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PELVIC FLOOR HEALTH AND PHYSICAL THERAPY

As Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists, many of our clients come to us seeking relief from pelvic pain. Pelvic pain is pain felt in the lower abdomen (stomach area), pelvis, genitals, or perineum (the area between the rectum and the scrotum or vagina). Pelvic pain affects up to 20% of people in the United States, including women and men, but it is more common in women.

THE PELVIC FLOOR

Everyone has a pelvic floor. It's composed of the muscles supporting the pelvis and lower abdominal organs. This group of muscles helps in controlling your bladder and bowels. The pelvic floor acts like a sling helping to hold the bladder, and it supports the rectum maintaining a 90 deg bend in the rectum to maintain fecal continence. In women, there are many ligaments to help support the uterus, while in men the prostate gland is present which the urethra runs through and can affect the ability to control urination.

 The pelvic floor muscles attach to your tailbone and pubic bone. If the muscles in the pelvic floor are weak or don't work as they should, this is called pelvic floor dysfunction.

PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION

When you have pelvic floor dysfunction, your pelvic muscles have difficulty relaxing or working together as they should. This can lead to issues with:

  • Constipation

  • Peeing frequently

  • Urinary leaking

  • Fecal leaking

  • Pain during sex in women

  • Pelvic organ prolapse in women

  • Erectile dysfunction in men

Pelvic pain has many possible causes and is often multi-factorial. It is called "chronic" when it lasts more than 6-months. Sometimes, experts aren't sure what causes pelvic floor dysfunction. But things that may trigger it include:

  • Aging/ hormonal changes

  • Pregnancy and delivery

  • Weight gain

  • Overuse of the pelvic muscles

  • Serious injuries to the pelvic area

  • Sexual abuse or assault

  • Pelvic Surgery

  • Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized kind of PT to relieve the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction and help the muscles work better. Physical therapists, who specialize in pelvic floor conditions, can help people with pelvic pain restore strength, flexibility, and function to the muscles and joints in the pelvic region. This includes exercises that help your pelvic muscles relax and get stronger. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy can often improve or resolve your symptoms without the need for more invasive options like surgery.

When you begin pelvic floor therapy at ZK Outpatient Rehabilitation Center, our therapists will learn more about your symptoms and assess your pelvis, low back, hips, and core to determine what treatment will be beneficial to you. This assessment may or may not include an internal assessment (usually vaginally) of your pelvic floor musculature which provides the most detailed information about your dysfunction. Don’t worry ladies, there is no speculum or stirrups for this assessment! 

WHY SEE A PHYSICAL THERAPIST?

Physical therapists are movement experts. They improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. If you, or someone you know, may benefit from pelvic floor therapy or other physical therapy treatment, contact ZK Outpatient Rehabilitation Center directly for an evaluation. To schedule an appointment, click here

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