Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Rediscover Comfort and Confidence
Your pelvic floor plays a pivotal role in maintaining your overall well-being. It ensures continence through sphincter control, provides crucial support to pelvic organs, contributes to lower back stability, and is integral to fulfilling sexual experiences. Pelvic floor physiotherapy can help alleviate pelvic, lower back, hip, and groin pain, offering relief and restoring functionality. Pain during intercourse, whether experienced by men or women, can also be effectively addressed through specialized treatment. Stress and urge incontinence, as well as constipation, are common concerns that find effective solutions through pelvic physiotherapy. Additionally, prolapse, a frequently encountered condition, can be managed and improved with targeted physiotherapy interventions.
If you relate to any of these challenges, know that you're not alone. Our dedicated team is here to offer compassionate support and effective solutions tailored to your needs.
Understanding Your Pelvic Floor
Your pelvic floor comprises a complex network of muscles crucial for supporting the pelvic organs—the bowel, bladder, and reproductive organs. These muscles span from the pubic bone to the tailbone and extend along the ischial tuberosities, forming the foundation of your pelvic region. This intricate system performs a multitude of essential functions, including:
1) Providing vital support for the hips and lower back, contributing to overall stability and mobility.
2) Facilitating the expansion and contraction of the urethra and rectum to maintain continence and ensure smooth urinary and bowel movements.
3) Supporting erectile function and optimal blood flow to the genital region, crucial for sexual health and performance.
4) Minimizing discomfort and preventing pelvic pain, including issues related to prostate health or surgical procedures.
Your pelvic floor is more than just a passive structure—it's a dynamic component of your body's anatomy, crucial for everyday functioning and overall well-being, regardless of gender.
Pelvic Floor Physio for Mothers (and moms-to-be)
Physiotherapists play a vital role in supporting individuals throughout pregnancy and postpartum recovery. For expectant mothers, pelvic floor physiotherapy offers valuable preparation for labor by teaching relaxation techniques to ease pelvic floor tension, promoting birthing without tears, and enhancing muscle control for labor and delivery. Additionally, specialized exercises can help alleviate back pain and pressure commonly experienced during pregnancy.
Following childbirth, pelvic floor physiotherapists assess the pelvic floor's condition and provide targeted interventions to aid in healing. These interventions may include addressing scarring, reducing pain or discomfort—especially during intercourse—and managing issues such as prolapse and urinary leakage.
Pelvic Physiotherapy for Menopause
Menopause brings about hormonal changes that can significantly impact pelvic health in women. Symptoms such as vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse, stress or urge incontinence, and prolapse may arise. Pelvic floor physiotherapy offers effective solutions to address these challenges. Through tailored strengthening exercises, relaxation techniques, and comprehensive education, physiotherapists help women navigate the changes associated with menopause. Referral to appropriate healthcare professionals may also be provided as part of the holistic approach to managing menopausal symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an appointment like?
During your appointment, our experienced pelvic floor physiotherapists will conduct a thorough assessment to understand your condition better. While an internal exam is often performed to evaluate the pelvic floor's condition and identify any underlying issues, it's entirely optional and requires your consent. This examination helps measure factors such as pelvic organ prolapse or pelvic floor strength through exercises like Kegels. Additionally, our experts may conduct external evaluations of your abdominal and pelvic musculature to ensure a comprehensive assessment. While an internal exam is not mandatory, it can significantly contribute to formulating an accurate treatment plan tailored to your needs.
What causes a weak pelvic floor?
Several factors can contribute to the weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, including:
Pregnancy and childbirth: Even individuals who deliver via cesarean section can experience pelvic floor issues.
Overuse: Excessive straining due to frequent bathroom visits or constipation can strain the pelvic floor muscles.
Pelvic surgery: Surgical procedures in the pelvic area can impact the strength and function of the pelvic floor.
Being overweight: Excess weight can place additional strain on the pelvic floor muscles.
Advancing age: Hormonal changes during menopause and the natural aging process can weaken the pelvic floor.
What are the most common pelvic floor health conditions serviced by pelvic floor physiotherapy?
Pelvic floor physiotherapy addresses a variety of pelvic health conditions, including:
Pelvic organ prolapse: This condition occurs when pelvic organs protrude into the vaginal canal, often occurring after childbirth but can have other causes. Types of prolapse include bladder (cystocele), rectal (rectocele), and uterine prolapse.
Urinary incontinence: The most common form of leakage, urinary incontinence can manifest in different ways:
Stress incontinence: Triggered by activities such as heavy lifting, coughing, or laughing.
Urge incontinence: Characterized by a sudden, intense urge to urinate leading to involuntary urine loss.
Overflow incontinence: Involves frequent or constant dribbling of urine due to incomplete bladder emptying.
Mixed incontinence: A combination of stress and urge incontinence.
Can I receive pelvic physiotherapy virtually?
Absolutely! If you're a mom-to-be or have recently given birth and prefer not to come to the clinic in person for your pelvic physiotherapy appointments, you can book a virtual session instead. Our virtual sessions allow you to work towards your goals in a more convenient and comfortable manner, ensuring that you receive the care and support you need from the comfort of your own home.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Team
Dorota Kuza,
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Guneet Khakh,
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist