Stay at home and get online access to Specialist Pregnancy and Post Natal Physiotherapy services.
The last month has been a strange and challenging time for everyone but even more so for expectant and new mums. 'Social isolation' has left women feeling devastated and alone. Adding to all of this is the difficulty accessing medical and allied health services that are so important for physical and mental well-being.
Enter TeleHealth! Put simply it involves a video based consult instead of the traditional face to face appointment. Telehealth consults lend themselves particularly well to the pre and post natal client group since a large part of treatment with a women's health physio is based on taking a thorough history and providing individual education and management programs. Problems that can be managed very effectively utilising Telehealth include:
Back or pelvic pain during or after pregnancy
Abdominal separation (DRAM)
Post Natal Recovery
Loss of bladder or bowel control
Return to exercise after birth
Another benefit of this type of service delivery is you don’t have to live close to a specialist service to access their expertise. There is even great evidence for the effectiveness of internet based treatment for conditions such as bladder leakage (Sjostrom et al. 2015).
Our group exercise classes have also moved online which has enabled women to access safe and supervised exercise from the comfort of home. Exercise is a fantastic way to help to maintain a sense of normality and routine. Set yourself the goal of attending an online class twice week at the same time on the same day, just like you would have done in non-Covid times!
As an essential service, we at Melbourne Pregnancy and Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy are still open for face to face appointments however Telehealth has proven to be a very popular option. Many other medical providers are also providing Telehealth and we encourage new and expectant mums to continue to reach out to their professional network and seek support when required.