Mum gets back on her feet

The joy of childbirth often yields to the agony of postpartum pain in the neck, shoulders and back. One source of relief is the traditional yu fai, which involves massage and steaming herbs, but there are modern choices as well.

Dr Montanat Rojjanasrirat of the Chirofit Chiropractice Fitness Centre notes that a body can gain up to 30 kilograms during pregnancy, with much of the weight out front, shifting the skeletal and muscular structure.

All of that has to be compensated for after birth to bring the body back into balance. Nine months of having a bent back, weakened hips and stressed muscles demand careful re-stabilising, he says.

Then there are the hunched back and problems with the shoulder muscles that can result from poor posture while breastfeeding.

When the spine is no longer properly aligned, the nerves are affected, leading to pain, spasms, spinal-cord stress and disc degeneration.

Chiropractors restore normal body mechanics by remodelling the spine, Montanat explains. They get you back into the correct posture through manipulation and exercise and sometimes use acupuncture and massage.

At the Ariya Wellness Centre, therapists capture electronic images of the body structure to evaluate your postpartum condition, then assign a detoxification programme that can range from the hi-tech "Far Infrared System" to very low-tech sweating.

The muscles are thus relaxed and blood circulation improved to encourage new cell formation and get the internal organs functioning properly.

Throughout the process, tapes of Buddhist chanting are played to help soothe the mind.

But ultimately, says Ariya therapist Penpitchayakorn Sandkhum, the easiest and most basic thing a mother should do is make sure she sits, stands, walks and sleeps in a healthy posture.

You deserve it

Chirofit Bangkok is in the Bangkok Mediplex Building. Call (02) 713 6745-6 or visit www.ChirofitBangkok.com.

The Ariya Wellness Centre is in Life Center Q House in the Lumpini Building. Call (02) 677 7166-7 or see www.Ariya-7.com.