Pregnancy is of course something very beautiful, and once the baby is born, the hardships and aches and pains that occurred during the past 9 months are usually quickly forgotten. Nevertheless, pregnancy is also a strain on the mother’s body. Due to the strong increase in weight on the belly, the body’s center of gravity shifts forward. The back must now do more holding work to stay in balance.
Introduction
Many women show a pronounced hollow back during pregnancy. In most cases a physiological posture regresses after birth, but this process can be well supported by physiotherapy to ensure the best possible regeneration. The abdominal and pelvic floor muscles are also required during pregnancy.
Here there is a strong stretching up to a rectus diastasis. Often the muscles remain hypotonic – i.e. too weak – after pregnancy and can be specifically trained again through physiotherapy or rehabilitation courses. Not only the back suffers from the additional weight, but also the feet are strained.
The arch of the foot is often lowered. Here too, physiotherapy is useful. Often the restoration of the original statics and posture happens all by itself, but at the latest when complaints or noticeable changes occur, supportive physiotherapy should be considered.
Exercises
The exercises can be started directly one or two days after birth. This is especially useful for postnatal exercises. The uterus is supposed to regress.
This is best done under the influence of the hormone oxytocin, which promotes the contraction of the uterine muscles and is released, for example, during breastfeeding. This can be used in therapy by performing the exercises directly after breastfeeding. Early physiotherapy can also help against possible pain when getting up or sitting down.
The exercises should of course be chosen gently and adapted to the woman’s condition. Exercises for this can also be found in the articles: After some time, when the uterus has receded again and the puerperium has passed, a specific strengthening program for the back and abdomen can also be worked out, at home or in the studio. When using equipment, breathing and pelvic floor tension should always be taken into account.
During exhalation, the pelvic floor muscles tense up; during inhalation, they loosen up. During exhalation the straining part of an exercise takes place, during inhalation the tension is released. Take such exercises from the articles: Jumps or similar exercises to increase fitness are only added to the training as a heavy load after complete recovery and begun strengthening and stabilizing the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
- In the first few days, breathing exercises are combined with light pelvic movements, which address the pelvic floor, as well as the deep stabilizing abdominal muscles and relieve the lower back. It is important to understand the basics of the exercises and to become confident in their execution, as later exercises simply build on this tension. Later on, exercises can be performed while standing, in everyday situations or in the gym.
- Recovery gymnastics
- Pelvic floor training pregnancy
- Pelvic Floor Gymnastics
- Exercises against a hollow back
- Physiotherapy exercises back
- Exercises Belly Legs Bottom Back
Muscle groups that should be the focus of the exercises are the lower abdominal muscles, the back muscles and also the muscles of the arch of the foot.
The abdominal muscles are initially trained by the basic tension in connection with breathing, this can also be done in a lateral position for training the oblique abdominal muscles. Later, more difficult exercises such as forearm support and the four-footed stand can be chosen. Exercises such as crunches take longer, because when the upper body is rolled up a strong pressure is built up on the weakened pelvic floor.
The back muscles should be strengthened or loosened according to findings. In most cases, stabilizing exercises are useful to correct the previous over mobility of the lumbar spine. Brigding is a good choice.
Gentle exercises in the prone position (only when these are painless), or exercises in a standing position or slight knee bend, for example supported by a Thera-band. The arch of the foot plays a not negligible role in shock absorption in gait and can have a relieving function in relation to the spine.It should therefore also be given attention. Through light foot gymnastics the muscles can be strengthened and the arch can be rebuilt.
Passive massage techniques can also be performed independently and relax the foot muscles. Gripping exercises, running over different surfaces, and coordinative training are offered. In the article Pain Bunion and Physiotherapy Exercises Ankle you will find such exercises.