Marin Heyer 
A pelvic floor physiotherapy is a form of physical therapy that is used to treat medical ailments related to structures in and around the pelvis. It is fast catching up with patients across Canada.
Canadian centers like Integral performance offer services like Integral Performance Physio pelvic floor therapy. They adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to treat pelvic health issues.
The professionals from various domains like osteology, physiotherapy, and massage therapy come together to treat the ailments holistically.
This article takes you through the common pelvic issues, the methodology of pelvic floor therapy, and how to seek help for treatment.
Let us begin!
What are the common pelvic ailments?
Pelvic ailments affect both men and women. While some problems are common, others are specific to men and women.
Let us see some of them.
Common pelvic issues in men:
- Incontinence
- Erectile dysfunction
- Prostatitis
- Coccydynia
- Post-void residual
Common pelvic issues in women
- Incontinence
- Pregnancy
- Vaginismus
- Vulvodynia
- Endometriosis
How does pelvic floor therapy work?
Pelvic floor physiotherapy is considered the first-line treatment for pelvic health conditions.
The treatment includes the following techniques
- Pelvic floor muscle contraction and relaxation
- Release of muscles and connective tissue
- Breathing
- Relaxation techniques
- Exercise
- Stretching
- Biofeedback
The musculoskeletal, neural, and connective tissues systems are treated holistically in a well-rounded approach.
Understanding the pelvic floor
The pelvic floor is a term used to denote the muscles in the base of the pelvis. It is responsible for various physiological functions like urination, defecation, sexual, and low back support.
Physiotherapy involves the following stages
- Thorough history taking
- Physical exam
- Discussion on findings from the physical exam
- Prescription of exercise regime
The exercise regimen is recommended based on the nature of the ailment, age, and gender of the patient.
Choosing a physiotherapist
The patients need to choose a professional pelvic floor physiotherapist with good clinical exposure to provide good treatment.
Some things to check for before choosing a physiotherapist are
- Choose a CAMPT-certified physiotherapist
- Check out for institutes that offer evidence-based practice
- The patient-centric treatment approach should be chosen
- Treatment session times to be flexible
- Avail of the option of direct insurance billing if available
- Check for patient-therapist communication protocol
- The experience of therapists and their professionalism
- Hands-on therapy rather than electrical modalities
- Pricing of the services offered
- Look for online appointment facilities to ensure hassle-free scheduling
Concluding thoughts
Pelvic floor physiotherapy is a proven treatment option for various pelvic ailments in both men and women. Choose an experienced physiotherapist to get the best possible care and recovery.
