Pelvic Floor 101
DID YOU KNOW YOU HAVE MUSCLES THAT CONTROL YOUR ABILITY TO PEE & POOP?
These muscles are collectively known as the pelvic floor muscles. They live inside your pelvis and have connections on your tailbone, pelvis bones, and your hip!(1). Not only do the pelvic floor muscles help with controlling bladder and bowel function and reproductive health- they also help support the pelvic organs and also stabilize the spine(1,2).
All genders have a pelvic floor and anyone has the potential to notice a pelvic floor problem,- including children, women, and men.
Some individuals may experience pelvic floor issues with laughing, sneezing, running, after surgery, or during the pregnancy and postpartum period when the body undergoes many changes.
Over 1/3 of women report interruptions in daily routines from urinary problems, 28-80% report problems with exercise, and up 50% report discomfort during with sex(3,4).
“ Symptom: any morbid phenomenon or departure from the normal in structure, function or sensation, experienced by the woman and indicative of disease or a health problem.” (1)
Those with a pelvic floor concern and those who might benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy often report the following(1,5):
Symptoms or discomfort -related to urinary control (leakage or always having to go),
Bowel and digestive concerns (such as constipation, leakage, or always having to go)
Pain or discomfort with sex or medical exams
Genital pain- such as vulvar spasms, difficulty with penetrative intercourse
Abdominal, pelvic, back, or hip discomfort related to pregnancy and postpartum changes
…and the list could go on!
Pelvic Health or Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy is a proven conservative treatment option for managing many of the above common pelvic floor concerns(4,5,6). It is performed by a licensed pelvic health physical therapist (1). The pelvic health physical therapist undergoes advanced training in understanding how those muscles work, where they are located, how to assess the various functions as well as the intricate role the muscles play in the digestive, urinary, sexual processes.
Kegels (just squeezing the muscles) are NOT always the answer to a pelvic floor muscle problem. In fact, doing kegels for some conditions may worsen the symptoms all together(1,5). Muscles need to move in many ways - they need to be able to shorten or contract, relax, as well as lengthen or stretch. And just like you can control the ability to open and close your hand, you have the ability to open and close your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles also work together with your diaphragm, deep spinal muscles, and deep abdominal muscles(2).
Similarly to how a tennis player, marathoner, and weightlifter all require different customized training plans for the demands of their sport, addressing a pelvic floor muscle issue requires a customized treatment plan to suite your body and lifestyle needs(6,7). Seeing a pelvic health PT can provide you with a comprehensive and individual treatment plan appropriate for your condition.
Reach out to Dr. Mbong Henry- pelvic health, obstetric, and orthopedic physical therapist to learn how you can find long lasting relief of your pelvic pain and leakage today!
References:
Bo, K., et al. An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for the conservative and nonpharmacological management of female pelvic floor dysfunction. Neurourol and Urodyn.2017, 36(2), 221–244. https://doi.org/10.1002/nau.23107.
Hodges Postural and respiratory functions of the pelvic floor muscles.Neurourol Urodyn. 2007;26(3):362-71. doi: 10.1002/nau.20232.
Heath et al. Stress Urinary Incontinence in Female Athletes.J Womens Health PT. 2014;38 (3).
Signorello L. Et al. Postpartum sexual functioning and its relationship to perineal trauma: A retrospective cohort study of primiparous women.J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184:881-90.
Tian, T., et al. Assessing exercises recommended for women at risk of pelvic floor disorders using multivariate statistical techniques. Inter Urogyn J.2018, 29(10), 1447–1454. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-017-3473-6.
Fariello JY, Moldwin RM. Similarities between interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and vulvodynia: implications for patient management. Transl Androl Urol 2015; 4(6):643-652. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2223-4683.2015.10.09.
Dumoulin, C et al. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database. 2018;10(10) doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005654.pub4.
Image used with permission as member of PelvicGlobal.com
Dr. Mbong Henry PT, DPT is a pelvic health and orthopedic physical therapist and manager of Radiance Physical Therapy, LLC in Durham, NC.
She is a physical therapist specializing in prenatal and postpartum holistic care to runners with pelvic pain and bladder problems.
Schedule your strategy call with her today!