Struggling With Pain That Won’t Go Away?
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How Physical Therapy Helps Pelvic Health
Are you living with symptoms you find difficult to talk about? Perhaps you’re struggling with incontinence, sexual dysfunction, or endometriosis. Maybe you’ve developed a pelvic organ prolapse.
While these conditions can sound scary, they’re very treatable. Unfortunately, they often stem from issues related to pelvic health, and many people will live with pain and discomfort due to uncomfortable sharing their concerns.
At Vibrant Health Solutions/TherapyWorks, we want to change that. Our physical therapists frequently help people manage their pelvic health, offering private rooms and a judgment-free zone where you can share your symptoms and get the treatment you need.
Today, we want to explore pelvic health: what it is, how it can impact your life, and how our physical therapy services can help improve it.
Still have questions? Our friendly staff is happy to answer them. We’re just a phone call away!
What Do We Mean by Pelvic Health?
Your pelvic floor is a sling of muscles at the base of your core. It acts as a “hammock” for your pelvic organs, including your bladder, bowels, prostate (in men), and sexual organs (in women). When the pelvic floor is healthy, it supports those organs and helps them function properly. But when it becomes impaired–such as being weak or overly restricted–you can experience several different symptoms.
Anyone can experience issues with their pelvic floor, although the exact concerns can vary somewhat with gender. Here are some of the common complaints we help treat:
Urinary Incontinence
- Anyone can develop urinary incontinence, although it is more common in women. this can include stress incontinence (leaking when laughing or coughing), urge incontinence (having an overwhelming need to go), or a combination. Even if you have tried kegels without success, our team has treatment solutions that go beyond just kegels and tap into the root cause of your condition so we can more fully handle your symptoms and get you feeling better faster.
Pelvic Pain
- Pelvic pain can have a variety of causes, from nerve issues to gynecological conditions like endometriosis. We’ll help determine the cause and find the right treatment option for your needs.
Sexual Dysfunction
- For women, sexual dysfunction can include painful intercourse or difficulty with orgasm. For men, it can include erectile dysfunction or painful ejaculation. But either way, pelvic floor impairment is often the culprit.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- This occurs when the pelvic organs slip out of place. It can affect both men and women and develops due to weakened pelvic floor muscles.
Pregnancy/Postpartum Discomfort
- The changes that occur in your body during pregnancy can lead to pelvic and lower back pain, urinary incontinence, and other musculoskeletal concerns.
What Treatment Options Do We Offer?
Treatment for pelvic health concerns varies depending on the cause. That’s why our team will spend your first session taking your health history, reviewing your symptoms, and running several screens so we can provide you with the interventions you need.
Here are some of the common treatment options we use to improve pelvic health:
Pelvic Floor Exercises
- We’ll show you tailored exercises designed to stretch and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles–and ensure you’re performing them correctly. This goes well beyond the typical kegel exercises that many patients have tried without relief.
Biofeedback
- Biofeedback uses technology to help you “see” what’s going on inside your body. this is especially true for the pelvic floor, an internal muscle that can be harder to control. It is a simple process using external patches to perceive the muscle contraction and is performed while you remain fully dressed.
Manual Therapy
- Certain hands-on pain relieving techniques, such as myofascial and trigger point release, can help ease muscle tension that can contribute to pelvic pain and dysfunction. Many of these tissues with tension are external and can be addressed while you are fully clothed.
Electrical Stimulation
- Electrical stimulation (sometimes called TENs) uses a mild electric pulse to improve pelvic muscle function and reduce pain.
Bladder Training
- If you’re dealing with urinary incontinence (especially urge incontinence), bladder training can help you go longer between bathroom breaks.
Lifestyle Modifications
- We’ll help you find lasting relief by addressing other factors that might contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction, such as regular exercise, nutrition, and more.
Ready to Get Started?
At Vibrant Health Solutions/TherapyWorks, we understand how challenging it can be to live with pelvic floor dysfunction. Worse, many people will suffer for years due to the shame surrounding common symptoms related to poor pelvic floor health.
We want you to know there’s nothing to be ashamed of–and our physical therapists have heard it all! Take control of your health and well-being, starting with your pelvic health. Our clinic offers pelvic health services. Call today to make your appointment!
