Pelvic health physiotherapy is often overlooked as a discipline, yet studies show about one in three women will experience pelvic floor dysfunction in their lifetime.
And even though it also occurs in 50% of women who have had a baby, only 25% of all female patients will seek treatment.
Leila Jobson, Senior Pelvic Health & Woman's Health Physiotherapist at Ultra Sports Clinic, also points out that approximately 16% of men experience pelvic floor dysfunction with some causes including bowel dysfunction, prostate related concerns and procedures, pelvic pain and erectile issues.
Weakening of the pelvic muscles in males can occur for a variety of reasons, among them the presence of diabetes, prostate surgery, poor weight management, and respiratory conditions.
Pelvic health physiotherapy focuses on the pelvis and the pelvic floor, including the female and male genitalia and reproductive organs.
It addresses bladder and bowel dysfunction and incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain-related conditions, pregnancy-related pain, menopause-related symptoms and sexual pain and or dysfunction.
Pain conditions such as vulvodynia, vaginismus and endometriosis-related pain also feature on the list.
Leila explains pelvic problems can manifest differently.
Urinary incontinence when sneezing, coughing or exercising, difficulty controlling wind, a frequent need to urinate, chronic constipation, pain and discomfort during intercourse and pain around the pelvis and genital region, are among the numerous symptoms patients may display.
Ultra Sports Clinic offers a range of treatments that are individualised to the patient.
Many are applied in pregnancy and postnatal recovery.
“This is very popular in private practice as the National Health Service rarely offer this service to those who have ‘minimal’ symptoms or are looking for preventative measures to improve their pelvic health,” Leila says.
Women who require this treatment include those who:
May want pelvic floor advice in their pregnancy or birth preparation for the pelvic floor.
Suffer from pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.
Want a pelvic floor check-up postnatally and/or clearance for exercise after having a baby.
Are unsure what kind of exercise to return to and how to manage this safely.
Are feeling heaviness or dragging in the pelvic region or have a prolapse.
Require pre and post operative gynaecological surgery.
Are ‘leaking’ with exercise.
Have pain around the vulva or vagina including during intercourse or when inserting tampons.
Have bowel dysfunction including constipation, faecal incontinence or urgency.
Have decreased control of wind.
“Our treatment plan includes education and explanation of symptoms and management, as well as individualised pelvic floor programmes, some focusing on strengthening and others on relaxing the pelvic floor.”
“We incorporate this with patient goals. We have a wide range of supporting treatment modalities, which we use as needed after the initial assessment to develop a patient-focused plan.”
“Pelvic health therapy should be sought as soon as possible as failing to address these problems can result in the symptoms worsening,” advises Leila.
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