A physical therapist can do what!? That’s right, we can! A specially trained pelvic floor physical therapist can help you with all the things you do, but rarely want to talk about. For example, a pelvic floor PT (PFPT) is specially trained and educated to address bladder and bowel dysfunctions such as leakage (incontinence), pain, constipation, or hesitancy (straining with bowel movements or to empty your bladder). We can help address sexual dysfunctions such as pain with intercourse, persistent genital arousal disorder, or erectile dysfunction, and acute or chronic pelvic pain such as vestibulitis, vulvodynia, and pudendal neuralgia. There is also evidence that pelvic floor physical therapy can be beneficial for those suffering from infertility.
What is pelvic floor physical therapy?
Pelvic floor physical therapy focuses on a group of muscles that live in the base of the pelvis (the pelvic floor) expanding from the public bone in the front, back to the coccyx and sacrum (tailbone), and side to side between the ischial tuberosities (sit bones). This muscle group contains multiple sphincter muscles and are very important for bowel, bladder, and sexual functions.
Pelvic floor physical therapy is just like other physical therapy, just for ‘taboo’ anatomy. During physical therapy, we check the pelvic floor muscles and all the joints they directly affect but also address other muscles and joints that may be dysfunctional because of or in addition to the pelvic floor. For example, a pelvic health physical therapist also looks at your back, tail bone, hips, abdomen, lifting mechanics, breathing mechanics, general nutrition, hydration, stress and stress management, and many other areas because all of this plays into the health of the pelvic floor muscles and how they function. One big reason pelvic floor physical therapy is different from other physical therapy is because these muscles are located and oriented in a way that, often, the best approach to treatment is done internally. That means we assess the pelvic floor muscles internally through the vagina or the rectum. Treatment is dependent on your comfort level and we can modify the plan to fit whatever you’re comfortable with.
Who can be affected?
Anyone can be affected by pelvic floor dysfunction! For men: 9% – 40% have reported pelvic floor dysfunction and in women: 25% – 50% have pelvic floor dysfunctions. The incidence for all genders gradually increases with age, so the older we get, the more common it is. Additionally, many people suffer from pelvic floor dysfunctions for many years before seeking treatment.
For more information, such as what does the pelvic floor ‘do’ and what to expect at a pelvic floor evaluation with Set Physical therapy, check out our other blogs.
