Pregnancy and Low Back Pain: New Ultrasound Treatment for Physical Therapy

Health & Wellness

Pregnancy and Low Back Pain: New Ultrasound Treatment for Physical Therapy

By
Dana Sparks

November 12, 2012

Many women experience low back pain during pregnancy. Kathy Cieslak, a physical therapist in Mayo Clinic's Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation says, "Pregnancy-related back pain affects between 50 and 75 percent of all women. Our goal is to identify the potential source of the pain and help women return safely to physical exercise." So, Mayo Clinic physical therapists are using a rehabilitative ultrasound imaging tool which is radiation-free and allows a patient to see her abdominal muscles during a physical therapy workout. Cieslak says, "We can see which muscles are having trouble contracting, and we can modify the exercises to target specific muscle groups."

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Expert title for broadcast cg: Kathy Cieslak, Mayo Clinic Physical Therapist

To schedule an interview with Kathy Cieslak contact:
Bryan Anderson
507-284-5005
newsbureau@mayo.edu.