What is postpartum physical therapy?

Postpartum physical therapy is specialized care designed to support your healing after childbirth, addressing concerns like pelvic floor dysfunction, scar healing, and bowel and bladder issues.

Why is postpartum physical therapy important?

It helps manage symptoms such as diastasis recti and pelvic floor dysfunction, promotes tissue healing, and aids in safely returning to daily activities.

What can I expect during a postpartum physical therapy session?

Sessions are one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, typically lasting one hour, including a comprehensive evaluation and a personalized care plan.

Is postpartum physical therapy safe?

Yes, it is safe and low-risk. In rare cases, certain techniques may be delayed until clearance from your medical team is obtained.

Postpartum

Physical Therapy

Pregnancy and delivery can place a lot of stress on your body, especially the pelvic floor.

At Indigo Physiotherapy, we offer specialized postpartum physical therapy designed to support your healing after birth, whether you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section.

From managing symptoms like diastasis recti, bowel and bladder concerns, and scar tissue healing, to helping you safely return to daily activities and caring for your child, we’re here to guide you through every step of your recovery.

Supporting Your Healing Journey

After Childbirth

Every postpartum experience is unique, and our goal is to provide you with the care you need to recover fully and return to your daily life symptom free. Our postpartum physical therapy services are designed to address common concerns like pelvic floor dysfunction, perineal and C-section scar healing, and bowel and bladder issues. We’re here to support you as you regain strength, improve healing, and safely return to your favorite activities and daily responsibilities.

Whether you are a new parent or have had multiple children, our evidence-based, personalized care helps reduce symptoms and promote healing so that you can feel your best.

how

We Care for You

Our postpartum physical therapy services begin with a comprehensive evaluation to understand your history, concerns, and goals. From there, we create a care plan tailored specifically to you, focusing on your unique needs and recovery journey.

Personalized Approach

During your first session, we’ll take the time to understand your medical history and the specifics of your birth experience. Our evaluation includes assessing posture, muscle strength, and functional movement. Based on these findings, we create a care plan that may include manual therapy, targeted exercises, and strategies to improve healing and manage related pelvic floor or bowel/bladder concerns.

What to Expect

Sessions are one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, typically lasting one hour. We begin by talking through your concerns and goals before conducting a thorough physical assessment. Depending on your needs, we may recommend an internal pelvic floor assessment to better understand your pelvic floor health. With your consent, we’ll guide you through this gentle, safe process to ensure your comfort.

Preparing for Your Visit

Wear comfortable clothing that allows for movement, and fill out any paperwork ahead of time to make the process smoother. We’ll also provide you with detailed home exercises and educational materials to support your healing between sessions.

Why

Postpartum Physical Therapy?

Improve Healing

Our services can help manage and improve symptoms like diastasis recti, pelvic floor dysfunction, and scar tissue healing after a vaginal delivery or C-section.

Individualized Care

Unlike generic online postpartum programs or apps that many patients turn to for strengthening or recovery, our therapy is tailored to your specific needs, ensuring that you receive personalized care that supports your healing and overall well-being.

Comprehensive Support

In addition to physical therapy, we provide resources and education to help you manage the demands of caring for yourself and your child.

Safe, Effective Recovery

We use evidence-based techniques to reduce symptoms, promote tissue healing, and help you return to your normal activities safely and effectively.

Who

Can Benefit from Postpartum Physical Therapy?

Our postpartum physical therapy services are designed for all patients recovering from childbirth, regardless of their delivery method or the number of children they’ve had.

Ideal Candidates

While all patients can benefit from a postpartum assessment, those experiencing symptoms like pelvic floor dysfunction, bowel or bladder issues, diastasis recti, or scar tissue concerns will find this service especially helpful. Additionally, common issues such as back pain, tailbone pain, and neck pain can also be addressed through our therapy. We recommend starting therapy around six weeks postpartum, though earlier intervention (even before the six-week mark) can be beneficial if needed.

Contraindications

Postpartum physical therapy is safe and low-risk. In rare cases, we may delay treatment or use certain techniques until we receive clearance from your medical team to ensure your safety.

Our Approach

Tailored to You

We believe that every postpartum journey is different, and our care reflects that. We work closely with you to understand your goals, evaluate your symptoms, and provide individualized care that helps you feel your best.

Customized Treatment Plans

Each care plan is developed based on your unique needs, whether that’s scar tissue management, improving pelvic floor health, or relieving orthopedic pain in the back, hips, or neck.

Specialized Techniques

Our services include manual therapy, myofascial release, therapeutic exercises, and more to promote healing, reduce pain, and improve overall function. We also offer dry needling and Butterfly Ultrasound technology to support deeper tissue healing and address specific areas of discomfort.

Expert Care

Our therapists are highly trained in postpartum physical therapy, with additional certifications and extensive experience treating postpartum patients. We stay up-to-date on the latest research and techniques to ensure that you receive the highest level of care.

Conditions

We Help Treat

We treat a variety of postpartum conditions, including:

Diastasis Recti (Abdominal Separation)
Postpartum Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
C-Section Recovery
Perineal and C-Section Scar Management
Bowel Concerns (Constipation, Incontinence)
Bladder Issues (Stress Urinary Incontinence, Frequency, Nocturia)
Orthopedic Considerations (Back Pain, Hip Pain, Neck Pain, Wrist/Hand Pain)
SI Joint Pain
Tailbone/Coccyx Pain
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pain With Intercourse

Complementary

Services

We also offer massage therapy for postpartum patients. In select locations, our specially trained massage therapists help relieve muscle tension and pain, providing an additional layer of care to support your recovery. Additionally, if you have questions or concerns prior to 6 weeks, we offer a postpartum telehealth service to support you earlier in your postpartum recovery.

What if I plan to have more children?

Postpartum physical therapy is still valuable even if you plan to have more children. We can help you address symptoms now and improve function between pregnancies.

Do you perform internal pelvic floor work?

In some cases, yes. Internal pelvic floor work may be recommended to evaluate pelvic floor function, but it is always performed with your consent and comfort in mind.

Is pelvic floor therapy still necessary after a C-section?

Yes! Pelvic floor therapy is beneficial even after a C-section to help improve core strength, pelvic stability, and address any scar tissue or bladder concerns.

How often will I need to attend sessions?

This varies depending on your symptoms and goals. Sessions are typically one hour long, and we’ll work with you to create a plan of care that fits your needs and availability.

FAQs

Book Your Postpartum Physical Therapy Appointment Today

Ready to start your postpartum recovery journey? Our expert team is here to support you. Contact us today to book an appointment and take the next step toward healing.