Benefits of pilates postnatally

Benefits of postnatal pilates

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Core strengthening

A targeted pilates program that focuses on deep transversus abdominus can strengthen weakened abdominal muscles due to pregnancy (Thabet et al., 2019). It is important to ensure that the postnatal woman has the capacity to contract the transversus abdominus correctly with good timing to ensure effective strengthening of the core.

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Improves tummy separation and diastasis rectus abdominus

Postnatal pilates is effective for the recovery of elasticity in the abdominal walls, pelvis, and muscles that increase during delivery. Based on research, a specific and well prescribed postnatal core pilates program has been shown to improve inter-recti distance, thus improving tummy separation in postnatal women (Lee et al., 2023).

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Improves pelvic floor strength

Pilates is extremely pelvic floor friendly, and due to the improvements in core strength, pilates can also improve pelvic floor awareness and pelvic floor strength, thus improving symptoms of urinary incontinence (Chintamani et al., 2023).

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Improve upper back posture

During pregnancy, the development of mammary glandular tissue and breast enlargement, then lactation in the breast causing the breast to become heavier, pulls the postnatal woman into a forward flexed posture. Thus, a postnatal pilates program targeted at improving arm and upper back posture can be very effective in preventing upper back and neck pain in the long term.

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Improve and prevent low back pain

IDuring pregnancy, the pregnant body’s center of gravity changes, lordosis of the lumbar region increases, and the binding between the ligament of the sacroiliac articulation and the pubic bone is softened and stretched under the influence of the hormone relaxin, which makes the joints more flexible and increases range of motion in the back and the pelvis. Then,adding on a weak core with the need to care for a newborn with repetitive and prolonged posture further increases the risk of low back pain in the postnatal population. Thus, a core based abdominal strengthening postnatal pilates program including low back stretches can aid to improve low back pain (Safyeldeen et al., 2024).

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Improves stress levels, and postpartum fatigue and postnatal depression

The postpartum period is a transitional phase that has a decisive effect on a mother’s physical and mental health. The changes involved during this period, including hormonal shifts and the beginning of new and unfamiliar child-rearing tasks, can cause primiparous mothers to experience stress and fatigue. Postnatal pilates is able to increase endorphin levels, thus improving postpartum stress levels and fatigue (Ashrafinia et al., 2015), thus reducing the risk and severity of postnatal depression (Heh et al., 2008).

The Propel Physiotherapy difference

Here at Propel physiotherapy, we would always do a deep abdominal activation and endurance check that you are able to contract your deep transversus abdominus during your initial appointment with us. This is extremely important as it is the foundation of every core exercise including for your home exercise program and your pilates program here with us.

We tailor your physiotherapy-led clinical postnatal pilates program here to ensure a targeted and personalized program which is dependent on your birth story, strength and goals that you would like to achieve.

We look forward to welcoming you to Propel Physiotherapy and working with you to rehabilitate your body in this postnatal journey.

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Citations:

Thabet AA, Alshehri MA. Efficacy of deep core stability exercise program in postpartum women with diastasis recti abdominis: a randomised controlled trial. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2019;19(1):62–8.

Chintamani, Radhika (2023) The Effectiveness of Modified Pilates Program with and without Kinesiotaping on Postnatal Urinary Stress Incontinence: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 35 (36). pp. 13-20.

Lee, N., Bae, YH., Fong, S.S.M. et al. Effects of Pilates on inter-recti distance, thickness of rectus abdominis, waist circumference and abdominal muscle endurance in primiparous women. BMC Women’s Health 23, 626 (2023).

Safyeldeen N, Hanafy H, Mohamed M, Samir SH. Effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercises versus pilates exercises on postnatal low back pain. Advances in Rehabilitation. 2024;38(3):16-24. doi:10.5114/areh.2024.142442.

Heh SS, Huang LH, Ho SM, Fu YY, Wang LL. Effectiveness of an exercise support program in reducing the severity of postnatal depression in Taiwanese women. Birth. 2008;35:60–5.

Ashrafinia F, Mirmohammadali M, Rajabi H, Kazemnejad A, Sadeghniiat Haghighi K, Amelvalizadeh M. Effect of Pilates exercises on postpartum maternal fatigue. Singapore Med J. 2015 Mar;56(3):169-73