Successful Vaginal Delivery of Macrosomia Baby with Pelvic Mobilization/Manual Therapies
Our lovely patient was determined to have a natural vaginal delivery although her obstetrician told her she would likely need a caesarean (C-section). Fetal macrosomia is defined as a fetus weighing more than 8 lbs,13 ounces. Our patient’s baby determined weight was over 10 lbs. Her mother had birthed 2 macrosomia babies (one of them was her) vaginally so perhaps she could too! Why not give her every opportunity to have the birthing experience she desires? After several sessions aligning her pelvis and maximizing her pelvic mobility through various manual therapies, she delivered her...
Read MorePregnancy Pain
Yesterday we evaluated 3 new pregnant patients. All with different complaints: severe low back pain at 38 weeks, unrelenting rib pain at 20 weeks, and coccyx pain at 39 weeks. These are all common complaints with pregnancy and easily treated once a good biomechanical evaluation has been done. The patient with severe low back pain had an L5 (lumbar vertebrae #5) misalignment and severe quadratus lumborum ( a deep low back muscle) spasms. She was 50% improved after her first session. The patient with rib pain had a dysfunctional breathing pattern, restriction of her respiratory diaphragm...
Read MoreTreating Postpartum Patient with 2 Finger Diastasis Recti
We just evaluated a post partum patient (12 weeks) who was told by her pilates instructor that she had a 4 finger diastasis recti and when we tested her it was only a 2 finger separation. She was relieved and is on her road to recovery now. We had her stop the pilates until her abdominal wall comes back together using an abdominal binder and prescriptive exercises. Diastasis recti is a separation between the left and right side of the abdominal muscle which covers the front surface of the belly area called the rectus abdominis muscle. Diastasis recti is a common condition during pregnancy....
Read MoreTreating Sciatica Pain During Pregnancy
We just evaluated a pregnant patient with complaints of sciatica pain down her left leg. She is in her third trimester and due in April. She presents with a sacral torsion which is when the fused triangular shaped bone at the bottom of the spine is rotated to one side. This can cause irritation/inflammation to the sacroiliac joints and the sacral nerves on either side which can cause a referral of pain into the buttock or down the back of the leg. We performed soft tissue mobilization to the pelvis and spine, joint mobilization, muscle energy techniques, and issued stretching exercises. She...
Read MoreVulvodynia and Pregnancy
Hannah Hannah is a lovely 23 year old female referred to physical therapy with a diagnosis of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction and vestibulodynia, bilateral hip pain, and clitoral pain. Her past medical history includes fatigue, seasonal allergies, nosebleeds, chronic migraines, sciatica, and a hernia repair (age 5). She is married to a supportive spouse and they had recently moved to NYC from Israel. Her medications included topical estrace cream, vitamin D and B12, and medication for her migraines. She has a history of severe constipation, evacuating only twice weekly (normal is 1 – 2...
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