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8182461/, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40141-020-00273-5
What Sort of Exercises Help the Pelvic Floor?
Your pelvic floor is a muscle like any other, which means exercise will help keep it in top shape! However, you may be wondering what exercises are most beneficial.
Here are some of our favorites to include in treatment plans, but do make sure to check with us before trying anything new:
Kegels
If you’re like most people, when you hear “pelvic floor exercises,” you probably think of Kegels, a technique for contracting and releasing the pelvic floor muscles. While beneficial, they can be tricky to perform correctly, and the contracting sensation is different for men and women.
Fortunately, our team is on the case. We’ll walk you through the process and may use biofeedback technology to ensure you’re performing the exercises correctly.
Squats
It’s true–the mighty squat works more than your glutes and hamstrings! To perform a bodyweight squat, stand hip-width apart, then bend your knees as if you’re going to sit in a chair (you can use a chair–sitting down and getting up without using your hands emulates a squat movement).
Glute Bridges
Glute bridges are another great exercise for targeting the core, glute, and pelvic floor muscles. They involve lying on your back with your knees bent, slowly lifting your hips up from the floor, and pressing down on your sides with your arms.
Get Your Own Unique Exercise Plan Today!
The best way to stretch and strengthen your pelvic floor is to make an appointment at Vibrant Health Solutions/TherapyWorks. We’ll provide you with a personalized program designed to suit your needs. Call us today to get started!
We’ve Moved!
We’re excited to share some big news. Our clinic has officially moved into an upgraded space! You can now find us at:
4931 W 6th Street, Ste 116, Lawrence, KS
Thank you for your patience as we made this transition. We’re getting settled into our new location and couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome you here. Whether you’re a new, present, or returning patient, we can’t wait to see you in the new space!
FREE Workshop
Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Webinar
May 6th
Shoulder Pain and Rotator Cuff Webinar • 6:30
With Cindy Johnson, M.S. P.T., MCMT, Owner/Director
FREE Workshop
Back Pain and Sciatica Webinar
May 20th
Back Pain and Sciatica Webinar • 6:30
With Cindy Johnson, M.S. P.T., MCMT, Owner/Director
Patient Success Story
“This facility is top-notch and brand new looking. The staffers are all very friendly and the therapists all seem to enjoy their work which makes for a pleasant environment overall!!”
— 5-Star Review
At Vibrant Health Solutions, we want to help everyone get active in the ways that work for them. Call us today for personalized guidance on what will work best for you!
Healthy Recipe
Parchment Baked Halibut with Cilantro and Ginger
This Mediterranean-inspired parchment-baked halibut is a light, vibrant, and interactive meal. By steaming the mild, flaky fish inside a sealed paper pouch alongside sweet cherry tomatoes, briny olives, and zesty lemon, it locks in moisture and creates its own incredibly fragrant, savory sauce. It’s an elegant yet foolproof dish that delivers a dramatic, aromatic reveal right at the dinner table—all with the added bonus of practically zero cleanup!
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped or fresh mint, or a combination
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ cup green onion chopped
- pinch of red pepper flakes optional
- 6 (4-6) ounce* portions of wild Alaskan halibut defrosted, if frozen
- 6 14- inch squares of unbleached parchment paper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place each piece of halibut in the center of a sheet of parchment. Season lightly with sea salt.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients until well blended. Place a heaping spoonful of the mixture atop each piece of halibut and spread evenly.
Bring 2 opposites sides of the parchment together and fold. Continue to fold all the way down until you reach the fish. Twist both ends of the parchment so that it looks like a hard candy wrapper. Place each packet on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Transfer each packet to a plate and use caution when opening – the steam will be very hot!
Exercise of the Month
Bridging
(Glutes, Lower Back, Hamstrings)
Begin on your back. Bend your knees and keep your back flat on the ground. Gently, contract your abdominals and hold to keep your back flat as you move up into the bridge position. Remember to breathe. Gently, squeeze your butt muscles and lift your hips off the ground. The goal is to have your hips aligned with your knees and shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds. 3 Sets, 10 Reps.
