Pregnant and Loving It!

Course Description

Clinicians in all areas of rehabilitation can treat pregnant women.  The most common concern of this population is discomfort and maintaining strength through pregnancy.  Often pregnant women experience instability associated with postural and position changes which can be addressed in many areas of clinical practice.   This webinar will educate the clinician how to properly assess and treat the pregnant woman ensuring all of her needs are met from physical impairments to daily life challenges.  Pregnancy associated physiological change and childbirth will be considered to enable understanding of this patient presentation.

Complete musculoskeletal assessment of the pregnant woman will be introduced ensuring  effective identification of the impairments most common to this population.  Interventions techniques will include pregnancy body mechanics, targeted strengthening and therapeutic exercise progression, and introduction to support belts and equipment that will facilitate ADL function.  Finally, this webinar will provide extensive educational components the clinician can provide to enhance patient’s understanding of childbirth and immediate post-partum considerations.

Following this webinar course the clinician learner will have increased confidence in successfully caring for the pregnant woman.

Methods of instruction include: lecture presentation, multi-media and written material.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Understand the typical physiological changes associated with pregnancy.
• Identify common spinal and pelvic alignment impairments of the pregnant woman.
• Understand how to assess a pregnant woman and effectively prescribe therapeutic exercises associated with this presentation.
• Effectively instruct women in proper body mechanics associated with pregnancy.
• Verbalize the importance of core and pelvic floor muscle function and understand the progression of strength development in the pregnant client.
• Properly educate women on exercise considerations during pregnancy and how to reduce the risk of diastasis rectus.
• Understand educational concepts for pregnant women related to childbirth, positioning during labor and immediate post-partum considerations.
• Identify proper assessment scales to utilize with this patient population to improve effectiveness of documentation and reimbursement.

• Prerequisites

  None

• Educational Level

  Intermediate

• Other

  Satisfactory completion of this course will require the participant to respond to polling questions asked throughout the webinar.