Pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood bring about significant changes in a womans body-mind-spirit. These changes too often lead to ventilatory and musculoskeletal dysfunctions, joint aches and pains created by poor postural habits, muscle imbalances, respiratory patterns, and chronic overuse. Do not accept these discomforts as a normal result of pregnancy and childbirth!
Michelle Maniaci is an expert in the analysis and treatment of musculoskeletal and movement dysfunction. She perceives dysfunctions as opportunities for her clients to gain awareness and understanding of how we move, breathe, and perceive. This self-knowledge gained empowers individuals to correct poor postural-breathing habits and muscle imbalances. The result is moving freely throughout our daily life activities with a sense of lightness and ease. From this more peaceful and balanced state, we can offer the best environment for our babies to grow and develop. This is how we can begin to consciously create a healthier next generation while also enjoying pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood to the fullest.
provides you with effective, personalized treatment programs, mind-body-breath exercises, and musculoskeletal & postural screenings so you may learn to move with ease, and enjoy your pregnancy, birth, and post-partum recovery to the fullest. Michelle's unique background in physical therapy, yoga therapy, therapeutic massage, and belly dance provided in a nurturing environment offers a
special opportunity to find transformational healing and comfort.
Programs are also available for high risk
pregnancies, women on bed rest, and for relieving pain resulting from
C-sections or episiotomy scars.
Tailored specifically for your body's needs, exercise programs offered combine traditional exercise with yoga and belly dance to offer you a complete body-mind-spirit workout. Research studies have shown that exercise:
Reduces the risks of gestational diabetes
Improves aerobic and muscular fitness
Enhances maternal psychological well being
Facilitates an easier labor and delivery
Faster recovery from labor
Too often traditional pre/post natal fitness only addresses strengthening/toning, and ignores respiration and posture. The Maniaci Method strengthens and trains abdominal and pelvic muscles based on their dual role as postural and ventilatory muscles and current research in biomechanics. Strong deep abdominal and pelvic muscles properly recruited in coordination with respiration position baby and internal organs optimally, support the growing uterus, prevent low back pain, improve posture, maintain optimal intra-abdominal pressures, and aid in the pushing part of labor.
During the postpartum time, exercises are taught to get you back in shape sooner, to promote healthy abdominopelvic organ functioning and positioning, postural movement patterns, core muscle and respiratory muscle strengthening and toning, cardiovascular and endurance training, as well as provide instruction on proper positioning and body mechanics for feeding baby, carrying baby, etc.
Physical Therapy with Michelle includes:
Postural and Movement Analysis followed by identification of the cause of movement, respiratory, and postural muscle imbalances, and joint dysfunction during daily life activities.
Treatment and implementation of specific therapeutic exercise programs to restore normal movement, respiration, and joint functioning.
Awareness exercises and mind-body relaxation techniques to facilitate a deeper self understanding on the path to healing.
If you have any of the following during pregnancy physical therapy is indicated:
SI joint dysfunction
Lower Back Pain
Upper Back and Neck Pain
Hip pain
Groin Pain
Leg Varicosities
Disuse/Muscle weakness
Abdominal and postural muscle weakness
Poor Posture
Tendonitis
Circulatory Problems
Cervical Headaches
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Rib pain
Piriformis Syndrome
Diastisis recti
Sciatica
Pubic Symphisis Pain
Tendonitis / Bursitis
Leg Cramps/Calf Pain
Heel & Foot Pain
Postpartum Indications:
Pelvic Pain
Painful Episiotomy
Painful Coccyx-tailbone
Post Surgical Pain from C-Section
Scarring
Prolapse
Please contact Michelle Maniaci for a screening or evaluation at 305-206-2229 or email at birthdance@gmail.com
A Mutli-Systems Mind, Body, Spirit approach to Physical Therapy with Yoga Therapy, Therapeutic Belly Dance, & Massage