Pelvic health is a touchy subject. You want to feel confident in your provider’s knowledge and comprehension of the challenges you’re dealing with pelvic health physical therapy treatment, whether it’s for women’s health or men’s health issues. Our Physical Therapists have received advanced training to treat your pain, incontinence, or prolapse in the most effective way possible, while also treating you with the respect and understanding you deserve. Physical therapy for the muscles and joints that make up your pelvic floor is called pelvic floor physical therapy (the base or foundation of your core).
Because its roots were in treating predominantly women, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy is still occasionally referred to as “Women’s Health Physical Therapy.” The field has developed to acknowledge that men, too, require pelvic floor physical therapy
The cornerstone of your core is your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor muscles are mainly the vagina, penis, and buttocks. You also have pelvic floor muscles in your low back and abdominal muscles. Physical therapy for the pelvic floor can help you regain flexibility and strength in the pelvic floor, which is important for various of daily activities. Having a dysfunctional pelvic floor can cause difficulty standing, going to the bathroom, back pain (up to 95 per cent of patients with low back pain have dysfunctional pelvic floors), pain during intercourse, erectile dysfunction, or prolapse.
Women’s Health:
Oklahoma Physical Therapy has a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in women’s health pain and discomfort. Pelvic floor rehabilitation is a specialized area of physical therapy that focuses on musculoskeletal disorders that can lead to incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic pain. Although some of these symptoms are very common among women, they are not considered normal. Pelvic floor therapists have received special training in evaluating and treatment various pelvic floor conditions that can occur before, during, and after pregnancy as well as over time with symptoms such as pain and leakage/incontinence.
Pelvic Health:
This is performed by compassionate practitioners skilled in administering physical therapy treatment approaches to the pelvic floor and adjacent structures, such as manual therapy and general exercise. Physical Therapy Central’s Pelvic Health Physical Therapist can help you minimize pain, avoid surgery, and stop taking medicines.
Symptoms Treatable by Pelvic Health Physical Therapy:
- Incontinence
- Painful intercourse
- Back pain during pregnancy
- Urine leakage while exercising or laughing
- Pain in the groin, buttocks, low back, hip, sacroiliac, or abdominals
- Difficulty with routine activities such as sitting, rising from a chair, standing, or walking
- Difficulty with leisure activities
What kind of issues can a Pelvic Health PT treat?
Pelvic Dysfunctions
- Pelvic organ prolapses
- Stress or urge incontinence
- Vaginismus
- Pelvic pain
- Sacroiliac dysfunction
- Painful intercourse
Pregnancy and Postpartum Issues:
- Painful scarring from a C-section or episiotomy
- Tearing of abdominal muscles and fascia as a result of pregnancy (diastasis recti)
- Poor bladder control or painful intercourse after an average healing time
Common Pelvic Health Therapy Interventions:
- Manipulation
- Gentle exercise
- Stretching and strengthening
- Specific pelvic floor exercises
- Soft tissue therapy
- Education on appropriate posture
- Fitting of back supports or hand splints
What to Expect at Your Initial Consultation?
A qualified physical therapist will meet with you one-on-one to discuss your symptoms, medical history, and overall lifestyle. We’ve been educated to treat a wide range of pelvic floor disorders and understand how personal and intimate this is. We’ll assess your posture, hips, back, and pelvic floor to figure out the best course of action for YOU to get you where you want to go.
A typical preliminary assessment typically includes:
- Evaluation of pelvic floor strength, coordination, and endurance
- Internal evaluation of muscle tone and scarring
Patients will depart with a customized treatment plan and the assurance that their physical therapist will work with them to achieve their objectives and improve their pelvic health.
Program for Pelvic Health:
Lakeside is committed to offering a comprehensive spectrum of medicinal and surgical treatments for urine and fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
Urine leaking with activity, coughing, or laughing is a common symptom, as is a bulge at the vaginal opening. Urinary frequency or urgency may also be a problem for confident women.
Family history, obstetrical history, frequent hard lifting, and chronic constipation are risk factors for women of all ages.
Alternatives to Surgery:
The following are some of the non-surgical alternatives available at Lakeside for pelvic floor issues.
- Medication
- Physical Rehabilitation
- Vaginal Laser Therapy
Overactive bladder, painful intercourse, pelvic organ prolapses, and urinary incontinence are all symptoms that can be treated with laser vaginal therapy.
Surgical Options:
Patients at Lakeside have access to cutting-edge robotic surgery technology. Many urological diseases can be treated effectively and painlessly without a significant incision.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What can I expect from my first visit?
Your physical therapist will spend time at your first visit asking you questions about the specific concerns that brought you to physical therapy and discussing your treatment goals.
How will my pelvic health physical therapy be affected now that I’m pregnant?
We see many pregnant women for therapy for several problems involving the pelvis; however, we will not normally do internal examinations or treatments of the pelvic floor musculature on pregnant women without special authorization from their OB/GYN or midwife.
How long will my consultation last?
Each visit is 45 minutes in length.
Is it okay for me to come to pelvic physical therapy while I’m on my period?
Menstruation does not interfere with initial or follow-up physical therapy visits. It can be beneficial to examine what your muscles are doing throughout your period. You have the freedom to refuse any treatments you do not feel comfortable with when you are menstruating.
How long will it take for things to improve?
We see most of our patients for 6-12 visits on average. Some people have more minor needs than others.
Some of my pelvic physical therapy appointments have been booked with a physical therapist and a physical therapist assistant. How is this going to work?
Every appointment will be one-on-one, and the physical therapist and physical therapist assistant will keep in regular contact to discuss your treatment plan.