Bladder & Bowel Dysfunction, Prolapse

Most people know that physical therapists treat muscles and soft tissue (think tennis elbow or a sprained ankle).

Pelvic physical therapy is the same thing. Often, the musculoskeletal system surrounding the pelvis is the cause of pelvic dysfunction.

• a strong urge to urinate (urgency)

• difficulty starting the flow of urine (hesitancy)

• voiding more often than every 2-4 hours (frequency)

• sensation of not emptying (incomplete voiding)

• urinating more than 2 times a night (nocturia)

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING

• leakage
• difficulty exercising
• constipation
• diarrhea
• gas
• post-prostatectomy leakage
• sharp pain and spasm around the anus or rectum

• a strong urge to urinate (urgency)

• difficulty starting the flow of urine (hesitancy)

• voiding more often than every 2-4 hours (frequency)

• sensation of not emptying (incomplete voiding)

• urinating more than 2 times a night (nocturia)

THE KEGELS DILEMMA

Most women with incontinence are told to “do Kegels,” which are exercises meant to strengthen a weak pelvic floor.

If strengthening is the best therapeutic option, the issue is that 51% of women do not perform a Kegel properly with verbal cueing alone, according to a recent research survey.

Sometimes, if a problem is stemming from tight pelvic floor muscles, strengthening can increase pelvic pain and incontinence!
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Is “doing Kegels” simple advise? Yes. Healing and helpful? Often not.