Your Pelvic Floor

WHAT IS THE PELVIC FLOOR?

The pelvic floor is like a hammock, comprised of muscles, nerves, connective tissue, and ligaments, which spans from the tailbone to the pubic bone.

 

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WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF THE PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES?​​

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ORGAN SUPPORT

The pelvic floor supports the bladder, rectum, and important abdominal organs against the effects of gravity and any added downward pressure.

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STABILITY

Attached to the pelvis and hips, the pelvic floor muscles are an important part of the body’s “core”: They assist other abdominal, hip, and back muscles in controlling movement of the sacroiliac and hip joints.

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SPHINCTER CONTROL OF THE ANUS AND URETHRA

The pelvic floor muscles wrap around and control the opening of the bladder and rectum. When there is an increase in abdominal pressure (for example, when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or jump), these muscles contract around the urethra and anus to prevent leakage. Weak pelvic floor muscles can result in incontinence — the inability to hold in urine and/or feces. 

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Equally as important, these muscles must relax and lengthen to enable effortless urination and bowel movements. Tight pelvic floor muscles can hinder bowel movements, leading to constipation or the inability to release urine.

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CIRCULATION

Just like the calf muscles in the leg act to pump blood back up toward the heart, the pelvic floor muscles act as a blood pump for the pelvis. Loss of this “sump-pump” action can contribute to swelling or pelvic congestion.

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WHAT IS MALE PELVIC DYSFUNCTION?

Most pelvic floor issues are caused by muscles that are either too weak, or too tight. 

 

Pelvic floor dysfunction is common, but many people do not address it due to fear, embarrassment, or not knowing that help is available. Pelvic floor physiotherapy can help you gain control of your body and improve your quality of life.

 

 

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION?

• Pain or spasm in the anus, deeper into the pelvis, penis, tailbone and/or scrotum

• Urinary symptoms: pain/burning with urination, higher frequency of urination, difficulty starting stream or weak stream, interrupted stream, urinary incontinence (subcategories of incontinence: stress, urge, overflow, mixed)

• Fecal constipation or incontinence

• Sharp, stabbing cramps, such as pelvic pain

 

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WHAT ROLE DOES PHYSIOTHERAPY PLAY IN PELVIC FLOOR REHAB?

 

On your first consultation with your pelvic floor physiotherapist, he will review your symptom history with some questionnaires to fill out. Based on your symptoms, your therapist will perform a thorough examination externally, evaluating spinal, hip, abdominal, and pelvic mobility. Then he’ll do an internal rectal examination to determine whether the pelvic floor is weak or tight. Based on the findings, the physiotherapist will then build a rehabilitation treatment program adapted to your particular problem. 

 

Here, cooperation, motivation, and self-practice are of the utmost importance. The degree of success of the treatment is related to your ability to change patterns of behavior and habits to establish good control of the pelvic floor muscles and the sphincters, in good synchronization with both the respiratory and posture muscles. Successful treatment can improve your quality of life on physical, emotional, and behavioral levels.

 

Treatment may include, but is not limited to:

• Education on the pelvic floor, hip, and lower back muscles

• Therapy to correct pelvic and lumbar alignment

• Pelvic floor strengthening

• Individualized home exercise program

• Self-care strategies

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