What is pelvic floor physiotherapy?
PELVIC HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
…are registered physiotherapists who also have a focus on the assessment and treatment of pelvic health concerns. Our pelvic health is greatly linked to our quality of life at all stages of life. Like other physiotherapists, we assess and treat the body as a whole, which means we do not solely address the pelvic floor muscles because the body works as a system and should be addressed in such a way.
*You do not require a referral from a physician to book an appointment with a physiotherapist (this includes pelvic health physiotherapy).
what is the pelvic floor and why should i care about it?
The pelvic floor muscles work to prevent involuntary leakage with coughing, sneezing, or strain. They help to control the passing of urine, gas, and bowel movements. They have an important role in sexual function during intercourse, and they support the organs in the abdominal/pelvic region.
Issues with the pelvic floor may be linked to concerns with bladder/bowel control, pelvic organ prolapse, vaginal pain, diastasis recti abdominis, perinatal and post partum health, or low back and pelvic girdle pain.
You may have heard about pelvic floor muscle training or “Kegels,” and you might even be attending an exercise class or performing at home work outs to address your pelvic health, but it is important to ensure that you are doing the right exercises for you and performing these exercises correctly.
let’s talk about the research
The Cochrane Collaboration concluded that there is Level I/ Grade A evidence (the strongest level of evidence available) for physiotherapy pelvic floor training for urge and stress incontinence.
The research shows that more than 50% of women do not perform Kegel’s correctly (a Kegel is a pelvic floor muscle contraction).
General exercises for that may include the pelvic floor muscles may not be harmful, but are not a treatment on its own for pelvic floor dysfunction, as this is not targeted.
it’s not just about Kegels
Many people believe that pelvic floor physiotherapy is synonymous with “Kegels” and this is not the case.
As mentioned above a Kegel is a pelvic floor muscle contraction, but what if strengthening the pelvic floor is not the solution or only a part of the solution the problem? Pelvic floor dysfunction can be caused by a number of different reasons, therefore, there isn’t necessarily one all encompassing solution.
The issue could be due to muscle weakness, the muscles are too tight resulting in decreased strength, decreased proprioception of the pelvic floor muscles, issues with motor control, age related muscle fibre loss, muscle damage, or nerve damage, to name a few potential issues.
