What Is Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy?
It is the assessment and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction through a vaginal and/or rectal examination. An internal exam is performed to determine the status of the muscles, their ability to contract or relax, whether they are tight or weak, what the status of the connective tissue is and if there are any trigger points present in the muscles.
The assessment also includes an examination of external muscles such as the abdominals, diaphragm, hip muscles, lower back muscles, gluteus muscles and hamstrings. Additionally we assess the status of the connective tissue from the diaphragm to the knee and from the lower back to the back of the knee.
The assessment may also include an examination of posture, the lower back, the sacroiliac joint, and the hip joint.
It is important to note that those clients suffering from a pain syndrome may not have an internal exam the first visit. The physiotherapist will assess your readiness for such an exam on the first visit and will devise an appropriate treatment plan to help you reach your goals.
Kegels are NOT for everyone. In some cases it can actually make your problem worse.
Pelvic Floor dysfunction can arise from:
Tight pelvic muscles: which can contribute to urinary frequency, fecal incontinence and chronic pelvic pain syndromes.
Weak pelvic muscles: which can contribute to stress and urge incontinence, as well as pelvic organ prolapse in women.
The pelvic floor serves 5 functions:
1. Stability of the pelvis
2. Sphinctering: closing off the urethra and anal canal
3. Support: holds various organs in place
4. Sexual: muscles play an important role in arousal and orgasm
5. Sump Pump: helps move circulation and lymphatic fluid from the pelvis
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy is for both women and men.
Conditions Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can treat:
Here is a list of some of the medical diagnoses you may have been given by your doctor. Some diagnoses go by different names or may not be listed here, but that is not to say pelvic floor physiotherapy cannot help, please e-mail us if you have been given a diagnosis that is not listed here to see if we can help. Please click the section on conditions to see more details about the diagnoses listed below.
Stress Urinary Incontinence
Urge/Urgency/Frequency urinary incontinence
Mixed urinary incontinence
Fecal urgency/urge incontinence
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Coccydynia
Chronic Constipation
Vaginismus
Dyspareunia
Dysmenorrhea
Endometriosis
Vulvodynia
Vestibulodynia
Clitorodynia
Chronic Non-Bacterial Prostatitis
Pre-Post Prostatectomy
Lichens Planus
Lichens Sclerosis
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder
Interstitial Cystitis or Painful Bladder Syndrome
Anal Fissures
Chronic Low Back Pain
Chronic Hip Pain
Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome