Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
The pelvic floor is more than just a group of muscles in our pelvis, they are the ANCHOR the rest of our body works from. The pelvic floor can be too tight, too weak, or lack coordination. Symptoms can present as pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pain with intimacy.
These symptoms are often deemed “normal” by our society standards. Even though these symptoms can be common, I am here to tell you that we don’t have to accept them and pelvic health physical therapy treatment can help resolve these symptoms.
Common Conditions Treated in Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
Pregnancy-related symptoms
Diastasis recti
Postpartum- related symptoms
Pain with sex/intimacy
Pelvic organ prolapse
Bladder incontinence (leaking pee) - even a few drops counts
Fecal incontinence (leaking poo)- or difficulty controlling gas
Constipation and bowel issues
SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction)
SIJ (sacroiliac dysfunciton)
What to expect from a Pelvic Physical Therapy session
There are many factors that contribute to a pelvic floor problem. There is no “one size fits all” approach to Pelvic Health Physical Therapy. Two people can present with the same symptoms, but the reason why they have symptoms can be very different.
STEP ONE
We Learn About Your History
In the first session, we will spend time talking about your symptoms, medical history, and what your goals are. Everyone’s history and life circumstances are different and are always an important consideration in the plan of care we deliver.
STEP TWO
We Assess Your Movement
We will go through a series of movements to assess how your body chooses to manage pressure, what your posture looks like, and identify any sources of weakness that may be contributing to the problem.
STEP THREE
Internal Pelvic Floor Muscle Exam
The pelvic floor rests inside the pelvis so the only way for us to determine what is truly going on is to perform an internal exam. This will help determine what your pelvic floor strength is and identify any tight areas that may be contributing to symptoms. The internal portion of the evaluation does not need to happen at your first appointment or at all: it is a decision we can make together.
Our promise to you is that you will always leave feeling empowered.
The goal of each pelvic health physical therapy session is to have you leave feeling confident in symptom-modifying strategies, and have a home exercise program that will help you work towards specific goals.
FREE — Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Workshop E-Book
Dr. Lauren LePage, PT, DPT of Anchor Physical Therapy and Performance and Stephanie Cleary, PT, DPT of SC Wellness Technique developed an e-book for our pelvic health workshop. If you’d like to get access to it, just put your first name and email below.
You’ll get instant access to the ebook and will be added to my clinic emailing list. You can unsubscribe at any time.
