Most physical therapy treatments can benefit anyone. However, there’s a specific treatment geared toward women’s health, and that’s pelvic floor physical therapy. Your pelvic floor consists of muscles and ligaments along the bottom of the pelvis. It works to provide support for your bowels and bladder. For women, the pelvic floor also supports the uterus and vagina.
The pelvic floor does more than hold the pelvic organs in place; it also contributes to bodily functions, such as defecation, urination and sexual intercourse. If you have persistent or worsening issues that stem from these functions, pelvic floor physical therapy is worth exploring.
Read on to learn about what pelvic floor physical therapy can treat to improve women’s health. Then we’ll discuss what may be involved in the sessions.
What women’s pelvic floor physical therapy can treat
The pelvic floor plays a significant role in a woman's health, as it can be the root of many issues that interfere with overall quality of life. The pelvic floor can be impacted by many different aspects throughout a woman’s life, including pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes and natural aging. All of these factors can contribute to pain, weakened muscles and dysfunction.
The good news is that women’s pelvic floor physical therapy can treat a variety of issues, including:
Urinary issues — There are several urinary issues that can be alleviated with pelvic floor physical therapy, including urinary incontinence and retention. Urinary incontinence refers to unintentionally releasing urine, and urinary retention means that it’s difficult to completely empty the bladder. Pelvic floor PT can also help with an overactive bladder, which causes a frequent urge to urinate even if the bladder isn’t full. These issues often come down to weak pelvic floor muscles.
Interstitial cystitis — Also known as bladder pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis is a chronic bladder condition due to bladder inflammation. It’s characterized by a variety of symptoms, including pain in the pelvis and bladder. It can also cause a frequent urge to urinate. The pelvic floor dysfunction that comes from interstitial cystitis can be addressed by strengthening the muscles with physical therapy.
Fecal issues — Both fecal incontinence and constipation are pelvic floor issues that can be treated with the right physical therapy options. Fecal incontinence means having difficulty controlling one’s bowels. Constipation refers to having a difficult time having a bowel movement. Similar to urinary issues, fecal issues often stem from weakened or difficulty controlling pelvic floor muscles.
Pelvic organ prolapse — The pelvic organs are held up by a bundle of muscles and ligaments between the tailbone and pubic bone. If one of the organs slips from its position and into the uterus, it’s known as pelvic organ prolapse. It can cause a bulge at, or past, the vaginal opening. Other symptoms include pelvic pressure and lower back pain. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help with the right exercises and techniques.
Sexual dysfunction — If you have difficulty with sexual intercourse, or it doesn’t provide pleasure, it’s possible that you have sexual dysfunction. It can be characterized as having a low libido, pain during intercourse or difficulty with arousal. If a woman’s floor muscles are either too strong or weak, it can lead to sexual dysfunction.
What to expect from pelvic floor physical therapy for woman
If you’re looking to try pelvic floor physical therapy to treat one or more of the above issues, it can be helpful to know what those sessions actually look like.
Pelvic floor physical therapy includes a variety of treatments. Your therapist will determine which course of action will work best for the cause of your symptoms. While some treatments focus solely on improving the quality of the pelvic floor muscles, others prioritize pain management.
Here are a few techniques used during pelvic floor physical therapy treatment:
Manual therapy — When a physical therapist uses a manual therapy technique, it means that they’re using their hands to manipulate the soft tissue. The goal is to release painful tension and improve mobility. For pelvic floor issues, this may include soft tissue mobilization, which involves using massage-like movements on the pelvic muscles to loosen up the tissue. It can also include joint mobilization. This technique helps improve the range of motion for the pelvic joints with gentle repetitive movements to help release the tension.
Therapeutic exercise — Many people don’t seek out physical therapy until their pain starts to interfere with their everyday activities. Therapeutic exercises play a role in many pelvic floor physical therapy sessions because they work to alleviate pain and help the body’s healing process. They can also encourage relaxation.
Strength training — As we’ve noted, the strength of your muscles plays a large role in your pelvic floor functions. Strength training is a pillar of pelvic floor physical therapy; exercises like kegels and bridges can help improve the strength of your pelvic muscles to improve your urinary and bowel control, as well as reduce excessive straining that can contribute to your pain.
At KC Rehab, we offer pelvic floor physical therapy at our Barry Road and Shawnee locations. We can help you address the issues that are interfering with your quality of life and boost the overall function of your pelvic floor for long-lasting benefits.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
Comments