PHYSIOTHERAPY CARE

FOR
WOMEN’S HEALTH
 PHYSIOTHERAPY CARE
FOR
WOMEN’S HEALTH

R Baranitharan MPT
Vice Principal
PSG College of Physiotherapy
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

V Mahalakshmi MPT
Associate Professor
PSG College of Physiotherapy
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

V Kokila MPT
Associate Professor
PSG College of Physiotherapy
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

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Physiotherapy Care for Women’s Health

© 2010, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication should be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
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First Edition: 2010

ISBN 978-93-80704-08-1
Typeset at JPBMP typesetting unit
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 Foreword

We live in a century with awesome scientific advances. But the health care of women
is still far from satisfactory. This well structured and informative book will be of great
value to all pracitioners involved in the care of women from childhood through
pregnancy to menopause and beyond. This book focuses on many problems seen in
obstetric and gynecological practice and has a comprehensive list of exercises with
detailed and clear illustrations. The importance of physiotherapy for the final outcome
for the patient cannot be overemphasized. A classical example is the role of antenatal
exercises during pregnancy and labor.
I feel privileged and very happy to welcome this book which will be very useful to
all its readers.

Dr Seetha Panicker MD, DGO, DNB

Professor and HOD of OG
PSG Hospitals
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
 Preface

Physiotherapy had been considered important in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology
for the past three decades. Initially, it was concentrated on perinatal and postnatal
stages. There are many other problems faced by the women community in all age
groups. We have attempted to bring the major problems affecting women’s health
from menarche to menopause and their physiotherapy treatment under one roof.
We have emphasized that not only exercises play a major role, but exercises along
with various physical therapy modalities can also help in overcoming women’s
problems. We have highlighted both the obstetric and gynecological problems and
have given a special emphasis on the athletic women. We could also provide a few
questionnaires which could be useful for the readers.
We would like to thank all those who gave their valuable time in helping us and
that adding to our effort have paved way for the success of publishing a lecture notes
considering various problems of women under the title “Physiotherapy Care for Women’s
Health”.
Our sincere thanks to PSG Management for their encouragement and Mr
Jayanandhan, Senior Author Coordinator and all other staff of Jaypee Brothers Medical
Publishers, for their support in our success in publishing this book.

R Baranitharan
V Mahalakshmi
V Kokila
 Acknowledgments

We would like to kindly acknowledge and thank Prof Rudolf H Moos, Dr Xavier Badia,
Dr Brooks-Gunn, Dr Donald L Patrick, Diane Kaschak Newman, Janice Delaney and
Mary Jane Lupton for gracefully accepting to use their tools and stands as the highlights
of our book.
Our gratitude and respectful thanks to Dr Seetha Panicker, Professor & HOD of
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Prof Dr TV Chitra and Prof Dr Reena
Abraham, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for their endless support.
 Contents

1. Amenorrhea .............................................................................................................. 1
2. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ........................................................................................ 9
3. Chondromalacia Patella ......................................................................................... 15
4. Coccydynia .............................................................................................................. 19
5. Dysmenorrhea ......................................................................................................... 28
6. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ............................................................................... 42
7. Incontinence ............................................................................................................ 54
8. Intercostal Neuralgia .............................................................................................. 78
9. Leg Cramps ............................................................................................................. 82
10. Lymphedema .......................................................................................................... 84
11. Meralgia Paresthetica ............................................................................................. 94
12. Osteoporosis ............................................................................................................ 96
13. Piriformis Syndrome ............................................................................................ 111
14. Postnatal Depression ............................................................................................ 115
15. Relaxation .............................................................................................................. 120
16. Restless Leg Syndrome ........................................................................................ 135
17. Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction ............................................................................ 140
18. Swelling During Pregnancy ................................................................................ 145
19. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome .................................................................................. 147
20. Vomiting of Pregnancy ........................................................................................ 152

References ................................................................................................................ 157

Index ........................................................................................................................ 159