxin which affects the joints throughout the body, especially the pelvis as it prepares to accommodate the growing uterus and eventually for birth. If treatment begins to help women continue strengthening the muscles surrounding the hips immediately, the pressure on the pelvic floor muscles will be reduced.

It was common practice until recently that women were advised to learn and perform Kegel Contractions. We understand more now as movement therapists that Kegel contractions are very hard to teach, very isolated, and in most cases, when examined internally by a women’s healthcare PT, women are not performing them correctly.  A more effective approach to strengthening the pelvic floor muscles is to treat the entire hip complex as “one”– or a “global approach” — as described in applied functional science.

So, how do fitness professionals help create beneficial, safe and effective exercise programming for pregnant clients and new mothers that hone in on the core and pelvic floor? We must start by helping our clients improve their posture first and foremost, then work on proper breathing techniques and lastly incorporate larger exercises that do not isolate, but recruit many muscles from the hip complex and surrounding muscles groups. By incorporating all three planes of motion instead of working primarily in the sagittal plane (forward and backward) when performing even the most basic of exercises (i.e., the squat), you must change the movement by foot placement, arm placement, direction, tempo, range of motion etc. The variety in actions creates good stress to the pelvic floor and core muscles. Additionally, increasing the adduction and abduction action simultaneously while performing various exercises will help activate and recruit pelvic floor muscles subconsciously. Anatomically speaking, everything is connected in the body. Understanding that big global movements of the upper body and lower body together affect the position and strengthen of pelvic floor and core muscles is essential. The body is most efficient at strengthening the small muscles when big muscle groups are stimulated in combination. Throughout my years, I have seen much success with clients that incorporated these types of movements into their workout regimen and were safe and conscientious not to perform exercises that added bad stress to the external abdominal muscle group or impact exercises.

Each woman is different on how quickly it takes her to recover from PFD. The most important rule of thumb is to be reassuring and provide support and remember the time line is different for everyone depending on severity of PFD, the fitness level of the client, if the client is breast feeding and prior injuries that could prolong healing time.

Online Course for Fit Pros: Prenatal and Postpartum Exercise


Danielle Spangler, C.PT, has been a fitness professional for over 20 years. Danielle is the creator of “Coremom” (Corrective Obstetrical Related Exercises) for purposes of creating a pre and postnatal small group-training program in a variety of fitness facilities. Danielle’s goal is to train other qualified fitness professionals and group exercise instructors on teaching pre and postnatal small group exercise classes using her method. Visit her website, daniellespangler.com

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Benefits of Prenatal Massage

Prenatal Massage, Easing the Changes

What better way to show you are dedicated to giving this new life every advantage in the world than to arrange for a pregnancy massage from a specially certified therapist. Each session is designed to focus on the special needs of a mother-to-be as her body goes through the dramatic changes of the child-bearing year, which includes pregnancy, birth, and post-delivery. Massage provides a nurturing touch, which in turn, nurtures the life of your unborn child.

A woman’s body changes a great deal over nine months. Her weight increases, her breasts change, her blood pressure elevates, organs are compressed and pushed up, and the muscles in her abdomen become stretched and strained. Massage can help relieve pressure and tensions created by these changes.

Benefits of a Pregnancy Massage Include:

  • An opportunity for much-needed rest and relaxation
  • Balances hormones (relieving moodiness and nausea)
  • Increases fetal circulation
  • Reduces swelling
  • Relieves back and neck pain
  • Improves skin tone elasticity
  • Deepens maternal bonding
  • Enhances body awareness (making delivery easier)

Benefits of Massage After Birth

  • Post-delivery/Postpartum massage addresses the mother’s stress of carrying and caring for a newborn, speeds recovery and relieves sore muscles.
  • The childbearing year includes not only the three trimesters of pregnancy, but also during labor, and three months after delivery.
  • After delivery, a new mother must gradually regain her postural strength and pre-pregnancy state of of fitness. Your therapist will give you stretches and exercise you can do at home to help your body get back to normal.

How is Pregnancy Massage Special?

The mother-to-be is always carefully supported in several positions. When lying face-up, she is supported with the back lifted, to provide comfort and maximum circulation to the legs and the fetus. While in a side-lying position, special pregnancy pillows support the stomach, which allows the therapists to massage the back and hips. The belly is NEVER compressed by lying face down, nor is the belly left hanging through a hole in the massage table. These methods are less than ideal for the mother’s body and for fetal circulation.

