Common Diagnosis Treated:
- Low back, hip, and pelvic pain
- Bladder Dysfunction and pain
- Diastasis Recti
- Birthing injuries
- Back, hip, pelvis, or abdominal pain after or during pregnancy
- Prenatal and Postnatal Care: Instruction on proper body mechanics to prevent back pain, exercises to strengthen, engage, and/or relax pelvic floor muscles, and manual therapy
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Tailbone pain (coccydynia)
- Urinary or fecal incontinence
- Urinary frequency
- Urinary urgency
What is the Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a series of muscles that stretch like a muscular dome from the tailbone (coccyx) to the pubic bone. These muscles are normally firm and thick and provide support to the pelvic organs. The organs in this area include the bladder, uterus (women), prostate (men), and rectum, assist in bowel and bladder control, support action, stability, sump-pump action and contribute to sexual health. The musculature layer can contract and relax to allow for proper urination, bowel movements, and sexual function. Pelvic floor muscle can be consciously controlled and therefore trained aiming to reduce social consequences/impact on a patient’s life due to pelvic floor dysfunction.
What is Pelvic Floor Therapy Rehab?
A non-surgical approach to rehabilitation of the pelvic floor muscle group. A pelvic floor examination may include assessment of the lumbar spine and hips, internal and external assessment of the pelvic floor muscles and tissues, functional strength, and postures. Treatment may include behavioral strategies, manual therapies, modalities, therapeutic exercise and education.
Pelvic Floor Conditions We Treat:
Urinary /Fecal Incontinence (Stress Incontinence)
Urinary incontinence means any involuntary loss of urine. There are two main types of incontinence. Stress Incontinence and Urge Incontinence. Stress Incontinence occurs as urine leaks from the bladder when pressure is applied to it suddenly, activities such as coughing, sneezing, running or sexual intercourse can put pressure on the pelvic floor muscle. Urge incontinence is the inability to control urine leaking from the bladder when the (urge) to urinate occurs.
Mixed Incontinence: which occurs when stress and urge incontinence appear at the same time or different circumstances.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Annoying protrusion of bladder, cervix, or rectum near the vaginal opening. Which may or may not be accompanied with peroneal pressure that is aggravated with standing and relieved with laying down. Physiotherapy through pelvic floor rehabilitation can be effective for mild to moderate cases of pelvic organ prolapse.
Pelvic Pain , Dyspareunia
There can be tightness or increased muscle tone in the pelvic floor muscles that may be contributing to pelvic pain, difficult or painful intercourse. Internal manual therapy and breathing techniques can help release trigger points and stretch tight muscles, which can effectively treat these painful syndromes.
Vestibulodynia, Vaginismus: and other genito-pelvic pain/penetration, Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM): where pelvic floor physiotherapy is suggested as first-line treatment.
Back Pain and Coccydynia
Sometimes accompany with pelvic pain , which could be secondary or primary source of pain with back/tailbone pain, manual therapy techniques, mobilization with a program of core stabilization could contribute to manage associated back /pelvic floor pain.
Our Pelvic Health Physiotherapist (Merril) empowers and educates her pelvic health patients through a comprehensive, skilled evaluation, and develop an individualized plan of care centered on the patient’s specific goals from leak free sneezing and pain free sex to high level running and weight lifting. The patient will receive either three quarter or one hour one-on-one treatment in a private and comfortable setting and receive the most up to date treatment methods to assist in return to feeling like oneself. Aiming to optimize function, restore healthy and functional pelvic floor muscles, and alleviates pain using a comprehensive approach to treating pelvic floor dysfunction.
