Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy

Just like any other muscle and connective tissue in our body, the pelvic floor can get stressed, over-strained or injured; potentially resulting in an imbalance, weakness and/or tightness.

What is the pelvic floor? The pelvic floor is the group of muscles, ligaments, and fascia connected to our pelvic bones that make up the base of our abdomen. They serve a special function of supporting our genitals and the organs found inside our pelvic cavity - the bladder and bowel, as well as the uterus for women.

An imbalance can cause you to have problems with your pelvic functions, which may manifest as:

• Leakage with strenuous activities such as running, lifting, jumping or even coughing

• Difficulty or inability to control or hold urine

• “Tiny bladder” complaints or increased frequency of urination, sometimes causing multiple interruptions during sleep

• Straining or difficulty with urination or bowel movement

• Feeling unable to completely empty bladder or bowel contents

• Pain on the tailbone, or unresolved [by other treatment and exercise] low back pain

• Feeling constant pressure on the vaginal opening or feeling that something is coming out

• Difficulty with sexual stimulation or pain during intercourse

• Pregnancy-related pain, discomfort, and bowel and bladder complaints

Symptoms may be isolated or may be felt in combination with other complaints, and anybody - regardless of gender, age and level of activity - could be experiencing some form of pelvic floor problem.

As with “regular” physiotherapy, pelvic floor physiotherapy involves careful assessment to identify the causes of a patient’s symptoms. This is accomplished through a safe and gentle internal examination alongside an overall physical assessment.

All examinations and treatments are done

within the limits of comfort of the individual patient.

Once the imbalance or dysfunction is identified, we work closely with the patient in performing safe and gentle internal soft tissue release, stretching, strengthening exercises, electrical stimulation and joint mobilization.

Talk to us if you feel that you have pelvic floor problems and would benefit from pelvic floor physiotherapy. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you may have. No matter what your complaints may be, we’ll make sure you’ll feel comfortable in therapy.

Women's Pelvic Health

Pre-natal

• Not making it to the bathroom in time or leaking urine with tasks such as lifting, or when you cough or sneeze

• Having to strain when you pee, or overstrain with bowel movement

• Pain in the back, pelvic area, buttocks, or legs

• Difficulties with movement such as changing positions in bed, getting in/out of a car, rising up from a couch

• Painful sex

• Feeling a separation or bulge in the middle of your belly (disatasis recti)

Postpartum

• Not making it to the bathroom in time or leaking urine with tasks such as lifting, or when you cough or sneeze

• Having to strain when you pee, or overstrain with bowel movement

• Pain in the back, pelvic area, buttocks, or legs

• Scarring and tightness from a c-section, healing tears, or episiotomy

• Painful sex

• Feeling bulging or excessive pressure at the opening of your vagina or rectum (prolapse)

• Weakness of the abdominals, or a visible bulge or gap in the belly during exercise (diastasis recti