Pregnancy massage addresses the profound changes a woman’s body experiences during the entire childbearing year. During the first months, massage can help her body balance changing hormones, which often cause morning sickness. During the Second Trimester, pregnancy massage addresses the upper and lower back pain that develops from the weight of the new baby. At the end of pregnancy, massage can relieve swollen feet and hands, numbness, hip, low back and sciatic pain. Pregnancy massage is also intended for the three months after the delivery to help the new mother regain abdominal strength, reduce soreness and relax muscle tension, and to offer a brief respite from the new duties of motherhood and caring for an infant

If you are in a “High Risk Maternity” category, or having any complications, you may still be able to have a massage, but you should definitely get medical clearance first. You should also call your therapist before your appointment to make sure they have a good understanding of what it takes to keep you safe and comfortable. Most Certified or Licensed massage therapists get instruction on working with Pregnant Mothers as part of their entry level massage education. However, there are additional classes available, and each therapist has varying levels of awareness and experience. We recommend finding a therapist that has an additional certification in Pregnancy or Prenatal Massage. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the therapist qualifications, and what they’re going to do during the massage. While you’re receiving massage, continue to ask questions as they come up. If at any time during the massage it feels worse than a “hurts good” sensation, then it’s too much, and you should speak up. Your therapist should never encourage you to suffer through anything you don’t like during a session.


Kathy Flippin has been a Sports Massage Therapist since 1997 is the owner of Dynamic Touch Massage. Kathy’s passion is to offer excellent therapeutic massage, and educate her clients on how they can take the best care possible of themselves. Her clients include everyone from professional athletes to active grandmothers.

 

References

  1. Field, T. (1999). Pregnant Women Benefit From Massage Therapy. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mar;20(1):31-8.
  2. Field, T. (2004). Massage Therapy Effects on Depressed Pregnant Women. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jun;25(2):115-22.
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Building Strength is an Important Component in a Prenatal Fitness Routine

You may have heard people warn that pregnant women shouldn’t raise anything over their heads or lift objects that are heavier than ten pounds when pregnant. These are warnings that still make the fitness trainer rounds when working with pregnant clients, yet these warnings aren’t based on science.  In fact, there’s no evidence for warning pregnant women to avoid lifting over their head unless it causes discomfort or balance issues, and the ten-pound limit is even more questionable, as ten pounds would be too heavy for some women and as easy as a feather for others.

It’s important to always remember that each pregnant woman has a specific fitness level and ability, so setting arbitrary limits is an ineffective way to provide guidelines for this population. In addition, when confronted with statements such as these, always review the research that supports the claim before implementing the information into your training guidelines.

Many women choose to continue their pre-pregnancy strength training program while they are pregnant, and most women may safely start strength training during their pregnancy as long as they are cleared for exercise by their healthcare provider. When developing a pregnant woman’s fitness program, you should take into account her current level of fitness and strength and pay close attention to how she feels during and after exercise. The key to maintaining a safe and effective routine is through consistent modification of the exercises for comfort as pregnancy progresses.

Strength training is an essential prenatal fitness component, providing the muscle power needed to compensate for posture adjustments and weight gain that occurs with pregnancy. Women who continue or even start a strength training routine during pregnancy can help prepare her body for all the lifting done with a new baby and reduce the risk of low back pain. Strength training has not been shown to pose any harm to either the fetus or the mother as long as these general guidelines are followed:

  • A gradual reduction in weight loads from pre-pregnancy will likely occur as the pregnancy progresses.
  • Women may continue their pre-pregnancy strength training routine (wt/reps/set) as long as they modify the exercises for comfort as pregnancy progresses.
  • If training causes muscle soreness during the pregnancy, it is recommended that overload be progressed by increasing the number of repetitions versus the resistance/wt.
  • Monitor exercise techniques carefully by mirror observation or supervision in order to correct for progressive postural changes that occur with advancing pregnancy. Improper lifting techniques may aggravate back problems and increase soft tissue injuries.
  • Avoid maximal static lifts. They may cause a sudden increase in cardiac output and blood pressure and employ the Valsalva maneuver. During the Valsalva maneuver, there is a significant diversion of blood from the internal organs (such as the uterus) to the working muscles.
  • Maximal lifts may also place extreme stress on the lumbar spine and other joint areas. Never overload an unstable or weakened joint.
  • Modify supine positions after the first trimester of pregnancy by using an incline board or wedge.
  • A strength-training workout involving all the major muscle groups should be performed three times per week, with a rest day between each muscle group training bout.
  • Machines, free weights, resistance bands, and body weight
  • are all options for building a strength training routine.
  • Remind client that she should exhale with the lift and avoid holding her breath or bearing down and straining as she lifts.
  • If a particular exercise continues to produces pain or discomfort are modification, it should be discontinued. If pain persists, the client should consult with her healthcare provider.

As always, all pregnant women should check with her healthcare provider before starting or continuing an exercise program during pregnancy.


