What is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?

Do you struggle with incontinence, lower back pain, constipation, or discomfort during daily activities? The answer could lie in your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that have multiple functions including sphincteric, support, and sexual function. Pelvic floor physical therapy assists in improving pelvic floor function, strength, coordination, and pain, and enhances quality of life. Pelvic floor PT is not just for postpartum women. It benefits women of all ages, men, and children for various conditions. 

What Is the Pelvic Floor and Why Is It Important?

The pelvic floor is a component of the deep core and the pelvic floor muscles are broken into two layers: the superficial layer and the deep layer. They have 3 main functions including support, sexual function, and sphincteric. The pelvic floor muscles support our internal organs like the bladder, uterus, and rectum. They also assist in sexual function, including our ability to orgasm. The sphincteric function is what allows us to have control over our bowel and bladder. When these muscles are weak, overactive, or lack coordination people can experience symptoms such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, and other dysfunctions. 

What to Expect from Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Pelvic floor physical therapy can be done by a trained Doctor of Physical Therapy, like our clinicians at Onward Physical Therapy. Many doctors of physical therapy will complete additional education in order to specialize in treating the pelvic floor muscles. When doing pelvic floor physical therapy, a physical therapist will complete a full evaluation of the pelvic floor muscles and surrounding body regions. Many clinicians are also licensed to complete an internal pelvic floor examination. Based on the evaluation findings, the physical therapist will use evidence-based treatment tailored to the specific individual and their goals. Treatment of the pelvic floor muscles can be done through a variety of techniques. Manual therapy can be done internally or externally to reduce pain. Education is key in pelvic floor physical therapy so that the patient can understand how their body functions. There are also a variety of exercises for the pelvic floor muscles. Kegels are the most well-known pelvic floor strengthening exercises, but that is not the only exercise that can be performed. Many individuals also benefit from learning how to let their pelvic floor muscles relax. 

Who Can Benefit from Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?

There are many benefits of pelvic floor physical therapy! It is not only for women who are pregnant or recently post-partum, but can be beneficial for high-impact athletes, men, older adults, and children. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help address pain, improve bowel and bladder control, improve sexual health, and improve quality of life. 

Many people are hesitant to try pelvic floor physical therapy because they don’t know what to expect in a session. The good news is that the patient is always in control during a pelvic floor evaluation. During the initial appointment, the doctor of physical therapy should get a detailed subjective report from the patient about their symptoms and history. Based on the patient’s subjective history, the physical therapist will be able to provide the patient with options for assessment based on patient comfort. Strength, range of motion, and coordination are some examples of what will be assessed during the exam. The frequency of visits will depend on the patient’s symptoms and goals of treatment. Together, the DPT and the client will come up with a plan to ensure the patient will see progress towards their goals. 

Common Myths About Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

There are many myths regarding pelvic floor physical therapy. The first is that many people think that pelvic floor physical therapy is only for women. However, men and children can also benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy! The second is that people believe the treatments are uncomfortable. In reality, the treatments are focused on helping patients feel better. If something is uncomfortable for the patient, the clinician will focus on adjusting the treatment to provide the patient with the best experience possible. The final myth is that performing Kegels at home is just as effective. Although Kegels are important in pelvic floor health, completing them without a proper diagnosis can sometimes worsen some conditions. 

How to Know If You Should See a Pelvic Floor Specialist

How do you know if you need to see a pelvic floor specialist? There are many signs and symptoms to look out for! If you experience any leaking of urine during exercise, coughing, laughing, or sneezing a pelvic floor PT can help. Pelvic floor PTs can also help with chronic pelvic pain, discomfort during intercourse, or constipation. Pelvic floor PTs are also trained to help women to rebuild their strength and pelvic floor coordination following pregnancy. If you experience any of the symptoms above or believe your symptoms may be related to the pelvic floor, then consult a physical therapist so they can help you! 

Finding the Right Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist

When looking for a pelvic floor physical therapist to work with there are a few things you want to look for. You want to make sure that you are scheduling an appointment with a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in pelvic health. These providers will have taken additional coursework focused on evaluating and treating different pelvic floor disorders. At Onward Physical Therapy, we focus on treating the root cause of your symptoms, providing you with individualized programs to help you achieve your goals, and placing you with the physical therapist who is best suited to treat your symptoms.