Perineal Tear Recovery in Richmond
Tearing during childbirth is common and can feel daunting, but physiotherapy supports recovery and, importantly, can reduce your risk of tearing in the first place. Whether you are preparing for birth or recovering from a tear, expert guidance makes a real difference.
Our women’s health specialist offers both prevention and rehabilitation.
What Is a Perineal Tear?
A perineal tear is an injury to the skin, muscle and sometimes the lining of the anal canal and bowel that can happen during childbirth. Tears are graded by severity, and grades 1 to 3 respond well to physiotherapy strength programmes.
Grade 4 tears involve the deeper anal lining and muscles and tend to have poorer outcomes and higher rates of incontinence. A third or fourth degree tear occurs in roughly three in 100 women having a vaginal birth, and most tears heal within about six weeks.
Reducing Your Risk
There is a great deal within our control. From 34 weeks of pregnancy we can teach perineal massage, which increases the elasticity of the perineal skin and can reduce the likelihood of tearing by up to 70 percent, particularly for first-time mothers.
- Active birth positions such as kneeling, standing or being on hands and knees to open the pelvic outlet.
- A warm compress on the perineum during pushing to help the tissues relax and stretch.
- Slow, controlled pushing, including an open-glottis technique where you exhale as you push.
- Hands-on support from your caregiver as the baby’s head is born.
The Role of Antenatal Exercise
Where to Find Us
Expectant and new mothers across Richmond visit us for both tear prevention and postnatal recovery. We are based at Lawton Gate House, 7 Hill Street, Richmond, TW9 1SX, a short walk from Richmond Station and easily reached from Twickenham, Kew, Sheen, Teddington, Kingston and Barnes.
Meet Our Women's Health Physiotherapist
Breanna Walker is our Women’s Health Specialist and supports women with both the prevention of perineal tears and recovery afterwards.
Her qualifications include the Australian Physiotherapy Association Women’s Pelvic Health Level 1 to 3 courses and the Women’s Health Through The Life Stages programme, which cover antenatal preparation and postnatal rehabilitation in depth.
Breanna has guided many expectant mothers in techniques to reduce their risk of tearing during childbirth. She is a Chartered Physiotherapist registered with the HCPC (PH154328).
