Throughout pregnancy, during labour and even after delivery your body can change so much. I had the opportunity recently to ask registered physiotherapist and pelvic floor specialist Lisa Flanders and myofascial release specialist Tara Hagan Fields RMT some questions about how to prepare your body, in particular your pelvis, for pregnancy, labour and after baby arrives. Here are their answers.
What does a pelvic floor physiotherapist do?
A pelvic floor physiotherapist has specialized training to assess and treat dysfunctions associated with the pelvic floor. This includes muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments found within the vagina and rectum.
Dysfunctions are classified as any concern related to the pelvic floor and may include incontinence, pelvic pain, painful intercourse or constipation to name a few.
What do you do as an RMT that specializes in myofascial release?
I have been a Registered Massage Therapist for 10 years. In that time, I have gone on to specialize in Women’s Health and Myofascial Release (MFR).
John F Barnes Myofascial Release, the approach I use, has provided me with a whole new way to view and treat the body.
With myofascial release, we are able to go beyond the symptoms. Using gentle sustained pressure for 2-5 minutes or longer, we treat the connective tissue. Unlike muscles that respond quickly to stretch or manipulation, the connective tissue needs time. Too often we confuse time with force and the body shuts down any healing process. With a little time and space and the proper environment, MFR can create lasting change by following your body, allowing for it’s natural self correcting healing response.
How can seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist help prepare my body/pelvis for pregnancy, labour and after baby arrives?
During pregnancy pelvic floor physiotherapy can assist in a number of ways. You body is going through a beautiful change, but with that comes shifts due to hormone release, ligament laxity and muscle changes. Your pelvic floor physiotherapist will work with you with muscle and postural control to support your changing body. I term this ‘pre-hab’, meaning muscle strengthening before baby comes.
For labor prep, your pelvic floor physiotherapist will assist in relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, opening the pelvis, and ensuring the body is in optimal alignment.
After baby comes, your pelvic floor physiotherapist will help you to regain core strength, including control of diastasis recti (abdominal separation). Other big concerns include incontinence, painful intercourse and scar tissue release (from cesarean or perineal tearing). Essentially your pelvic floor physiotherapist will help you reach your goals, from baby wearing to running a marathon.
How can myofascial release help prepare my body/pelvis for pregnancy, labour and after baby arrives?
Having MFR treatments prior to, during, or after your delivery is encouraged.
Prior to pregnancy, MFR helps to prepare your body. It helps to balance out what may be working too hard or what may not be working at all. This could be a result of past injuries or traumas that we no longer think about. Trauma, however little or large, is held at the cellular level. Over time this impairs how we function as a whole.
We as women think it is easy to get pregnant and carry to term. This is not the case for many. If you are having problems getting pregnant or staying pregnant, there may be issues that may not have been brought up to you by your doctor. The truth is the fascial system is unknown to many doctors, but now they are starting to pay more attention to what is preventing us from functioning optimally. Myofascial Release helps to release the pressures on your system that are preventing you from getting pregnant. With MFR we work on rebalancing your system, your whole system, not just your reproductive system or your hormonal system. This allows for other fertility treatments to have a better chance of being successful.
Receiving MFR is ideal and should be had by all pregnant women. Making room for baby, preparing for birth, bonding with baby while in utero and allowing baby to receive MFR is an incredible experience.
After birth I encourage all moms to get in as soon as they can. Not just for them, but for their new baby as well.
Birth is traumatic for all involved. It can happen quickly, or it can take a long time. It may be your ideal birth, or it may have resulted in an experience that is less than what you hoped it would be. The body remembers it all! Healing doesn’t stop after the baby is out, or your stitches have healed. Healing takes place on many levels and MFR supports your journey in healing.
Pain and discomfort can impact a woman’s life significantly. It’s common for women to experience pelvic imbalance, diastasis, anxiety, depression and breast pain. These symptoms should not be considered normal; they can and should be treated. MFR helps to rebalance and release the restrictive holding patterns that are creating chaos or crisis on your system and impacting the quality of your life.
Treatments for baby are just as important. Tongue, lip and buccal ties leading to latch problems, sleep issues, digestive issues (colic, gas, constipation, etc), hypersensitivity, are common symptoms that trained therapists can help you with.
There are a number of therapists in this city that are incredible with what they do. I feel having a team that can help you is truly important. For that reason, I collaborate with an incredible array of practitioners from many different modalities to help you and your baby.
As a physiotherapist and pelvic floor specialist what are your top 3 tips for moms to be?
1. Learn to breath properly and from the diaphragm. The diaphragm and pelvic floor work together which is necessary for pelvic floor relaxation as well as muscle activation.
2. Incorporate pelvic opening exercises including prenatal yoga classes or similar prenatal movement classes. If your pelvis is open, it will allow baby to move through the birth canal without restriction.
