STUDENT: Chelsea DeGrazia

PROJECT ADVISOR: Michael M. Evans

ABSTRACT

Cesarean Sections (C-sections) have been performed for centuries, but over recent years the percentages of C-sections have risen. Performances of this abdominal surgery has advanced, but there are still some complications that women develop when recovering.
Purpose
To analyze the literature for the effectiveness on physical therapy with post cesarean section patients.
Methods
A literature review was conducted by searching for evidence-based research pertaining to the impact of physical therapy on post cesarean section women with CINAHL and Google Scholar. Keywords cesarean section, physical therapy, recovery rates, mobilization, early ambulation, abdominal surgery were used when searching. Inclusion criteria involved research that observed, measured, and questioned adult women participants written in English.
Results
Many articles were looked over but only four were obtained based on their related information and findings. Overall, the research results were found by using physical therapy, early ambulation, different massages, clear education, pain management, exercises, breathing techniques, questionnaires, and consistency.
Conclusions
C-sections are becoming more common as the years progress and the affects it takes on the new mothers should be looked at closer by nurses and physicians. It can cause mothers to go through difficulty with her recovery results and also affect her day to day living when taking care of her newborn baby(ies). Health care professionals need to acknowledge that these mothers have gone through an extensive abdominal surgery and have big responsibilities, so helping them by giving physical therapy could have a big impact on them immediately and in their future.