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Musculoskeletal Issues and Care for Pregnant and Postpartum Women

  • Women's Health Rehabilitation (S Bennis and C Fitzgerald, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This paper seeks to review the important musculoskeletal issues that arise for pregnant and postpartum women. It outlines the background, diagnosis, and management of these musculoskeletal issues; reviews the existing and recent literature; and offers clinical opinions from the perspective of women’s health PM&R physicians.

Recent Findings

Existing and recent literature on pelvic girdle pain, lumbosacral back pain, pubic symphysis separation, transient osteoporosis, rectus diastasis, and postpartum neuropathy offer some new insights on management, which is often context-dependent. Management requires individualized physical therapy and precautions for delivery and postpartum. Emerging alternatives like acupuncture for pelvic girdle pain (PGP) and surgical reconstruction for diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) may be considered.

Summary

The various musculoskeletal pathologies that occur in the peripartum period can produce significant disability for women. With timely diagnosis and treatment, however, these musculoskeletal issues are often transient in nature and do not result in long-term functional deficits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Hyunwoo June Choo, Sarah K. Hwang & Christina K. Hynes

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Hyunwoo June Choo, Sarah K. Hwang & Christina K. Hynes

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  1. Hyunwoo June Choo
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  2. Sarah K. Hwang
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Correspondence to Sarah K. Hwang.

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Choo, H.J., Hwang, S.K. & Hynes, C.K. Musculoskeletal Issues and Care for Pregnant and Postpartum Women. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep 8, 493–500 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-020-00286-0

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