The C-Section Scar: A Word with Candice Pell
Pregnancy and Pelvic Floor Health
Happy April everyone! Although we are going through some difficult times in the world currently, I would like to take a moment to bring our focus to another topic (very separate than the COVID-19 crisis) that probably impacts at least one person you know.
If you had the chance to read my blog from last month on Postpartum Pelvic Floor Therapy, I brought up some very interesting points regarding pregnancy and pelvic floor therapy from an interview with new mommy Candice. She was very kind in allowing us to not only perform the interview with her, but also in sharing some personal stories about her recent childbirth.
What about the C-Section Scar?
This month’s blog features the other half of the interview I had with Candice regarding a very important topic for all mommies who undergo a Cesarean Section, the remaining scar that it leaves behind. We are all very fortunate to have this insight directly from Candice herself, and for that I am very thankful of the time she gave for us to learn from her experience. She was beyond kind in allowing us to hear about her experience with her scar before, during, and after physical therapy.
Keloids, Massage, and Self Care!
In a quick summary (although I do not believe this gives Candice any justice for the plentiful information she shared with us), we started with talking about keloid scars. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this term, a keloid is a raised scar with extra tissue.
This causes difficulty when assessing fascial mobility in the skin and underlying structures because it is extra tough and sticky – meaning it takes more work to resume looking like a normal scar. Candice describes her experience with keloid scars and changes in sensation that she encountered in the area after giving birth.
Next, she dives into the types of self-care she learned while in Physical Therapy. This includes different types of massage, topicals that she used during the massages, as well as duration and frequency of each. Candice discusses her reasonings for being consistent with her care as well. This includes simple things we may take for granted like wearing yoga pants, bathing suits, and jeans!
How long does it take to see changes in the C-section Scar, and when should I start?
Finally, Candice discusses how long it took her to notice changes in her body from the first day of physical therapy moving forward. She also touches on some interesting points regarding timing of physical therapy after giving birth – in a nutshell, you can start whenever! It will always be more beneficial working on scars when they are fresh, but you can continue reaping the rewards of scar work long after the scar has formed (and yes, I am talking YEARS).
Candice leaves us with some important knowledge on the “why” too. Beyond her personal goals, Candice mentions how scar mobility helped her abdominal muscles kick on and function better than prior to working on the scars.
What are the massage techniques that you use?
In conclusion, I can not thank Candice enough for the time she gave to help us all learn about how pelvic floor physical therapy can help someone EXTERNALLY after giving birth. Scar work is something we should all be knowledgeable about, and we should all be confident in performing it on ourselves regardless of the location. If you are curious about some of the techniques that I use, stay tuned for next month’s blog – this will give us a snapshot of how some techniques increase mobility at a scar site.
If you or a friend are curious about how this can apply to yourself, please feel free to contact me at ayoung@spinecareny.com with any questions you might have. Also, during this time while the office is closed (COVID-19 related), I will be offering free pelvic health consults on Zoom. If you are interested, please shoot me an e-mail!
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
