Women who have delivered babies might be left with back pain severe enough that they have to work with people who hold physical therapy jobs, Outcome Magazine reports.
Physical therapists at the Mayo Clinic are especially adept at helping postpartum patients and they have a special tool at their disposal, Outcome Magazine reports. Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging technology is safe and free of contaminants from radiation, and it permits the patient to view her abdominal muscles during a workout with a physical therapist by looking at a screen.
"Pregnancy-related back pain affects between 50 and 75 percent of all women. Our goal is to identify the potential source of the pain and help women return safely to physical exercise," said physical therapist Kathy Cieslak with the Mayo Clinic Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. "We can see which muscles are having trouble contracting, and we can modify the exercises to target specific muscle groups."
She said that one of the key strategies to managing back pain is by enhancing core strength.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists help patients recover from injuries and illnesses while also helping to control pain by enhancing movement and flexibility.