Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Edmonton

I was out with a friend having a coffee and meeting her new baby, and as can be expected, we talked about the birth and how she was doing.  As someone who hasn’t had a baby, I was surprised to hear about all of the issues she has faced since having her baby.  She mentioned how she deals with pain and issues going to the bathroom.  When I asked her what she was doing to deal with this, she mentioned getting pelvic floor physiotherapy.  At this point, I had to ask, what is Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy?

Wikipedia describes the pelvic floor in detail on this page. 

Pelvic floor physiotherapy is all about promoting health and wellness, restoring function, relieving pain, optimizing movement, and preventing pelvic health problems from occurring in the first place.

Pelvic floor physiotherapy has been gaining traction in Canada of late, which is excellent news for women, men and children who have been living with pelvic health issues for too long.

Therapists use pelvic floor physiotherapy to assess, diagnose and treat the pelvic floor muscles.  It is essential to treat not only the muscles but also all structures associated with the body’s pelvic region, including ligaments, pelvic and spinal joints, hips, the lower back and abdominal wall, the pelvic organs, and the inner core.

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physio with pelvic bone model
woman exercising with baby

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is a grouping of muscles that sits across the bottom of the bony pelvis like a hammock.  It is part of a complex system which includes muscles, ligaments, nerves, connective tissue, lymphatics, blood vessels and pelvic organs.

The pelvic floor has several roles, which include:

  • Supporting the pelvic organs – the bowel, bladder, uterus (in women) and prostate (in men)
  • Act to counteract downward forces generated from lifting, straining or other unmanaged intra-abdominal pressures
  • House sphincter muscles that control normal bowel and bladder emptying
  • Progressively expanding and opening during physiological childbirth
  • Acting as a ‘sump pump’ to keep the pelvic region decongested
  • Providing expectant control for movement as it works with the rest of the inner core

What can you expect from a pelvic floor physiotherapy assessment?

At Innovation Physical Therapy, our therapists complete a comprehensive assessment in a private office where we ensure that you feel safe discussing your most personal health concerns.  The initial consultations are booked for either 60 or 75 minutes, so patients don’t feel rushed.

With Innovation Physical Therapy, you can expect the following:

Confidentiality – Given the personal and sensitive nature of pelvic health problems, we commit to the highest level of privacy and confidentiality.  Before starting, we review the consent forms and address any questions you may have about the process.

Empathy – We take pride in that our physiotherapists are not only skilled clinicians but also caring and compassionate.  We are focused on a judgement-free environment as we all know someone who has experienced pelvic health issues or has experienced this ourselves.

Active Listening – To better understand the situation experienced by clients, we ask you to complete a fairly detailed questionnaire about your health and wellness history before your first visit.  We will review your questionnaire and ask you to share your story during the initial consultation.  We will look to gain a deeper understanding and ask about your goals, desires and intentions and how your condition impacts your life.

Physical Exam – We will assess your overall body function using our orthopedic skills.  Things that we may look to analyze include the following:

  • Your movement
  • Range of motion
  • Breathing
  • Alignment
  • Muscle strength & endurance
  • Muscle tone
  • Tension or length
  • Motor control
  • Fascia and connective tissue
  • Nerve function

We take extra care to examine the areas that connect to your pelvis, including the lower back, hips and abdominal wall.  We also explore the relationship between the pelvic floor and areas higher up and lower down (i.e. the thorax, feet and even the brain).  If pelvic floor physiotherapy treatment is to be successful, it is essential to examine the bigger picture.

External Perineal Examination – Once we have obtained informed consent to complete the pelvic floor examination, we examine the pelvic floor’s external structures.  This examination includes the skin, the perineum, the bony frame, vulvar tissues and a prolapse assessment.   The therapist drapes the clients with a sheet, and no speculum or stirrups are involved.

Internal Pelvic Floor Examination – Therapists will typically recommend an internal exam to have the most accurate information about the state of your pelvic floor.  If you provide your informed consent for an internal exam, we will check the position, texture, tone, range of motion, strength, endurance and function of the pelvic floor muscles.  We let our clients know they can stop the internal exam anytime and for any reason – no explanation is necessary.

Clear Communication – Once we have gathered all the necessary information, we share our findings and get you started on strategies for home practice.  We welcome you to ask any questions you may have any time as we focus on ensuring that you have clarity on what we are doing throughout the process.

Hope – You come to our office with a specific question or need.  Our goal is that you leave feeling hopeful that improvement is possible and that, with some guidance, you will be able to attain your goals.  As our tagline states, we want you to Love Getting Better!

What conditions does pelvic floor physiotherapy treat?

At Innovation Physical Therapy, our certified team has the privilege of working with women of all ages and stages.  We treat women who have urological, gynecological, obstetric, sexual, gastrointestinal, anorectal, orthopedic, neurological, myofascial, visceral, and persistent pelvic pain conditions.  These include:

  • Urinary incontinence – stress incontinence, urge, or mixed incontinence
  • Urinary urgency, frequency or hesitancy
  • Bowel issues such as constipation or fecal incontinence
  • Prolapsed bladder, uterus or rectum
  • Heaviness or pressure in the pelvic region
  • Diastasis recti or other abdominal wall dysfunction
  • Weakness of core muscles
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Persistent pelvic pain
  • Endometriosis
  • Painful bladder syndrome – interstitial cystitis
  • Pain with sex – dyspareunia
  • Painful periods – dysmenorrhea
  • Vulvar pain – vulvodynia or vestibulodynia
  • Vaginismus
  • Coccydynia
  • Pudendal neuralgia
  • Persistent low back, hip, groin, or abdominal pain
  • Pregnancy-related mobility or pain problems
  • Sciatica, sacroiliac joint or pubic symphysis dysfunction during or after pregnancy
  • Childbirth preparation and pre-natal education – with a focus on the prevention of pelvic floor dysfunction
  • Pre and post-operative rehabilitation for any abdominal or pelvic surgery
  • Scar tissue restricting the abdomen, pelvic floor or vulvar region

What does pelvic floor physiotherapy treatment involve?

Based on your assessment findings, we will put forward a plan that we have carefully considered.  Follow-up visits are typically 30 to 45 minutes and focus on your unique challenges and goals.  The treatment combines any of the following:

  • Providing education on your condition and what to do about it (lifestyle recommendations, etc.)
  • Posture and alignment awareness and education
  • Looking at breathing mechanics
  • Flexibility or mobility exercises
  • Learning if Kegels are appropriate for you and, if so, how to do them correctly
  • Pelvic floor strengthening or lengthening
  • Manual work and normalize pelvic floor muscle stiffness or tension
  • Mobilization of connective tissue
  • Childbirth education as it relates to the pelvic floor and abdominal wall
  • Exercises to strengthen your core
  • Bladder or bowel retraining
  • Internal or external manual (hands-on) therapy
  • Development of a home program to practice
  • Brain training & nervous system re-wiring
  • Referral to other members of the healthcare team
  • More…

Pelvic health is essential to living comfortably, and at Innovation Physical Therapy, we are dedicated to ensuring you achieve the comfort you deserve.

For any questions or advice related to Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy, or any other issues you may be facing, contact one of our trained physiotherapists today!