Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Expert pelvic floor physical therapy

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy for women with pelvic floor disorders. If you experience incontinence, bladder or bowel issues, pelvic pain, and other uncomfortable pelvic symptoms, the experienced pelvic floor therapists at Reid Health’s rehab location in Richmond, Indiana can offer sensitive, nonsurgical care.  

What are pelvic floor disorders?

Your pelvic floor is made of muscles and ligaments that support and hold your pelvic organs in place. Your pelvic organs include your bladder, urethra, intestines, rectum, uterus, cervix, and vagina. When your pelvic floor becomes weak, your organs might slip out of place (prolapse), or you can develop urine leaks and other bladder or bowel conditions. Collectively, these conditions are called pelvic floor disorders.

Pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause can all cause your pelvic floor muscles to become weak and contribute to pelvic floor disorders. Other factors include:

• Age
• Being overweight or obese
• Chronic cough  
• Genetics
• Repeatedly lifting heavy objects
• Pelvic surgery, such as hysterectomy  
• Problems with bowel movements, such as chronic constipation and straining
• Smoking or tobacco use  

Pelvic floor disorders are extremely common, but they’re are not a normal part of aging. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed to seek help. Pelvic floor physical therapy offers an accessible, nonsurgical treatment for many of these conditions.

What is pelvic floor physical therapy?

Pelvic floor physical therapy focuses on strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. A strong pelvic floor might provide relief from pelvic floor disorders, prevent them from worsening over time, and improve your quality of life.

During pelvic floor physical therapy, a therapist will evaluate your pelvic floor muscle strength and develop exercises to improve their function. This therapy is always private and one-on-one to ensure you receive individualized attention and treatment tailored to your needs.

Pelvic floor physical therapy treatments

Depending on your diagnosis, symptoms, and goals for treatment, your pelvic floor PT might use one or more of the following methods:  

• Bladder training: Bladder training takes a behavioral approach to help you go to the bathroom at proper intervals. If you go too frequently or when your bladder isn’t full, your bladder sends signals to your brain that you need to go before it’s necessary. Bladder training teaches you to wait longer between bathroom breaks.
• Manual therapy: This method uses hands-on massage to improve mobility and circulation.
• Exercises: Pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegels, involve the relaxation and contraction of the pelvic floor muscles to strengthen the bladder and bowel. Your PT can teach you the proper way to perform Kegels.  
• Biofeedback: Biofeedback of the pelvic floor gives you and your PT more information about how well your pelvic muscles function. During a biofeedback session, the PT inserts a probe into the vagina (for women) while touching pelvic floor muscles. The probe sends images to a computer screen.
• Electricity: Electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor uses low-voltage electrical currents to stimulate muscle contractions.
• Vaginal dilators: Vaginal dilators are tube-shaped devices used to relax pelvic muscles if you’re undergoing vaginal rehabilitation.  
• Weight training: Vaginal weight training is a form of biofeedback in which weights are placed in the vagina for a specified time period. As you focus muscle strength on keeping the weights in place, your pelvic floor muscles get stronger.