Functional Training
Activities like lunging, squatting, bending, lifting, pulling, pushing, etc. are all important for daily living. During pregnancy and postpartum, your body goes through many changes which can affect your ability to perform these activities and many others. Cancer treatments, radiation, chemotherapy, and other surgeries like prostatectomies also have an affect on functional activities. Performing these activities incorrectly can lead to injury, pain, poor pressure regulation, bowel or bladder incontinence, and much more. Learning how to perform these functional activities correctly can help you gain strength, core stability, pelvic floor function, and allow you to progress your exercise regimen to return to your previous state especially if you are postpartum. Our therapists will closely assess and evaluate how you perform each activity and will work with you to perform each activity correctly.
Pelvic Floor Relaxation
Relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles are important to help improve function, decrease pain, improve muscle strength, and coordination, and prevent urinary and fecal incontinence. Pelvic floor relaxation can be achieved with use of diaphragmatic breathing, stretching, pelvic floor awareness, trigger point release, and more. The need for this may be determined upon internal or external vaginal or rectal exam at time of evaluation.
Therapeutic Exercise
Therapeutic exercise is a treatment technique by physical therapists that help improve one’s strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and function. This may include use of functional training like lifting mechanics, weight training, body weight strength training, core strengthening, and use of weight or gym machines. This technique may also be used to reduce pain, inflammation, gain range of motion, and improve stability of joints and muscles. Kegels may be prescribed as a therapeutic exercise in order to strengthen and improve function of the pelvic floor muscles.
Postural Re-education
Posture is very important for many things including pelvic floor function and control. Poor posture can lead to imbalances in any one of the core muscles, which can in turn lead to more pressure on the pelvic floor. When this happens, bladder and bowel control can be significantly impacted. Therefore, teaching and instructing the importance of good posture, control, pressure regulation, and core stability will help improve overall pelvic floor function and lead to an improvement in overall symptoms.
Pelvic Floor Biofeedback and Electrical Stimulation
Biofeedback for the pelvic floor is a treatment technique that utilizes a vaginal or rectal sensor that gets inserted in order to evaluate and assess the pelvic floor. The sensor is attached to either a handheld unit or a computer system that allows you to have visual and auditory feedback to assess the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscles for both contractile strength and relaxation. Using this device can either be performed in the clinic or by purchasing a home unit. This type of treatment can help you learn coordination and correct technique of your pelvic floor muscles in order to develop better control of your bowel and bladder function. Biofeedback can be used for the treatment of urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, constipation, dyssynergia of the pelvic floor, and many more.
Weight Training
Lifting weights is very beneficial for both men and women. It can help maintain weight, cause weight loss, help build lean muscle, help regulate hormone levels, increase cardiovascular health, build bone strength, and improve mood or mental health. Performing weight training correctly also aids in protecting your joints, pelvic floor, and core from injury. Our therapists will work with you, according to your needs, on proper activities using weights in order to benefit you the best. Your specific needs will be addressed in order to help you achieve your own goals and be independent with continuation of a weight training program.
Soft Tissue Massage
A technique that involves hands on touching to skin in order to break up adhesions, connective tissue tightness, and improve overall muscle function. This technique can also be used to decrease swelling, inflammation, muscle tightness, improve flexibility, or reduce pain. Instruments like cupping and other tools may be used to achieve a more deep tissue massage.
Conditions We Treat
Bowel/Bladder
- Overactive Bowel/Bladder
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Urgency
- Pain with Bowel/Bladder Function
- Urinary/Fecal Incontinence
- Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome
Pelvic Pain
- Pain in Tailbone (coccydynia)
- Painful Scars
- Pain in Vagina, Penis, or Rectum
- Pain with Sexual Intercourse
- Abdominal/Low Back Pain
- Sacroiliac Pain
Pregnancy & Post Partum
- Pubic Symphysis Pain
- Pelvic Floor Weakness
- Diastasis Recti
- C-Section/Episiotomy Scars
- Upper Back Pain
- Hip Pain/Weakness
Post Surgery Conditions
- Post-Prostatectomy
- Post-Hysterectomy
- Post-Endometriosis Excision/Laparoscopic
- Rectocele/Cystocele Repairs
- Hernia Repairs
- Orthopedic Surgeries