Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

1. Approximately 50% of women experience urinary incontinence during their lifetime.
2. Incontinence is defined as any bowel or bladder leaking when you do not want to.
3. There are many approaches to treating incontinence, with kegel exercises being only a small portion. Many times kegels are performed incorrectly or it’s necessary to teach a pelvic floor relaxation exercise first.

Pelvic floor physical therapy for pelvic muscle overactivity and underactivity has been proven to be a successful option for pelvic and sexual dysfunction. (Sex Med Rev. 2019 Jan;7(1):46-56. doi: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.09.003. Epub 2018 Nov 28.)

1. Chronic pelvic pain is present in 14-32% of women worldwide and between 13-32% of these women have severe enough pain to miss work.
2. Pelvic pain can can interfere with sexual relations, urination, bowel movements, wearing certain types of clothes/fabric, the ability to sit, stand, or exercise.
3. Some causes of pelvic pain include, but are not limited to: endometriosis, vulvodynia, interstitial cystitis, childbirth, and pelvic floor muscle tightness.

The American College of OB/GYNs recommends exercise for healthy pregnancies and reports benefits of exercise include:

• reducing back pain
• ease constipation
• may reduce your risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and c-section
• promotes healthy weight gain during pregnancy
• improves your overall fitness and strengthens your heart and blood vessels
• helps you lose the baby weight after your baby is born
• guidance for safe exercise during pregnancy
• preparation for delivery
• common ailments treated with PT during pregnancy:
  Sciatica
  Carpel Tunnel
  Back/Hip Pain

 

At Columbia Gorge Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, we believe postpartum physical therapy should be a part of every woman’s healthcare after giving birth. We can help with:

• c-section recovery
• scar mobilization
• incontinence
• pain
• specific return to sport and exercise after baby
• diastasis recti

Nearly one quarter of women in the United States suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction, including urinary or fecal incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse. Common symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse include feelings of lower abdomen or pelvic heaviness, incontinence, and bowel dysfunction. Physical therapy can help you learn how to manage and reduce symptoms, as well as improve your tolerance to activity and exercise.

Diastasis Recti is defined as the separation of the two bellies of the abdominal muscles. It is common in pregnant and postpartum women; however, it can occur in men and women at any time of life.

Physical therapists can check for Diastasis Recti, and prescribe specific and safe exercises to regain core strength.

Physical therapists can help you safely improve your overall fitness and core strength, with attention to any pelvic health issues you may have. We can help you return to sport and enhance performance at any level, from recreational to high level athletes.

Craniosacral Therapy  is a type of gentle, non-invasive bodywork that can promote structural balance and function in the body, enhance the body’s natural ability to heal, and improve overall feelings of well-being for people of all ages. Our experienced therapists at Columbia Gorge Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine are trained to treat everyone from infants to aging adults who would benefit from craniosacral therapy.

Infant Craniosacral Therapy is safe for nearly all babies and can be started as soon as a baby is born! It has been shown to positively impact the following conditions: feeding issues, breathing or digestive difficulties, colic, sleep disorders, musculoskeletal problems (including torticollis and plagiocephaly), the effects of forceps, vacuum extraction, and cesarean birth.

Craniosacral therapy for pregnancy focuses on assisting the pregnant mom in creating more space in her pelvis for her growing baby.

Craniosacral therapy for the postpartum period focuses on helping the new mom find structural alignment in her body, with special attention to the pelvis. Craniosacral Therapy can be especially beneficial for women who have had a traumatic birth.