Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

Pelvic floor health is complex - pelvic floor rehabilitation aims to treat pain or any other symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction. Pelvic floor muscles play a key role in controlling continence, assisting core stability, supporting pelvic organs and the facilitation of sexual function. Most women are familiar with pelvic floor exercises (sometimes called Kegel exercises) but many women are unsure whether they are doing them correctly. They may not be aware of the importance of exercising these muscles throughout their full length and range – the ability to fully relax is as important as being able to tighten these muscles.  Pelvic floor and diaphragmatic co-ordination, learning how to breathe properly, is vital for pelvic and nervous system health.

A women’s health physiotherapy assessment involves taking a full history of symptoms and completing a comprehensive physical examination. This includes an internal examination to fully assess the strength, tone, endurance, flexibility and co-ordination of pelvic floor muscles. These muscles may be weak, which can result in symptoms of urinary/ bowel incontinence or prolapse. Sometimes these muscles have too much tension, which can cause pelvic pain, bladder urgency and frequency, difficulty emptying bowels or sexual pain and dysfunction.

Treatment plans are tailored to each woman’s individual expectations and goals. Manual therapy, external and internal myofascial release, scar tissue remediation, strategies to help nervous system regulation, breathwork education, lifestyle modification and a home exercise programme designed to optimise pelvic floor recovery are some of the modalities used within a treatment programme. Ultimately, the focus of treatment is to support women in reconnecting with their pelvic bowls, to facilitate self-management of any symptoms and to promote restoration of health, function and balance in the pelvic area.

Conditions treated:

• Stress urinary incontinence (leaking with coughing, sneezing, exercise)

• Urge urinary incontinence (not reaching the toilet in time)

• Bladder irritability (increased urgency and/or increased frequency)

• Bowel urgency or incontinence

• Constipation/dysfunctional defaecation

• Pelvic organ prolapse

• Post-natal pelvic floor and abdominal rehabilitation

• Sexual pain/dysfunction/reduced libido, arousal or sensation

• Persistent pelvic, perineal or vulval pain

• Coccyx pain