Roughly one in three women will experience a pelvic floor disorder at some point in their lifetime. Pelvic floor health has only recently become a talking point, with many people never even realizing their pelvic floor pain isn’t the norm. Over the years, people have just learned to live with the pain, but pelvic floor physiotherapy has emerged to help fix this issue.
So, keep reading to find out more about pelvic floor physiotherapy in the Brampton area.
What is the Pelvic Floor?
Your pelvic floor is simply, as the name states, a group of muscles found at the base of your pelvis. Your pelvic floor muscles are the foundation that protects your pelvic organs.
Pelvic organs can include your:
- Bladder
- Uterus
- Vagina
- Prostate
- Rectum
During the day, your body naturally tightens and relaxes your pelvic floor muscles. This helps you execute needed functions like going to the bathroom. These muscles are also what prevent incontinence of the bladder or bowel.
If your pelvic floor muscles aren’t performing as intended, you can encounter various problems like pelvic floor dysfunction.
It’s Not All About the Kegels
Kegels have been used since 1948 to strengthen the pelvic floor. But they only became popular in mainstream media in die 2010s along with jade eggs.
Keeping your pelvic floor muscles strong is important to fight off incontinence, prolapse, urinary urgency, and frequency. If your pelvic floor muscles are weak, then Kegels are a great exercise to help strengthen your pelvic floor.
Unfortunately, Kegels aren’t always the answer. Like any muscle, your pelvic floor muscles can become tight, leading to pain and weakness. This can also cause pain during or after sexual intercourse.
You need to ensure your pelvic floor muscles stay strong without becoming tight. It can be difficult to differentiate weakness and tightness when it comes to the pelvic floor, so pelvic floor physiotherapy might be the way to go. A pelvic floor physiotherapist will be able to assess whether your muscles need to be relaxed or strengthened.
The Pelvic Floor Forms Part of Your Core
When you think of your core, you might just be picturing your abdominal muscles, but it’s much more than that. Your core refers to the entire section between your diaphragm and pelvic floor. As such, your pelvic floor muscles form part of your core muscles.
Your core muscles all need to work together to support your abdomen, so all parts of your core need to be strong and healthy. Pelvic floor physiotherapy will not only look at the muscles in your pelvic floor but at your core as a whole.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Is for Everyone
While there are some groups that are more likely to encounter pelvic floor problems, anyone can experience them. Anyone and everyone can experience these symptoms; some groups just have a higher chance of getting them.
Most commonly, pelvic floor physiotherapy is considered when people are in the prenatal and postpartum phases of giving birth. Pregnancy is one of the most common times people experience pelvic floor concerns. A person’s body changes a lot during pregnancy and labor, and it also happens in a fairly short period of time.
When pregnant, people might experience pain in their lower back and pelvis region. This can be paired with issues like incontinence and pain with sexual intercourse. All these issues can be improved by going to a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
Post-menopause is another phase where people tend to start experiencing pelvic floor issues. During menopause, estrogen levels decrease significantly, and estrogen is extremely important to ensure optimal function of the pelvic floor.
Pelvic pain associated with surgery is another common occurrence. This can be due to the surgery itself or due to prolonged catheterization. In this instance, pelvic floor physiotherapy is used to reduce pain and improve mobilization.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy can also assist if you experience chronic prostatitis or post-prostatectomy. A pelvic floor physiotherapist will be able to instruct the patient on exercises to help reduce pain and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
What to Expect During Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Sessions
In your initial session, your physiotherapist will take a detailed medical history and discuss any issues and concerns you might have. After this, the therapist can conduct an external exam. During the external exam, your posture, flexibility, and strength will be tested, specifically around your low back, hips, and pelvis.
Once the external exam is complete, your therapist might conduct an internal exam to thoroughly assess your pelvic floor muscles. This will be done vaginally with women and rectally with men. The internal exam usually isn’t a requirement, but it can greatly help your therapist assess your situation correctly.
Your therapist will then create a treatment plan based on your needs and symptoms.
In your follow-up sessions, your therapist will focus on treating your symptoms and helping you with exercises. It is also possible that your therapist will discuss lifestyle modifications and relaxation techniques to help your recovery.
Consider Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy in Brampton
If you’ve been dealing with pelvic floor pain, it might be time to consider going for pelvic floor physiotherapy in the Brampton area. There is no need to continue living with this pain, and if left untreated, the issue can become much worse. So don’t waste any more time; seek help today!
If you’re looking for a physiotherapist in the Brampton area, feel free to contact us today! At Reform Pelvic Health Physiotherapy & Rehab Clinic, we are passionate about quality care, and we are committed to delivering evidence-based physiotherapy services.