26 Mar Pelvic Wellness: Improving Health Through Physical Therapy

Pelvic health is an underappreciated component of overall health. Many people suspect that only doctors can help with pelvic issues such as incontinence, painful intercourse or constipation. Physical therapy Gilbert AZ for the pelvis can address many of these issues and provide relief in tandem with medical therapies. Pelvic floor physical therapy is very common and can drastically improve patients’ quality of life.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

Internal organs such as the bladder, colon and uterus rely on muscular structures to stay in place and stay functional. These structures are the muscles of the pelvic floor. Think of the pelvic floor as a complicated net of muscles that hold, support and help move all of the internal organs of the pelvis.

In many people, these muscles are weak and underdeveloped. Weak pelvic floor muscles are often tight and inflexible as well, causing pain and difficulty in everyday life.

Women often see pelvic floor physical therapists to heal torn or injured muscles after childbirth or to relax overly tight muscles and reduce pain. Men can benefit from pelvic floor therapy for greater control over bladder and bowel functions and improved blood flow to the pelvis.

Restoring Balance: Guiding You Back to Health and Normalcy

Each person’s pelvic floor issues are unique, so Tobler physical therapy begins with a careful examination of your symptoms. Physical therapists will feel the muscles of your pelvic floor to determine which are tight and which are causing pain or discomfort. Then, they may use dry needling acupuncture or massage techniques to address these issues.

Mysterious pain symptoms may have roots in the pelvic floor. For example, muscles that are tight on one side and normal on another side can cause pain in the hip. Loosening those muscles can restore balance and relieve pain.

Sometimes, pelvic pain is referred to the lower back or sciatic nerve, meaning that those nerves register the pain instead of the damaged pelvic structures. Traditional lower back pain relief therapies won’t work on referred pain because the lower back is not the affected area.

How To Maintain Pelvic Bodily Functions

Urinary and bowel problems can severely impact a person’s quality of life. Physical therapists strengthen the muscles surrounding these organs so that patients have more freedom and control over their pelvic functions. Therapy can not only help with incontinence but actually reduce frequent urges to urinate.

The most well-known pelvic floor exercises are Kegels, which can be done daily at home. This is a simple exercise where you locate your pelvic floor muscles to flex and relax them consciously. Many people locate these muscles with the cue to flex as if they were stopping urine mid-stream. Despite being associated with women’s health, men can perform Kegels as well. A physical therapist can help if you can’t locate these muscles or use them without flexing the core or glute muscles as well.

Guiding You Back to Health and Normalcy

Arrowhead physical therapy for pelvic wellness doesn’t have to be intimidating or embarrassing. A professional can help pinpoint weaknesses in your pelvic floor and strengthen them for improved quality of life.

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Last Updated on March 26, 2024 by Marie Benz MD FAAD