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Did you know that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men suffer from urinary incontinence? According to the Canadian Continence Foundation, 1.5 million Canadians are incontinent without discussing their problems with their health care providers. Maybe it is out of embarrassment, thinking it is a normal part of life, or not knowing that their issues have a solution. That is why at PhysioNow, we feel that it is very important to spread awareness and education about Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. In fact, many sensitive conditions for both men and women can be treated by Advanced Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. Other conditions include bowel dysfunction, pain during intercourse, pelvic pain, pregnancy and postpartum issues and more! So we urge you to speak up, your health professionals are here for you, no matter the issue.
One of the biggest myths still in circulation is that incontinence is a normal part of aging and pregnancy and that there is nothing one can do. While incontinence is common during these times, that does not mean it is normal or inevitable. This is exactly when pelvic floor physiotherapy can come into play to help manage and even alleviate incontinence. Of course, this is why awareness is so important, because without knowing it can be solved, people won’t even know to look for help!
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction can be caused by:
Another common belief we encounter is that kegels solve everything. Kegels are NOT always indicated for pelvic floor problems. There is a big difference in treatment for individuals depending on their root cause, whether their muscles are hypotonic or hypertonic. Sometimes, kegels will do more harm than good, and often they are not being performed correctly when self-taught.
The Cochrane Collaboration 2010 concluded that Physiotherapists with specialized training in advanced pelvic floor rehabilitation (using internal examination to teach the exercises) should be the first line of defence. A full round of Physiotherapy should be completed before surgical consultation, for stress, urge and mixed incontinence.
Pelvic health physiotherapy is just as important for males as for females. Conditions treated fall across general categories, including urinary, prostate, pelvic pain, bowel and colon, and sexual function. Below is a list of some, but not all, conditions that are treatable through pelvic health physiotherapy:
Conditions treatable for women fall within categories such as urinary, bowel, pelvic prolapse, pelvic pain, pregnancy or postpartum and sexual health. Some specific conditions include:
Like any other physiotherapy examination, it will begin with a subjective history of your issue, symptoms, medical history, and other relevant factors. Next, your physiotherapist will want to conduct an external and internal assessment. The biggest difference to note in a specialized pelvic physiotherapy assessment is the potential use of these internal techniques and examinations. The pelvic floor is a deep internal structure after all, and the only way to comprehensively assess is through an internal examination.
The external physical assessment will look like a stereotypical physiotherapy assessment, looking at patterns in the way you move, posture, overall mobility and more. The internal examination is specifically geared towards the pelvic floor muscles. They will assess your pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance, coordination, muscle tone, and more.
Finally, your therapist will discuss the findings with you and the contributing factors to your issues. Then, they will work with you to plan a treatment program to best suit your needs. This may include internal and external treatments in the clinic, home exercises, lifestyle modifications and more.
Pelvic Health Physiotherapists are Registered Physiotherapists who have specialized in the treatment of pelvic health concerns. Like Physiotherapists in other settings, our goal is to assist our patients in resuming their normal activities as quickly as possible. Exercises for the pelvic floor, prescribed by a Physiotherapist with training in this area, have numerous benefits. These include maintaining continence, helping the bladder to hold on after getting the urge to urinate, and increased satisfaction in sexual relationships.
A Physiotherapist will design an exercise program for the specific problem, involving muscle re-education, bladder retraining and strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles. If the muscles are very weak, a physiotherapist may use electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles. They can teach strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles, which can help to reverse the problem. Your Physiotherapist may also make recommendations for lifestyle changes that will help the bladder be less irritable, such as:
If you or someone you know would like more information about having an advanced pelvic health Physiotherapy Assessment, please contact PhysioNow today! We have trained Registered Physiotherapists ready to help you today! You don’t need to suffer in silence. We can help! Get back your life!
Pelvic floor rehab is teh internal and external assessment of pelvic floor muscles that supports our lower back and pelvic organs (bladder, uterus/prostate and rectum) in order to assess the tension and strength of these muscles causing various pelvic floor dyfunction.
Increase in the pelvic floor muscle tone is called as hypertonic pelvic floor.
Based on the assessment findings the physiotherapist will put together a treatment plan.There are different types of exercises depending on the condition causing muscle weakness. Kegels are one of the best known example.
Both external exam and internal exam of your pelvic floor (vaginally and rectally) wil be done depending on the history and symptoms presented.
Your posture, muscles of your hip, low back and abdominal will be assessed for contributing factors such as weakness or tightness. Imbalances and dysfunction of the muscles and soft tissues can also led to pelvic floor dysfunction.
PhysioNow now has 10 different locations across the GTA.
We are located in Applewood, Erin Mills, Lorne Park, Hurontario-Eglinton, Maple Grove, Etobicoke South, Burlington, Creditview-Bristol, Clarkson Village and Oakville North.
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