Pelvic floor physiotherapy is a branch of orthopedic manual therapy which focuses on treating the muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves of the pelvic girdle, hips and low back.

A highly trained female physiotherapist, who specializes in this disorder, will use both internal and external manual techniques, to assess the function of the pelvic floor and treat the associated structures. Women predominately suffer from this condition, however men may also experience pelvic floor dysfunction and/or pain.

There are two main cases of pelvic floor dysfunction:

1. Hypotonicity is the weakening of pelvic floor muscles contributing to stress incontinence, urge incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.
2. Hypertonicity is tight pelvic floor muscles contributing to urinary urgency, urge incontinence, and chronic pelvic pain.

The physiotherapist will use palpation techniques and other tests to determine the cause behind your pelvic dysfunction and will prescribe the optimal plan of care specific for you.

Symptoms

• Incontinence or leakage (remember, this is NOT a normal part of aging)
• Increased urinary frequency
• Increased urinary urgency
• Bowel issues including constipation, straining, or pain
• Persistent pelvic pain
• Generalized and localized vulvar pain
• Pressure or heaviness in the pelvic region
• Painful intercourse
• Unexplained pain in low back, pelvic region, genital area, or rectum
• Painful bladder syndrome
• Organ prolapse
• Hip, low back, and sacroiliac joint pain that has not responded to traditional care techniques
• Pre and post pregnancy issues including pain, leakage, bulging and scarring, and diastasis recti