Jamie Plackett, DPT

Jamie Plackett, DPT Perinatal and Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

On a weekly basis I am receiving patients 6 weeks or more postpartum that were not even assessed internally or for some,...
02/12/2024

On a weekly basis I am receiving patients 6 weeks or more postpartum that were not even assessed internally or for some, even seen in person for their 6-week follow up. They were still given the green light to return to s*x, return to whatever mode of recreation/exercise as desired despite symptoms or what was found on examination. These patients need better guidance, more structure to make sure their impairments and symptoms do not worsen.

Childbirth (either vaginally or cesarean) DESERVE a rehab protocol. Injury, trauma and tissue strain was present regardless of how well or routine the birth went. We need to respect these tissues and the trauma they experienced. Even more so, respect these patients, their bodies and their future goals

Do you have issues urinating postpartum? 💦This is a very common pelvic floor issue following childbirth. Your pelvic flo...
09/22/2023

Do you have issues urinating postpartum? 💦

This is a very common pelvic floor issue following childbirth. Your pelvic floor muscles are stretched to sometimes 3x their normal length and the nerves that dip and weave between the muscles get pulled along for the ride which may result in a traction injury.

This can definitely mess with your bladder and ability to urinate, as well as your ability to hold back urine.

1) You can experience reduced urge to urinate due to the nerves being injured
2) You may experience urinary leakage due to pelvic floor weakness
3) You may have difficulty initiating your stream due to overactivity of the pelvic floor which is a trauma related response

Luckily there are several methods you can try initially postpartum to help retrain your bladder.

If you are experiencing:
Number 1: Try a voiding schedule. Make sure you are attempting to empty your bladder at least every 3 hours. This can help retrain the neural connection between the bladder and brain as the nerves and tissues start to heal.

Number 2: Start with gentle pelvic floor contractions. First think about squeezing around the urethra to start and then lifting with the deeper pelvic floor muscles up and in, as if you are trying to bring your tailbone and p***c bone closer together. This should not be painful and should be about 25-30% max to start.

Number 3: Try deep breathing prior to urination. Take a deep breath in to relax the pelvic floor and then exhale as if you are blowing out birthday candles. Placing your feet on a stool or squatty potty will also help the pelvic floor relax. You can also try the age old trick of letting the water run to help initiate the stream. OR try even peeing in the shower (yeah I said it), but the combo of water and warmth help to relax the PF to allow the stream to start. If this is too much for you, fill up your peri bottle with warm water and use that instead!

If you notice your symptoms are not improving or getting worse, seek out help from a pelvic PT for guided bladder and pelvic floor retraining.

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06/26/2023

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Finding it hard to fit exercise back into your busy schedule? Keep this in mind- exercise is cumulative! When you start ...
02/11/2023

Finding it hard to fit exercise back into your busy schedule? Keep this in mind- exercise is cumulative!

When you start thinking of your exercise in 10, 20, or 30 min intervals throughout the day, it makes it way more manageable!

5 SIGNS YOU HOLD TENSION IN YOUR PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES 1. Jaw- the brain is mapped out according to body part and the PF ...
02/10/2023

5 SIGNS YOU HOLD TENSION IN YOUR PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES

1. Jaw- the brain is mapped out according to body part and the PF happens to be right next to the jaw so there is definitely some cross talk between the two of them.
2. Urinary frequency- overactive PF muscles can cause you to urinate more frequently due to false urges and incomplete emptying
3. Stomach- holding in your stomach, gripping your abs, even wearing tight clothing can cause increased pressure down on the PF causing it to create more tension to support.
4. Glutes- think of the glutes as the backside of the PF. If they are tight the PF is tight.
5. Shallow breathing leads to decreased use or range of motion of our diaphragm. If the diaphragm isn’t moving with our breath, neither is the PF!

Questions? Shoot them over!

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Naperville, IL
60540, 60563-60565, AND PO BOX ONLY CODES 60566-60567

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