Women's Health

Do you feel alone, even ashamed because you are suffering with pelvic or vaginal pain, incontinence or other pelvic issues? Pain and/or incontinence are NEVER normal and help is available.

Incontinence: Incontinence is NOT normal and is NOT another part of the aging process! Urinary or fecal incontinence, whether it be stress, urge, mixed or functional, can be caused by pelvic floor muscle weakness, decreased support, over-active muscles, joint or muscle dysfunction, decreased mobility, confusion, dementia, or environmental barriers. Treatment might include diet modification and nutrition education, behavior change education, muscle re-education, manual techniques to improve joint function and mobility, pelvic floor muscle strengthening, and modalities such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation. Physical therapy has many benefits and can address the following symptons: trouble leaking urine/feces during normal daily activities, leakage with cough, sneeze or laugh, difficulty starting, stopping or maintaining urine flow or feces, difficulty holding urine, and frequent urination.

Pelvic Pain: As physical therapists, we are trained to evaluate and treat muscle tightness, weakness or imbalance, joint dysfunction and nerve en¬trapment. These abnormalities can be potential signs/symptoms/causes of pelvic dysfunction and/or pain. Physical therapists are trained to develop individualized treatment plans that include hands on tech¬niques to address these issues, as well as develop exercises to improve muscle strength and recruitment. Additional treatments may include core stabilization and strengthening, neuromuscular retraining or focusing on muscles that have difficulty coordinating with functional movement. Physical therapy may be beneficial if: you have lower abdominal pain, pubic bone pain, pain during intercourse, pain while urinating or having a bowel movement, or pain radiating down your leg/groin or buttocks.

Pre/Post-Natal Period: During the prenatal period, the musculoskeletal system is preparing for labor and delivery, hormones fluctuate, and pos¬ture changes due to the growing fetus and musculoskeletal changes. Some of these changes have the potential to cause pain and dysfunction. During the post-natal time period, the body is ad¬justing back to what it thinks is normal and hormones continue to adjust. These changes may cause joint hypermobility (too much motion), muscle weakness, decreased stabiliza¬tion, and decreased spinal mobility and symmetry. Physical therapists can provide hands-on treatment to address spinal/pelvic dysfunction. They develop exercise programs to address muscle weakness, imbalance, and educate our patients on proper biomechanics and handling of infants to protect joints and improve function while decreasing pain. Physical therapy may be beneficial if you experience: back, sacral, hip, pelvic, rib, neck or upper back pain, headaches, sciatica, weak and/or tight muscles.