Catherine Cram, MS started her company, Prenatal and Postpartum Fitness Consulting, in order to provide current, evidence- based guidelines maternal fitness guidelines to health and fitness professionals. She was a contributing author for the textbook, “Women’s Health in Physical Therapy” and co-authored the revision of “Exercising Through Your Pregnancy” with Dr. James Clapp.  Her company offers the certification course, “Prenatal and Postpartum Exercise Design” which provides continuing education credits for over 30 health and fitness organization, including ACSM, ACE, ICEA, and Lamaze.

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Can a Pregnant Woman Safely Continue her Pre-Pregnancy Workout Routine?

A regular exercise routine has become a way of life for many women, and many choose to continue their exercise routines when they become pregnant.  Research in the field of maternal fitness has shown that exercise during a non-complicated pregnancy is healthy for both mom and baby and may help prevent or reduce some of the physical problems associated with pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Although exercise is a positive addition to a healthy pregnancy, there are established guidelines that help ensure that a woman’s exercise program is safe and effective.  First and foremost, it is important for a pregnant woman to consult with her healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.  She should bring a list of questions regarding her exercise program and provide an overview of what type, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise she would like to do.  This enables her healthcare provider to accurately assess whether the fitness program is appropriate for her pregnancy.

Each woman’s level of fitness and health is different, as is each pregnancy. There are several points to consider when choosing to continue a fitness program during pregnancy.  Some types of exercise are more easily continued during pregnancy, and common sense, safety, and comfort all play a role in deciding whether an activity should be part of a prenatal fitness program.

Choosing the type of exercise that will be safe and effective during pregnancy can be determined by reviewing the following points:

  • What activities does she enjoy or are skilled at doing?
  • Does the activity pose an increased risk of falls or blunt abdominal injury?
  • Is she able to do the activity without being compromised by balance and center of gravity changes?
  • Can the activity be easily modified as pregnancy progresses?
  • Does common sense conclude that this is a safe activity to continue during pregnancy?

Research on prenatal exercise has suggested that greater benefits are achieved by including sustained, weight-bearing exercises such as walking, running, stationary stepping/elliptical machine, or dance classes in a prenatal fitness program.  However, some women may not tolerate weight-bearing exercise during pregnancy and are more comfortable with non-weight bearing activities such as swimming and stationary biking.

There are several activities, such as scuba diving and water skiing, that are never safe to do during pregnancy.  Other activities, such as downhill skiing, horseback riding, and sports with a chance of abdominal impact may also be too risky for most women to continue during pregnancy.

Here are a few tips for keeping a prenatal exercise routine safe:

  • Pregnant women need to add 300 calories to their daily food intake to meet the needs of pregnancy. If she is physically active, she may need to increase that amount if she’s not gaining weight normally. The number of extra calories needed depends on the intensity and duration and frequency of the exercise program.  It is important to drink 8-10 cups of water each day and increase that amount during hot and humid weather.
  • Exercise in heat and humidity can be dangerous. It is safest to exercise in an air-conditioned facility during the summer months. If she does choose to exercise outdoors during warm weather, she should avoid the high heat times between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm and reduce intensity and duration to prevent overheating.
  • She should frequently monitor herself during exercise for signs of overheating, such as dizziness, faintness, or nausea. Drinking plenty of water before, during, and after exercise to replace the fluids lost will help prevent dehydration and overheating. Hot tubs and saunas may cause core temperature to rise to unsafe levels and should be avoided.

A simple method for monitoring intensity level during prenatal exercise is to assess how hard the exercise feels.  A pregnant woman should feel that her exercise level is moderate to somewhat hard.  If she feels out of breath or is unable to talk (termed the “talk test”), she is working at too high a level and should decrease intensity or stop and rest. Her exercise level should feel challenging but not so difficult that she feels exhausted during and/or afterward.

Self-assessment is one of the best ways for a pregnant woman to monitor her exercise program and assure herself that her activity level is safe. A pregnant woman should review the following questions several times each month and follow up with her healthcare provider if she experiences any problems.

  • Do you and your healthcare provider feel that you are gaining weight normally?
  • Do you feel well physically and mentally?
  • Are you able to comfortably follow your exercise program without pain, exhaustion, or problems following exercise?
  • Do you experience chronic or extreme exhaustion?
  • If you are at the point in pregnancy where you are consistently feeling fetal movement, have you noticed any change in the pattern or amount of your baby’s movements?
  • Does your baby move at least two times within 20-30 minutes following exercise?
  • Was your last abdominal fundal height measurement (a measurement of fetal growth) or ultrasound assessment within normal limits, and is your baby progressing normally at each medical check?
  • Does your healthcare provider have any concern regarding the health of your pregnancy?

