Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC treats patients that experience pain, weakness and dysfunction in their pelvic floor muscles. When the pelvic floor muscles function properly, blood flows well to the connective and muscle tissues, thus helping improve mobility.

The main purpose of pelvic floor therapy is to restore a person’s mobility, movement and health to a higher level in order to function properly. In case of pain or discomfort, physical therapists will work with you to identify muscle trigger points and tight connective tissues that may be the root of the problem.

For decades, doctors have considered physical therapy as an effective treatment approach for improving symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction. Physical therapists at Pelvic floor therapy NYC include a number of non-surgical, painless treatment methods to re-train your pelvic floor muscles. Learning to relax and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, the muscles that control your bladder, bowel, and sexual function, not only helps relieve pain or discomfort, but also improves your ability to function every day.

During a pelvic floor therapy session, your physical therapist will teach you exercises that help stabilize and strengthen your core or major muscles like the trunk, abdominal muscles, back muscles, pelvic floor, and diaphragm. This also include strength training and re-training your pelvic floor muscles.

Your physical therapist will decide which muscles feel too tight and teach you exercises to stretch them. These exercises are meant to improve your coordination and mobility. Your therapist will also teach you postural exercises, muscle relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises using the diaphragm to improve symptoms and your overall health.

The treatments and exercises your therapist recommend you will depend on the kind of symptoms you have. To relieve yourself from pelvic floor dysfunction, you need to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Some symptoms will require you to strengthen those muscles instead.

Physical therapists usually work with clients on behavioral modifications such as diet changes and lifestyle changes that will relieve pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Why is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Important?

The pelvic floor is made up of muscle layers that stretch from the pubic bone to the tailbone for both men and women. Pelvic floor muscles and tissues provide support to the bowel, bladder and prostate in men, and the bladder, vagina, and uterus in women.

The pelvic floor muscles help both men and women control bladder and bowel functions. These muscles also help with their sexual function and ability to feel pleasure. The pelvic floor muscles provide support to pregnant women and help them relax during the natural birthing process.

How Do the Pelvic Floor Muscles Work?

The pelvic floor muscles work by contracting and relaxing to control one’s bowel and bladder functions. For instance, pelvic floor muscles contract to prevent incontinence, and they relax to let you urinate and defecate.

When your pelvic floor muscles contract too much or don’t contract enough, you may be experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction. This can result to incontinence, constipation, pain during sexual intercourse, or pain in the genitals, rectum, lower back, and pelvic region.

You can experience pelvic floor dysfunction due to trauma from surgery, medical procedures, childbirth, or prior history of physical abuse.

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Symptoms

According to Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC, if you have one or more of the following symptoms, you may be experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction. Make sure you consult your doctor if you have any of these:

• Frequent need to urinate. You may also feel the need to ‘force’ your pee or bowel movement out. You may also experience the need to stop and start many times.
• Constipation or straining during bowel movements. Around 50% of those that suffer from long-term constipation are found to have pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Straining or feeling that you have to push really hard to pass a bowel movement. You may also start changing positions on the toilet or use your hand to help you pass stool.
• Leaking urine or stool
• Frequent and painful urination
• Experiencing pain in your lower back for no reason
• Feeling constant pain in your genitals, rectum, and pelvic region

Do note that symptoms and conditions related to pelvic floor dysfunction may vary between men and women.

In men, symptoms may include groin pains, erectile dysfunction and problems with ejaculation. In women, pelvic floor dysfunction can affect reproductive health and contribute to pain during sexual intercourse.

Men and women with pelvic floor dysfunction both experience stress urinary incontinence (SUI), or leaking urine when they sneeze, cough, or laugh. But SUI is ore common in women, with about 35% of women saying that they experience SUI in their lifetime.

Causes of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Although there is no clear answer on why pelvic floor dysfunction happens, experts believe this condition is related to one or more of the following:

• Straining on muscles and tissues during childbirth
• Vaginal childbirth
• Obesity
• Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome)
• Pelvic surgery
• Traumatic injuries to the pelvic area
• Nerve damage
• Weightlifting
• Chronic constipation
• Chronic coughing
• Performing high-impact workouts
• Overuse of pelvic muscles
• Aging and menopause

What to Expect at Your First Pelvic Floor Therapy Session?

Pelvic floor dysfunction can be a highly personal matter and you might feel apprehensive about what to expect during your first therapy session. But there is no need to worry; Pelvic Floor Therapy NYC physical therapists are professionals and highly passionate with their job. They will take time to answer all your questions and explain each step, to allay any fear you have.

At your first PT appointment, your therapist will perform an assessment so they can determine the best treatment plan for your situation. They will assess your posture, strength, breathing pattern, and flexibility of your spin, abdomen, and hip to determine the factors that contribute to your condition.

The goal is to identify the root cause of your dysfunction. The more information you provide your therapists, the more they can quickly identify the cause. It might be wise to bring notes detailing your symptoms and anything you feel that is related to your dysfunction during the therapy session.

Your therapist will perform a physical examination and explain every step of the exam. You’re encouraged to ask questions, and you can even pause the exam any time you feel any discomfort.