[PHYT 2010 : Functional Core and Pelvic Floor]

PHYT 2020 Functional Core and Pelvic Floor

Instructor: Kelly Dean, DMT 

 1 cr. Offered limited terms PREREQUESITE: BIOL 1050 A comprehensive look at how functional core and pelvic floor strength impacts birthing parents’ prenatal pain, fetal alignment, birthing coordination, and birth recovery. Students will receive practical tools to assess and address conditions like diastasis recti, poor fetal alignment, pelvic pain, low back pain, pelvic floor dysfunction and facilitate an appropriate 4th trimester healing plan. Learning Objectives
1. Students will be able to instruct in neutral pelvis and optimal alignment to decrease pain and increase optimal fetal alignment and to promote optimal newborn parenting postures.
2. Students will be able to explain the functional anatomy of the core and pelvic floor, the influence of diastasis recti, and the importance of connection to the transverse abdominis in pregnancy
3. Students will be able to describe how the core muscles influence and affect pregnancy, labor, delivery and recovery after birth.
4. Students will be able to list the signs and symptoms of diastasis recti and/or a weak inactive core in prenatal and postnatal clients and be able to accurately assess for diastasis recti.
5. Students will be able to demonstrate how to check a prenatal and postpartum client for diastasis recti.
6. Students will be able to demonstrate how to assist prenatal patients in activating their core muscles safely.
7. Students will be able to identify the connection between the transverse abdominis and the pelvic floor in relation to functional strength and labor and delivery strategies.
8. Students will be able to explain to prenatal clients the coordination between the core, pelvic floor and the breath for an effective pushing phase without increasing the risk of tearing, pelvic organ prolapse or creating a diastasis.
9. Students will be able to list the benefits of abdominal splinting during labor, delivery and postnatal recovery 

Source: MCU Course Catalog, 2023 https://www.midwifery.edu/course-catalog/