Pregnant women who continue a challenging level of exercise need to be aware of signs or symptoms that indicate overwork, such as an elevated resting heart rate, frequent illness, lack of weight gain, depression and chronic exhaustion.   She should decrease or stop her exercise program during illness, when fatigued, under excessive stress or if experiencing any complications with her pregnancy.

Prenatal exercise should enhance pregnancy and help to make a woman’s postpartum recovery smoother.  The best advice for the athletic woman who wants to continue her fitness program during pregnancy is to use common sense, listen to her body, and enjoy all the challenges and changes this incredible experience offers.


Catherine Cram started her company, Prenatal and Postpartum Fitness Consulting, in order to provide current, evidence- based guidelines maternal fitness guidelines to health and fitness professionals. She was a contributing author for the textbook, Women’s Health in Physical Therapy and co-authored the revision of Exercising Through Your Pregnancy with Dr. James Clapp.  Her company offers the certification course, “Prenatal and Postpartum Exercise Design” which provides continuing education credits for over 30 health and fitness organization, including ACSM, ACE, ICEA, and Lamaze.

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Can Exercise help treat women with postpartum depression?

According to several studies, exercise has been proven as an effective method of treating and preventing depression. Some studies suggest that physical activity may be as powerful as anti-depressants for treating mild to moderate depression over time. The same is true for women experiencing mild to moderate postpartum depression. It’s important to note that there are different levels of postpartum depression and screening is available through hospitals and doctors’ offices if PPD is suspected. Both the Edinburgh Postnatal depression scale questionnaire and a PAR-Q medical history questionnaire will help give insight to healthcare practitioner and patient on treatment methods.

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Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines

One of the most frequent questions pregnant women ask is, “How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?”. This is an important issue, as gaining too much or too little weight can adversely affect fetal growth, birth outcomes and affect the health of the mother.

Research has shown that excessive gestational weight gain can adversely affect fetal growth and increases the risk of cesarean delivery and larger for gestational age births and childhood obesity.  Lack of adequate weight gain can negatively affect fetal growth and development and increase the risk of preterm labor and low birthweight babies. 

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends the following ranges for weight gain during pregnancy. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines; the pregnant client and healthcare provider should determine what’s best for her pregnancy. The health and growth of the fetus may affect what the healthcare provider determines to be a woman’s healthiest weight gain range and that amount can vary as pregnancy progresses.

ACOG Guidelines for Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Pre-Pregnancy BMI  / Recommended Gain 

  • Underweight (Less than 18.5): 28-40 lbs
  • Normal Weight (18.5-24.9): 25-35 lbs
  • Overweight (25-29.9): 15-25 lbs
  • Obese (30 and higher): 11-20 lbs

A pregnant woman’s diet and exercise level play an important role in keeping weight gain within healthy limits.  It’s important to stress that, on average, only 300 extra calories a day are needed to fulfill the energy needs of pregnancy.  If a woman gains in excess of what her healthcare provider recommends, she should keep a food record for several days to see if she’s taking in too many calories. It can be helpful for her to get a referral to a registered dietician to help determine how to maintain a healthy weight gain.


Catherine Cram, MS, is the owner of Comprehensive Fitness Consulting, LLC, a company that provides pre- and postnatal fitness certifications and information to hospitals, health/wellness organizations, and the military. Comprehensive Fitness Consulting offers innovative, evidence-based information to pregnant and postpartum women and their health/fitness providers.

 

References

  • BMI Calculator:  https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee Opinion Number 548. January 2013 (Reaffirmed 2020)
  • liu P, Xu L, Wang Y, et al. Association between perinatal outcomes and maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index. Obes Rev 2016;17:1091–102.
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Pregnancy and Childbirth During Unprecedented Times

Being pregnant and having a baby is stressful on its own. Now imagine being pregnant and delivering a baby during a global pandemic. Being a mother myself and treating pregnant women and new mothers, I recognize this population struggles with support, proper healthcare (especially postpartum), isolation and they may have limited resources at their disposal. It is important to understand that for many of these women the unexpected turn of events, has left them disappointed and it has affected the entire pregnancy and postpartum experience affecting both their mental and physical health. 

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Risks Associated With the Development of Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) appears to be on the rise in the US, with the CDC suggesting that the prevalence of GDM may be as high as 9.2%. The disease is defined as the onset of impaired glucose intolerance during pregnancy as diagnosed from a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between 24 and 28 weeks. Pregnant women who develop GDM are at higher risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery, and the fetus may develop macrosomia, and neonatal hypoglycemia. In addition, women who develop GDM have a greater than 7-fold increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. There’s some suggestion that babies born to mothers with GDM have a greater risk of developing impaired glucose tolerance.