What is Postpartum PT

Dr. Daniel Lee, OB/GYN, Memphis, Tennessee

When women come to the doctor’s office … you know, the word “doctor” means teacher … they should be learning something about their body and their condition.

But for a lot of these things that we’re talking to people about, physical therapy, people need to realize that it’s going to take a process. They need to be motivated, they need to say, “You know what? I’m going to be okay with this process, I’m going to go through it. I’m going to work through the whole thing,” because you will eventually see some improvement.

I would encourage my colleagues to realize that there’s lots of different things that we can’t do in the office, and lots of time that unfortunately we just can’t spend with our patients.

Results Physiotherapy recognizes that there is a broad spectrum of female applications for the programs that they put in. Both pregnant and nonpregnant, they’ve really been helpful. A public health clinic in the sense of a physical therapy program is more than just like a gym that the patient is going to.

There is a group of trained physical therapists–female physical therapists. The initial visits are not invasive. The patients are made to be very comfortable, and there is a recognition that there’s a lot of different things that can go into any kind of pelvic problem a woman may be having, whether it be pelvic muscle weakness, postural instabilities, back problems.

There’s a recognition of all that, and good programs to help reinforce patient’s improvement.

I would encourage my colleagues to realize that there’s lots of different things that we can’t do in the office, and lots of time that unfortunately we just can’t spend with our patients. A physical therapist has a great role in seeing that patient, developing a relationship, watching her symptoms improve. I think all that’s great.

When I refer a patient to Results, I get a detailed report back saying the deficiencies that are found, the recommended treatment regimen. I get reports as the patient is going along about their progress and how they’re improving, so when I get to see that report and get to see yeah, this is what I recommend for this, this, this and this, I learn something.

I make follow-up appointments with my patients, so I get to ask them, bring them in firsthand and say, “Hey, how was that physical therapist program? Do you feel better?” When they say, “Yeah, I feel great,” and that’s awesome.