Pelvic Floor Therapy

Pelvic Floor Therapy


Pelvic floor therapy is recommended for conditions where the
pelvic floor and core system is not functioning optimally. Pelvic
Floor Dysfunction and its related conditions can be caused by
many different things. These can include:


Infections

Pregnancy or childbirth

Poor posture

Trauma

Chronic back pain

Surgery



However, PFD can also seem to have no cause and present itself
with a host of painful symptoms. In some women, the cause of PFD
can be a result of postpartum diastasis recti. The pelvic floor
is made up of muscles and other tissues which form a sling from
the pubic symphysis to the tailbone. Many cases of PFD stem from
a lack of sufficient support from the pelvic floor. These pelvic
floor muscles assist in maintaining correct posture, abdominal
and pelvic organ support, and aid in bladder and bowel control as
well as sexual activity. If these muscles become overactive or
overused (hypertonic), the results can be quite painful and
function can decrease significantly. Less often, the pelvic floor
muscles are hypotonic–lacking sufficient resting tension to
perform their jobs. Yet, due to the complexity of the anatomy and
functions of the pelvic region, the underlying cause of pain can
be difficult to determine. In this case, the whole body must be
treated and physical therapy including pelvic floor exercise can
greatly aid in men and women in their healing process and
recovery.


Why do I need pelvic floor therapy?


(POP) or pelvic organ prolapse is a type of pelvic floor
dysfunction in which one or more pelvic floor organs (i.e.
bladder, rectum, small bowel, uterus, etc) shift toward or down
into the vaginal canal. This most commonly happens
with conditions like diastasis recti, which create an
imbalance of muscle and ligament tension supporting the pelvic
floor; many people who have POP also have a DRA. Women who
experience a pelvic organ prolapse sometimes describe the
occurrence as feeling like a “stuck tampon,” a heavy pelvic
floor, or as bubbles in the urethra. Some other symptoms present
may include:


constipation

pelvic pain during sex

urinary/fecal incontinence



Most fitness gurus try to educate their clients with core
exercise routines that engage the pelvic floor and the core
together. They believe that if you engage your core in any
activity, you should also engage your pelvic floor. However, I
believe there is a lot wrong with this routine and practice.


As a trained and educated professional, I never, ever attempt to
teach pelvic floor muscles to engage in exercise. Rather, it is
important to train the pelvic floor to lift and release
appropriately depending on the exercise and the weight. This is
what I teach in my 13-week program, Restore Your Core.