Hello everybody! Jessica Piercy, PT, DPT here and I am the Women’s Health/Pelvic Health specialist for Aptiva Health. I am going to start monthly blogs on different pelvic health topics, and I would love for you guys to reach out if you have any pelvic health questions 😊
I wanted to start my first blog with how happy I am to be here at Aptiva and that I am getting to share this pelvic health knowledge that I have learned over the years! Man…I wish I would have known what I know now as a young girl and throughout my journey in womanhood…thus far! 😊
I believe post-partum and perimenopausal women are the most underserved groups in society! The transformation and trauma, (although beautiful and rewarding!) that occurs during pregnancy and childbirth causes significant changes in the body, that if not addressed can lead to negative effects in our health later in life.
Just think about it, imagine tearing muscles/ligaments in your knee and not seeking orthopedic care after this injury? Over time, you would have improvements in your function and pain, but most likely you would have lingering stiffness, weakness and difficulty returning to basic activities you enjoy. This is similar in childbirth, we have trauma to our pelvic tissues, many that heal somewhat with time, but otherwise unaddressed, it can result in urinary incontinence, pelvic tightness/pain, urgencies, and sexual dysfunction that affect over 80% of post-partum women! In a perfect world, women would be able to rest, recover, and slowly transition through the year learning how to be a mother and rehabilitating her body back to normal with the help of her family and friends. More often in society now, time limitations, demands to return to work, and individual stressors in one’s life, causes us to lose sight of taking care of ourselves.
Some of these lingering effects, as well as the hormonal changes that occur as we reach menopause, can make us feel like our body is falling apart (I literally hear this statement all the time). Your body is not failing you! It might just need a little reset and attention. We, as women have a 5th vital sign and that is our menstrual cycle. It tells us when something is not right! We just need to listen. 😊
We have been conditioned to believe that it is normal to have bowel and bladder issues, pelvic pain, or sexual dysfunction (just to name a few) as an aging woman, but that is absolutely not true! It may be common, but it is not normal.
I encourage women that there is something you can do! Through stretching, exercise, breathing and pressure management, importance of sleep and proper nutrition, behavior modifications, and stress management physical therapy can help you heal and reach your health goals.
I look forward to sharing my PT knowledge, meeting new faces, and educating you on how to manage your own pelvic health to help you live a more comfortable and healthy life!