Home › Conditions › Prenatal & Postpartum
Prenatal & Postpartum Physical Therapy in La Crosse & Onalaska
Pregnancy and new parenthood change your body profoundly. You deserve expert support through every stage of that journey.
Physical therapy during pregnancy and after birth is one of the most underutilized and most impactful forms of healthcare available to women. The changes your body goes through — in posture, in load, in hormonal environment, in pelvic floor function — are significant. And they deserve expert attention.
At Dynamic Performance and Therapy, Dr. Jill O’Brien, Dr. Marci Skemp and our Women’s Health Team provide individualized care for the full arc of pregnancy and postpartum recovery — addressing pain and dysfunction during pregnancy, guiding recovery after birth, and helping you return to the activities and exercise you love.
What Is Prenatal & Postpartum Conditions?
Prenatal physical therapy addresses the musculoskeletal and pelvic health conditions that arise during pregnancy — including pelvic girdle pain, pubic symphysis dysfunction, back pain, round ligament pain, and pelvic floor changes — as well as preparation for labor and birth.
Postpartum physical therapy addresses recovery after birth — whether vaginal or C-section — including pelvic floor rehabilitation, diastasis recti assessment and treatment, scar tissue management, and progressive return to movement and exercise.
Symptoms & Signs
Contributing Factors
Pregnancy creates significant changes in load, posture, hormonal environment, and pelvic floor demand. The hormone relaxin increases ligament laxity throughout the body. The growing uterus shifts the centre of gravity and changes spinal mechanics. The pelvic floor must support increasing weight while remaining functional.
Birth — whether vaginal or C-section — creates its own tissue changes: potential pelvic floor trauma, perineal tearing, abdominal scar tissue, or diastasis recti. Without appropriate rehabilitation, these changes can persist for years after birth.
How We Treat It at
Dynamic Performance and Therapy
Prenatal Pelvic Floor Assessment & Training
Evaluating and training the pelvic floor during pregnancy — not just for labour preparation, but to manage symptoms, prevent dysfunction, and build the foundation for postpartum recovery.
Pelvic Girdle & Lumbar Manual Therapy
Hands-on treatment for sacroiliac and pubic symphysis pain during pregnancy — using safe, effective techniques adapted to each trimester.
Postpartum Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation
A systematic return-to-function program after birth — addressing pelvic floor strength, coordination, and endurance as well as any symptoms of incontinence, pain, or prolapse.
Diastasis Recti Assessment & Treatment
Assessment of abdominal separation and a specific treatment approach based on the degree of separation and your functional goals — going well beyond generic 'no crunches' advice.
C-Section & Perineal Scar Tissue Management
Manual therapy and scar mobilization techniques to reduce sensitivity, improve tissue mobility, and address the fascial restrictions that scar tissue creates in the abdominal wall and pelvic region.
Return to Exercise
Guidance
A progressive, individualized plan for returning to running, lifting, or other exercise after birth — respecting the healing timeline while avoiding the over-conservative 'just wait 6 weeks' approach.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
A private, thorough consultation covering your pregnancy or postpartum history, current symptoms, and goals. Your therapist will explain every aspect of the assessment and will adapt the evaluation to your stage of pregnancy or postpartum recovery.
For prenatal patients: evaluation of posture, pelvic girdle mobility, and pelvic floor function (with your consent). For postpartum patients: evaluation at any point from 6 weeks onward — or earlier for non-internal assessment.
Meet the Specialists
The specific care you need and deserve — all brought together under one practice, across tree locations in La Crosse and Onalaska.
Dr. Jill O'Brien
DPT | Women's Health & Pelvic Health Specialist | State Road — La Crosse
Erica Champlin
MPT, CSCS | Fascial Counterstrain & TMJ Specialist | State Road — La Crosse
When can I start PT during pregnancy?
Whenever you feel like you need it! The sooner you address symptoms like pelvic pain or incontinence, the better your experience and outcomes tend to be. We adapt every assessment and treatment to your current trimester.
When can I start postpartum PT?
For non-internal assessment and treatment, as early as 2–3 weeks postpartum. For internal pelvic floor assessment, typically from 6 weeks onward. There is no 'too early' for seeking support after birth.
Do I need postpartum PT even if I feel fine?
A postpartum check-in — even without obvious symptoms — is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your long-term pelvic health. Many issues that seem fine in the short term (incomplete healing, diastasis, reduced pelvic floor coordination) become problems years later.
Can PT help me prepare for labor?
Yes. Pelvic floor training, perineal preparation, breathing strategies, and optimal positioning guidance are all part of birth preparation physical therapy — evidence-based approaches that support better birth outcomes.
Can PT help with the emotional aspects of postpartum recovery?
While our primary role is physical, we understand that postpartum recovery is a whole-person experience. We take the time to listen, validate your experience, and connect you with other appropriate resources if needed. You are never rushed or dismissed here.
Your body did something extraordinary.
It deserves expert care.
Our women's health team will support you through every stage — from pregnancy through full postpartum recovery — with compassion, expertise, and a plan built around you.
Call us today (608) 351-3049 for State Road (608) 668-6700
Front Desk Hours
Monday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Tuesday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Friday: 800am - 4:30pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Important Links
Our Locations
Onalaska Location
1430 Main St, Onalaska, WI 54650
State Road - La Crosse
3208 State Road, Suite A, La Crosse, WI 54601
Unity - La Crosse
2801 Losey Blvd, La Crosse, WI 54601
Dynamic Performance and Therapy. © 2026. All rights reserved.