Another common location for pain during pregnancy is the ribs! It's of course more common in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, and like other types of pain during pregnancy, it's not something you just need to live with! What causes rib pain during pregnancy? Growing baby - as the uterus and baby grow, they take up more real estate in the abdomen. This can put more stretch and pressure on the ribs, which can hurt. Growing breast tissue - the increase in size and weight can also tug

Leg cramps are extremely common, with up to around 60% of pregnant women experiencing them, especially in the third trimester. Most commonly reported at night, they can disrupt sleep, make your leg sore, and they really hurt! If you are dealing with leg cramps or leg pain during your pregnancy - this guide will be helpful! What causes leg cramps? In general, a lack of hydration and electrolyte imbalances are the most likely cause of cramps. For cramps related specifically to

The pubic bone is a common site of pain during pregnancy. This bone is in the front of our pelvis, and you actually have two of them! They come together at the pubic symphysis. Often pain in this area is called Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction, and more so recently the blanket term of “Pelvic Girdle Pain.” The main symptom is significant pain in the pubic bone area, often with these activities: Walking (especially fast or for long distances) Climbing stairs (often worse going up o

Meralgia paresthetica is a condition where the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) is compressed, causing pain, numbness, tingling, and burning on the outer side of the front of the thigh. We learn in PT school about this as a condition that happens a lot to people who wear heavy belts - like a contractor or police officer. The pressure from the belt compresses on the nerve as it passes over the top of the pelvis. Meralgia paresthetica can also happen in pregnancy! How do

Back and pelvic pain during pregnancy is wildly common - some research has found up to 80% of people will experience back pain during pregnancy at some point. While it is super common, it doesn’t have to be your experience. Back pain in pregnancy can impact sleep, daily life, and even lead to taking time off work. In this blog I will outline some of the most common questions I hear from patients dealing with back and pelvis pain during pregnancy. There is technically a differ

Part of the cure for constipation is knowing the cause, which we discussed in our last blog. Generally speaking the cause for each...

What causes constipation? What are the symptoms? What symptoms can constipation cause? Most folks I work with think of the first question...

The postpartum period is full of questions, and sometimes an easy answer isn't available. I frequently get asked "how do you know when...

April is International Cesarean Awareness Month, a time to celebrate c-sections as a vital birthing option while also promoting informed decision-making and optimal recovery. Over 30% of births are via c-section in the US - over 1.1 million births in 2021. A c-section is a major abdominal surgery, and should be treated as such. As a physical therapist, I see firsthand the impact a c-section can have on a woman's body, and I'm here to share how physical therapy can play a key

Can physical therapy help with endometriosis? The short answer: Yes, physical therapy can help with the symptoms of endometriosis. PT...

What is endometriosis? (vocab time!) Endometrial tissue is the tissue that lines the uterus. It is shed during menstruation (your...

I often get asked, is exercise safe during pregnancy? Not only is it generally safe, it's usually better than being sedentary during pregnancy. There are of course exceptions to that, but lets discuss... What does the research say?  Benefits of exercise in general for pregnancy: may reduce risk of pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure, which can be life threatening!) may reduce risk of gestational diabetes may reduce risk of c-section birth helps with managing stress and anxiety

I've had countless patients ask me "what's the BEST sleep position for when you're pregnant?" With the body changes that come with pregnancy, I often have patients tell me about their frequent bathroom breaks, hip pain, back pain, neck pain, and pubic bone pain. On top of comfort, there's the question of safety: what's the best sleeping position for pregnancy? First: there is no single "correct" way to sleep - everyone is different and there is no one size fits all solution.

Sitting is a fundamental part of our lives, between driving to work, sitting at your desk, or going out to eat with friends - we all have to sit at some point in the day. The tailbone - or the coccyx - can make sitting hard. Coccyx pain, also known as coccydynia, can be a real drag.  The coccyx is a small bone at the bottom of the sacrum. It is an attachment point for our pelvic floor muscles, an anchor for the spinal cord, and a keystone structure for the pelvis. For such a

Are you experiencing rectal or vaginal pain? Difficulty with bowel movements? Urinary urgency or urinary leakage? You’re not alone. Levator ani syndrome can explain all these symptoms and more, and the good news is there are treatments that can give you relief for the pelvic pain you are experiencing! What is Levator Ani Syndrome? The levator ani is group of muscles that is the pelvic floor. These muscles play a crucial role in supporting your bladder, bowel, and reproductive

I put "write an outline for a blog post about urinary leakage and exercise" into Gemini (google's version of ChatGPT) to start writing this blog post. As I read through what it spit out in just 5 seconds, I knew I was going to be writing the entirety of this post myself. The AI generated post was full of myths that need to be busted. So today I will be bringing you the FULL story on urinary leakage and exercise. I commonly work with patients who leak with running, box jumps,

Pelvic floor physical therapy often carries a hushed stigma, shrouded in mystery and rarely discussed openly. But beyond the whispers lies a powerful tool for improving not just urinary and bowel control, but also your overall well-being. Let's shed light on this incredible therapy and explore its surprising benefits. As we discussed in previous posts, the pelvic floor is a network of muscles supporting all of your internal organs, and a major contributor to core stability. W

A Doctor of Physical Therapy has gone through 7 years of schooling and passed the national board examination. PT school prepares you for a little bit of everything, and after school you will take continuing education classes to learn about whatever you are interested in treating.  Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists have gone through extensive extra training in order to assess and treat the pelvic floor. There is coursework through the APTA and Herman and Wallace, among many oth

Symptoms indicative of a pelvic floor issue are often ignored or mislabeled as “normal.” While the symptoms might be common, that doesn’t make them normal!  As a pelvic health PT, all too often I hear from my postpartum clients “I have that symptom, but it’s just because I gave birth…that’s normal!” Urinary incontinence (leaking pee) for any reasons (ex: with coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercise, or urgency) and sexual dysfunction (pain with intercourse and difficulty achie

Welcome to our 4 part series about the pelvic floor! By demystifying the pelvic floor, we can empower individuals to seek help and reclaim control over their pelvic health. Remember, you're not alone! There is a group of muscles we often forget about, and we are even encouraged to ignore or not talk about, but they are silently supporting you in numerous ways. That's your pelvic floor! This network of muscles plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, impacting your we