Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy

What is pelvic floor physical therapy?

“Can’t believe we have such a wonderful service in Canada, got all my problems solved by physiotherapist that too without going to hospital.Pelvic floor physical therapy involves the pelvic floor muscle group, which is responsible for a variety of functions. These muscles support the pelvic organs, assist in bowel and bladder control, and contribute to sexual arousal and orgasm. … Pelvic floor physical therapists might use several techniques: Education.”

Specialized Physiotherapy is becoming more established in the literature as a first-line of defence against Incontinence and Pelvic Pain. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction can be caused by:

1.HYPOTONICITY (Weak pelvic floor muscles): contributing to stress incontinence, urge incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Incontinence is NOT a normal part of aging
2.HYPERTONICITY (Tight pelvic floor muscles): contributing to Urinary and Fecal Urgency, Urge Incontinence, Chronic Pelvic Pain, Dyspareunia, Vaginismus, Vulvodynia, Pudendal Neuralgia, Interstitial Cystitis and Chronic Prostatitis

Hypertonic muscles can cause the following symptoms:

Urinary frequency, urgency, hesitancy, stopping and starting of the urine stream, painful urination, or incomplete emptying.

Constipation, straining, pain with bowel movements.

Unexplained pain in your low back, pelvic region, hips, genital area, or rectum.

Pain during or after intercourse, orgasm, or sexual stimulation.

Uncoordinated muscle contractions causing the pelvic floor muscles to spasm.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is diagnosed by specially trained doctors and physiotherapists by using internal and external “hands-on” or manual techniques to evaluate the function of the pelvic floor muscles. They will also assess your ability to contract and relax these muscles. Your bones and muscles of your lower back, hips and sacro-iliac joints will need to be assessed as well since these joints can stress your pelvic floor muscles.