3. Book at least one pelvic floor physiotherapy appointment before delivery to have an evaluation and ensure your body is functioning in an optimal manner.
As an RMT and myofascial release specialist what are your top 3 tips for moms to be?
1. Self treat! There are plenty of tools for you to use at home to help make this experience of getting pregnant, being pregnant and after birth amazing for you. Try incorporating tennis balls, tune up balls, or coregeous balls. If you can give yourself even 5 minutes a day self-treating, you will be helping yourself a whole lot.
2. Increase the length of stretching that you do. Even if you only do one release, if you hold it for 5 minutes or longer, your release will effect much more than just the area you released.
3. Try to get in as soon as you can after your birth. Birth is a traumatic event for both you and baby. Get treated immediately with Myofascial Release and address issues before they arise and settle in to compensation patterns, for both of you.
What is a typical visit with a pelvic floor physiotherapist like and what can someone expect at an appointment?
You can expect a thorough history as well as a full body movement exam. If you are comfortable, your pelvic floor physiotherapist will perform an internal examination to evaluate the muscle tone, connective tissues, strength and endurance of your pelvic floor. You will be provided with a home exercise program based on the findings and a treatment plan will be discussed.
What is a typical visit an RMT specializing in myofascial release like and what can someone expect at an appointment?
Injuries can be complex, symptoms can result from a number of factors and sources. Physical, emotional and mental factors can all play a role in how your symptoms manifest themselves. Understanding that you and how your systems work together is unique, you are treated as an individual. No approach is the same for every patient. Looking at the whole you, I help to create an approach that truly is personalized to your goals and your contributing factors.
Myofascial Release is not traditional Massage Therapy as most people think it is. Most manual therapists are forcing a system that does not want to be forced. I don’t use lotion or oil.
You remain partially clothed, I encourage people to wear comfortable underwear or shorts and a tank top.
I apply pressure to areas of your body that may or may not be where you are feeling your pain.
I hold pressures anywhere between 2 minutes and 5 minutes or longer. This allows for your body to do the release, instead of the release being done for you.
I encourage you to participate in your treatment, take your brakes off and allow yourself to unwind your tensional patterns.
As a pelvic floor specialist and physiotherapist, is there anything else you would like moms to be to take away from this post?
Don’t let anyone tell you pelvic floor dysfunction is a normal part of having a baby, it is common but easily treated. Pelvic floor health is a necessary part of overall health and your pelvic floor physiotherapist can help you take control back over your pelvic floor.
As an RMT specializing in myofascial release is there anything else you would like moms to be to take away from this post?
The human body is amazing. Its ability to compensate is huge. Add a baby in to the element and we often forget about ourselves.
Don’t forget about yourself!
Take the time to treat now so that you are not treating issues 5-10-20 years down the road. Learning to take care of yourself now, will prevent problems before they start.
Thank you to Lisa and Tara for taking time to answer my questions.
Lisa Flanders is a registered physiotherapist at the Ottawa Integrative Health Centre with specialized training pertaining to the pelvic floor. She treats the whole person and designs treatment plans that are unique to the individual.
You can connect with Lisa by following her on Facebook or visiting her website at lisaflanders.ca.
Tara Hagan Fields has been a Registered Massage Therapist since 2006. Branching from traditional Massage Therapy she has specialized in Myofascial Release and Fascial restrictions. Her passion lies within the Women’s Health field. She is an advanced level therapist under the John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach™. Tara has trained further with Structural Integration, and Myofascial Release with Lori Zeltwanger P.T. Her other training in Women’s Health: Pregnancy, Doula, Breast Care for the Cancer Patient, Chronic Pelvic Pain and Visceral Manipulation.
Tara encourages each client to participate in every session. Her belief that awareness provides us with choice and that being aware and present in your body, giving yourself permission to feel, will help you heal from your past; traumas, surgeries, and pains.
“Years ago, I set myself on a bigger journey both professionally and personally. At first my ultimate goal was to take the Women`s Health Seminar by John F Barnes, but along the way, I recognized that everyone needs Myofascial Release, especially myself. I have learned so much; feel so much; I am more open to allowing, accepting and even encouraging what the quiet is telling me.
Today my practice is solely Myofascial Release. I treat so many individuals who are looking for help where traditional rehab approaches have failed them.
I am able to identify these dysfunctions because of my view of the body is as a complete fascial web. Fascia connects everything. Where we feel our pain, is seldom the source of the pain. The bigger picture is trapped within the fascial web and it can be helped.”
You can connect with Tara at info@fascialconnections.ca or tara@fascialconnections.ca and you can follow Tara on Facebook at or visit her website at http://www.fascialconnections.ca/ .
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