Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
What is Pelvic Physiotherapy?
Pelvic health physiotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for common conditions within the pelvis such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic pain. A comprehensive subjective and objective evaluation is conducted to identify all the factors that are contributing to your symptoms. A treatment plan will be formulated with personalized short and long-term goals.
The subjective assessment can include reviewing your past medical history and asking appropriate questions pertaining to pain, bladder and bowel, and sexual function with the use of validated and reliable outcome measures.
The objective assessment will look at global contributors such as breathing, posture and alignment, movement patterns, overall strength and conditioning, the lumbar and thoracic spine, and the pelvic floor muscle function.
The Main Functions of the Pelvic Floor Muscles Are:
- Sphincter: To prevent urinary and fecal leakage.
- Support: For our internal organs (bladder, uterus, and rectum).
- Stability: For our back and pelvic girdle.
- Sexual: To increase satisfaction in sexual activity.
- Sump pump: Actions to assist the lymphatic system and veins in bringing blood back to the trunk.
Physiotherapists require advanced training to have the appropriate skills to assess your pelvic floor through internal palpation. This assessment is meant to be gentle and non-threatening. Your physiotherapist will be able to identify ‘the state’ of your pelvic floor and create a treatment plan if necessary.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
The goal of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy is to improve pelvic floor function through exercises, lifestyle modifications, education and hands on treatment to decrease and eliminate your symptoms. This therapy involves assessing and treating a group of muscles that are involved with urinary, bowel, and sexual function.
