If you’re like many individuals, you probably don’t give your pelvic floor a second thought. Your next question may be “what is the pelvic floor anyway?” People generally aren’t aware of this internal group of muscles until there is an issue presented in the form of incontinence, pain, unusual pressure “down there”, or until you start to experience problems.
Your pelvic floor consists of the muscles in the interior and bottom of your pelvis. Believe it or not, these muscles are what your body relies on to support its core. In other words, you need your pelvic floor to support your entire back and full body functioning. Despite many popular assumptions, the pelvic floor is an equal opportunity muscle group—meaning, both men and women have it and need it.
There are signs you may need pelvic floor rehab, and many of our patients take a bit of a windy road before ending up at our physical therapy clinics for pelvic floor treatment. It can be a challenging issue for diagnosis at first pass—so many symptoms are linked to the pelvic floor, as well as many body functions.
A Few Signs You May Be a Good Candidate For Pelvic Floor Rehab Are:
- Tension or tightness vaginal or perineal area
- Pelvic floor muscle weakness
- Problems urinating or defecating, including incontinence
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Testicular or penile pain
- Hip or low back pain
- Pain during a gynecological exam
- A sensation of pressure in the perineal area
There Are Many Benefits of Pelvic Floor Rehab.
A physical therapist specifically trained in pelvic floor rehab has the knowledge to assess the current status of your pelvic floor and has the appropriate strategies to address what your body needs.
Pelvic floor rehab is more than solving your immediate problems; it’s about restoring your entire body’s health and wellness. When working with a physical therapist, pelvic floor rehab can give you a path to restoring your muscle’s ability to stabilize and support your body.
Should you choose to explore pelvic floor rehab, the process first starts with a thorough health history assessment. We’ll want to know all of the details, from your aches and pains to past surgical procedures. Next, we’ll perform a physical exam to evaluate your pelvic floor, in addition to identifying any core muscle weakness —remember, it’s all connected! Note: this evaluation may require a vaginal or rectal exam.
The treatment plan will be completely custom to your needs. It may include several recurring visits or a few visits with lessons incorporated so you can continue your improvements through exercises at home.
Benefits include pain relief, more urinary control, and strengthening of your pelvic muscles. Yes, pelvic floor problems, like urinary incontinence and tight muscles, are common, and they impact everyone at all ages. We’ve treated teenagers to 80 year-olds for pelvic floor dysfunction. That doesn’t mean these issues are normal, and you most certainly don’t have to suffer through them. Pelvic floor rehab can help!
Learn more about Pelvic Health at Spooner Physical Therapy. Ready to schedule an appointment? Schedule an appointment or complimentary movement screen with a Spooner physical therapist at one of our locations throughout the valley.