Pelvic Floor
Pelvic Health and Wellness Program
If you have a pelvic floor disorder, the Pelvic Health and Wellness Program at FYZICAL will help you Love Your Life! Pelvic floor disorders cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as urine leakage and constipation and or pain, and can lead to embarrassing and disabling limitations in daily life. Some people are so embarrassed by these issues that they don't seek help. Many don't know that pelvic physical therapy treatments for pelvic floor disorders are highly effective and supported by very strong research (evidence based). It involves no medication or surgery. Enjoying a pain free life with good bladder and bowel control, physical activity, laughter, and sexual health requires healthy pelvic floor muscles. At FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers, we believe that having a healthy pelvic floor will help you to Love Your Life!
What are pelvic floor disorders?
Pelvic floor disorders are a group of conditions, listed below, that affect the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is made up of skin, muscles, ligaments, connective tissue, nerves, blood vessels, and organs in the pelvis. The pelvic floor supports the body, stabilizes the pelvic girdle and spine, and supports the bladder, rectum, and pelvic organs. Pelvic floor disorders are common and affect both men and women of all ages. Physical therapy treatment of pelvic floor disorders is highly specialized, and is provided only by physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who have completed advanced post-graduate education and training.
Bladder Control ProblemsAffects 35% of all women, 50% of women over the age of 65 , 25% of all men
- Urinary incontinence- unintentional urine leakage of any amount, at any time
- Urinary urgency – experiencing a sudden strong urge to urinate that is difficult to defer
- Urinary frequency- urinating more than 8 times in 24 hours
- Nocturia- waking more than one time during sleep by the need to urinate
- Difficulty emptying the bladder – incomplete bladder emptying, slow stream
- Pelvic organ prolapse- “dropped bladder” or cystocele, uterine prolapse
Bowel Control Problems
- Constipation / obstructed defecation- difficulty emptying the bowels, incomplete bowel emptying, need to strain
- Fecal incontinence- unintentional leakage or smearing of any amount of stool at any time
- Fecal urgency- difficulty or inability to defer the urge to have a bowel movement
- Pelvic organ prolapse- rectocele
Pelvic Pain Problems
- Pelvic pain
- Bladder pain- painful urination, pain after urination, interstitial cystitis
- Pain with bowel movements
- Abdominal pain
- Painful abdominal scars- abdominal nerve entrapments, trigger points
- Painful / limited vaginal penetration in women – dyspareunia, difficulty with gynecological exams, post radiation narrowing of the vaginal canal
- Sexual Pain – pain during arousal, during or after intercourse, or after climax
- Postpartum perineal pain- pain from perineal injuryor episiotomy sustained during vaginal delivery
- Coccydynia- tailbone pain
- Vulvar pain conditions – vulvodynia, vestibulodynia
- Post-surgical rehabilitation after hysterectomy or reconstruction
- Prostatitis
- Post-prostatectomy
- Post-radiation rehabilitation
Pregnancy Related ProblemsAffect 50-70% of women in pregnancy, 30% -50% postpartum
- Pelvic girdle and back pain during pregnancy and postpartum
- Diastasis Rectus Abdominis- pregnancy related separation of the abdominal wall
- Sacroiliac joint pain
- Coccyx pain- tailbone pain
- Pubic symphysis dysfunction
- Cesarean section recovery – complications from C-section
- Perineal injuries- episiotomy, perineal tears
- Painful intercourse after vaginal delivery
- Postpartum perineal pain
- Pelvic Floor muscle weakness: incontinence issues during and after delivery