Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Are you experiencing pain in your pelvic region? Have you struggled with incontinence? For some, it can be challenging to talk about these types of struggles. At The Physical Therapy Institute, we are musculoskeletal experts and work with people experiencing difficulties in all body regions, and offer pelvic floor therapy.
Our highly trained team at The Physical Therapy Institute uses the most advanced strategies to help alleviate the pain and restore normal function of the bowel and urinary systems. We also help people experiencing pain during sex and experiencing dysfunction in sexual performance.
At The Physical Therapy Institute, our team works with all types of problems affecting the pelvic region regardless of gender identity. Request an appointment with one of our specialists so we can help you find relief!
What is the pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is a term used to describe the region located in the bottom aspect of the pelvis. The pelvic floor is a complex system that works with the structures and systems in the pelvic cavity and the body.
The pelvic floor is supported by several muscles that also provide several essential functions, including supporting the organs found in the pelvis, bladder and bowel control, and sexual function. Impairments in muscle function can lead to pain and dysfunction.
Strong pelvic floor muscles are essential with activities where an extra force is added to the abdomen and pelvic floor (i.e., coughing, laughing, sneezing, and lifting). When these muscles are weak or not working as they should, pelvic floor dysfunction may occur.
The ability to contract the pelvic floor correctly can be affected by several factors, including:
- Weakened bladder muscles resulting from pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, and aging
- Physical damage to your pelvic floor muscles from childbirth or surgery
- Damage to the nerves from health problems like diabetes and multiple sclerosis
- Types of cancer
- Certain medications
- Trauma (physical, psychological/emotional)
Fortunately, our physical therapists know how to identify the factors contributing to your problems and, more importantly, how to resolve them!
Common pelvic floor conditions
The pelvic floor muscles are needed for sexual function, urination, and defecation. Impairments are often ignored early on due to the difficulties of talking about this region of our body.
Women experience pelvic floor conditions, including painful menstrual periods, painful urination, and urinary incontinence. The impairments will even lead to pelvic organ prolapse and chronic pelvic pain for some.
Fortunately, our physical therapists are trained in pelvic rehab no matter your gender and can help you resolve any issue you may be experiencing.
Symptoms may include:
- Postpartum incontinence leakage and pain (bladder leakage during exercise, laughing, coughing or sneezing)
- Pelvic pain during pregnancy/postpartum (pelvic girdle pain or symphysis pubis dysfunction)
- Pain with intercourse (vaginismus, dyspareunia, vulvodynia)
- Abdominal separation (diastasis recti)
- Sacroiliac and lower back pain
- Groin/hip pain
Pelvic floor Physical Therapy can help!
Our physiotherapists at The Physical Therapy Institute tailor our programs to the individual using research-backed, comprehensive treatment programs. We will conduct a thorough history and physical examination to identify all the possible factors contributing to your condition.
Evaluating the strength of the pelvic floor muscles includes assessing your ability to willfully contract your muscles and also identifying your ability to generate power and sustain a contraction (endurance). It is also essential to test your contraction speed and your ability to relax on command.
We will use this information to develop an individualized program focusing on helping you resolve your pain and restore your function. Our pelvic floor treatments include:
- Soft tissue mobilization and massage of internal and external pelvic musculature to relieve muscle tension and provide pain relief
- Pelvic floor muscle retraining to restore normal strength and endurance
- Neuro-retraining (i.e., incorporating pelvic floor muscle activation during simulated daily activities)
- Electrical stimulation modalities for pain relief and to restore normal neuromuscular activation of the pelvic floor muscles and nerves
- Bladder training (i.e., gradually holding urine for longer and longer periods)
Our team will educate you on home exercises and simple movements that you can build into your everyday activities. We believe that teaching you strategies to manage and improve your pelvic health is the key to lasting results.
Meet our pelvic floor specialists!
Request an appointment
At The Physical Therapy Institute, our physical therapist can help with incontinence, pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction, whether your condition results from reconstruction surgery, abdominal surgery, prostate cancer treatments, pregnancy, or childbirth. No matter what it is, we most likely treat it.
We are currently accepting patients for pelvic floor therapy at our Mt Lebanon, Clinic Washington, White Oak, Mon Valley and Clinic Irwin physical therapy clinic locations.
Contact our clinic today and request an appointment with one of our pelvic floor specialists!
