5 Signs You Need Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Danielle Ivie, DPT, CSCS | Founder of Powered by Movement Physical Therapy
What is pelvic floor physical therapy? Great question!
Pelvic floor physical therapy is exactly what it sounds like – rehab focused on the group of muscles that is your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is a set of muscles at the base of the pelvis. They run from the pubic bone to the coccyx (tailbone). The pelvic floor muscles function to provide support for the pelvic organs (bladder, intestines, rectum, and uterus), to maintain intra-abdominal pressure, to support the trunk and pelvis, and to maintain urinary and fecal continence.
Just like any other muscle, your pelvic floor plays a huge role in all of your daily movement. You can see above that the functions it is responsible for are pretty important. So the big question is, how do you know if you’d benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy?
Here are 5 signs you need to consult a pelvic floor physical therapist:
1. Leaking (of anything): Leaking of anything – urine, gas, fecal matter – is not normal. Although it may be “common”, it often signals a pelvic floor issue and can be treated with physical therapy!
2. Pelvic discomfort or pain: Any pain surrounding your pelvic, sacroiliac joint (SIJ), low back, hips or pubic symphysis can signal that you need pelvic floor physical therapy. Your trunk muscles are intimately connected to the pelvic floor muscles and function together through a lot of movements – everything is connected!
3. Painful intercourse: Being intimate should be enjoyable for all parties involved and nothing to worry about. If you are having pain with sex or intimacy, pelvic floor physical therapy can help!
4. Pressure in perineum or vagina: Feelings of heaviness or like something is going to “fall out” of your perineum or vagina with any activity definitely warrants a consult with a pelvic floor physical therapist.
5. Movement or exercise concerns in prenatal and postpartum periods: From the journey of trying to conceive, to pregnancy, to postpartum, your body and pelvic floor go through so many changes! These changes are necessary and welcomed so we can bring wonderful babies into the world, but can cause some discomfort or uncertainties surrounding movement and what to do with your body and pelvic floor during this life phase. Pelvic floor physical therapy is a fabulous tool to help you navigate this journey so you can safely and confidently keep moving through pregnancy and postpartum.
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, you are a good candidate for pelvic floor physical therapy. On your first visit, we will get to the root cause of the symptoms you are experiencing, develop a custom plan and make sure you feel confident about your program.
At PXM, we help active people in St. Louis recover from injury, optimize movement, and stay out of pain for the long term while reaching their health & fitness goals. With our unique approach to physical therapy, our top priority is to provide you with holistic, fitness forward healthcare that emphasizes your goals.
We get you back to thriving in the activities you love with our 3 step process:
POWER UP: Diagnose and understand the root cause of your problem.
POWER BOOST: Create a custom plan for you to restore function & get back to what you love.
POWER PEAK: Optimize performance to keep pain away for good & get stronger than ever.
Not sure if PXM is right for you? Have more questions? Schedule a Free Consultation today.
Dr. Danielle Ivie, DPT, CSCS
Powered by Movement, LLC
567 Hanley Industrial Ct., Brentwood, MO 63144
314-252-0504 | www.poweredxmovement.com