Well, you did it. You have made it to your third (and final) trimester of pregnancy. And by this point in the journey, you may be feeling ALL the symptoms. Despite feeling as though this journey may last forever, I promise it will come to a halting end soon enough and you will likely miss your large abdomen that seems to be constantly bumping into every wall in your home. Although many of your current symptoms will resolve after birth (and be replaced by those new post-partum issues), you should NEVER feel any shame in reaching out to get help with easing your third trimester symptoms, improving your pain, and allowing you to enjoy the remaining days of this pregnancy. So here are a few of the most common issues that physical therapy can help you with during this time point in your journey!
Pain
This may seem all too obvious and all too vague, but the final trimester of pregnancy comes with a lot of change which can often times lead to a lot of pain. Some of these pains may be related to increased laxity, some to the postural alteration that occurs, some to the increased blood flow in your body, and many to the carrying around of 20-30 extra pounds. Common pains may include back pain, headache, foot pain, hip pain, wrist pain. Regardless of which pregnancy change is causing your aches and pains, physical therapy can likely help to identify the cause and provide you with hands-on treatment and at-home exercise to improve your pain for the remainder of your pregnancy!
Pressure, hemorrhoids, swelling
Thanks to the increase abdominal load and increased blood flow, pelvic pressure, hemorrhoids, and swelling in the lower extremities are all common late pregnancy symptoms. These can be extremely difficult to deal with alone but many find these issues awkward to discuss and therefore never seek out help. Physical therapy can help with manual techniques, postural adjustments, positional techniques, and exercises that can help relieve the burden of these issues and prevent further post-partum issues.
Fatigue and Lack of Endurance
As a toddler mom, a physical therapist, and the primary cleaner/cooker/care-taker of my home, I find that one of my greatest complaints is my lack of endurance. All of my “roles” tend to be physical in nature including getting up and down from the floor and lifting a 25lb boy up and down from the floor on repeat all day long. By the time the clock strikes 6pm, its like I have no energy left. Performing a regular, safe cardiovascular and strength training routine even during late pregnancy can help to improve your endurance in these last few months and can help you prepare for that marathon we call labor and delivery. Physical therapy can help you identify which exercises would be best for you and how you can best perform these while maintaining the safety of you and your baby.
Restless Legs
Along with leg pain like sciatica (which physical therapy can most certainly help with), restless legs are common as pregnancy progresses and can interfere with daily activities, especially getting good sleep. Although the exact cause of restless legs is not certain, physical therapy can help you identify triggers of your symptoms, improve your symptoms with hands-on techniques and exercise, and help you address positional modifications to improve your sleeping.
These are only a few of the MANY symptoms that you may be feeling in your third trimester of pregnancy that can be addressed and improved with physical therapy. If your third trimester pregnancy symptoms are interfering with your daily activities or simply making your life miserable, reach out to Life Changes Physical Therapy today! We come to you in the comfort of your home on your time and can help you create a pregnancy filled with joy and excitement rather than discomfort.