Women of all ages can be confronted with musculoskeletal problems specific to their gender. Studies show that as many as 70% of women have disorders of the pelvic floor which can lead to discomfort, pain and embarrassment. Results Physiotherapy has been at the forefront of delivering assistance to women facing these problems and is leading the way in providing conservative treatment through world class physical therapy for pelvic floor issues in Nashville and surrounding areas.
The pelvis makes up a significant portion of your body’s core. The beginning of all movement, balance, flexibility and stability occurs at the pelvis and the various muscles and support structures of the pelvis also facilitate childbirth, support the spine, contribute to sexual activity, and control bowel and bladder movements. As life changes occur including pregnancy, obesity, childbirth, surgery and menopause, a large percentage of women begin to experience pain or problems associated with, or stemming from, the pelvic region. Common complaints include post surgical pain, urinary incontinence, urinary urgency, pain during intercourse, and low back or sciatic pain before, during or after pregnancy.
A common misperception among women is that these conditions will endure for the rest of their lives, when in reality these problems are either avoidable or easily treated through physical therapy.
“Many of my patients comment on how they had no idea there are physical therapy treatments for pelvic floor issues, and they are so excited and relieved with their treatment outcomes. They can’t wait to share with all their friends who have the similar problems,” states Miller Talent, DPT, a physical therapist with Results Physiotherapy’s West Nashville location who has trained in the specialist treatment and education of women with pelvic floor disorders. “I have quite a few patients tell me they just thought it was normal to have urinary leakage after having their babies or as part of the aging process. Once they are taught how to control this problem with specific exercises and training, they are so pleased to be able to get back to everyday activities without having leakage. What’s even better, maintenance is as simple as getting in a few pelvic floor exercises a day.”
The pelvic floor muscles support the structures of the pelvis including the bowels, bladder, and the sexual and reproductive organs. Disorders develop when the muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves supporting these structures are weakened or injured. Physical therapy treats these impairments by addressing biomechanics (the musculoskeletal movement of the body), women’s anatomy and assessment of the effects of hormonal changes.
Common interventions and treatments include: pelvic floor muscle training, “hands-on” manual therapy, bladder retraining, assessing of the hip, pelvis and low back, as well as specific conditioning and fitness programs designed for each individual patient. Biofeedback and/or faint electrical stimulation are additional resources that can be utilized to further facilitate muscular reeducation.
Re-training of the pelvic floor muscles increases strength, motor control and awareness, while decreasing pain or guarding. Research strongly supports the role of physical therapy as it helps to restore normal pelvic floor function and return women to an active lifestyle.
Results Physiotherapy is an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy company comprised of 31 clinics throughout Tennessee, with 20 locations serving Middle Tennessee. Commonly treated patients include those with low back pain, neck pain, headaches, arthritis, knee and shoulder injuries, foot pain and post-surgical conditions. Results provides a unique combination of “hands-on” manual therapy with customized therapeutic exercises yielding faster pain relief and restoration of function. This one-two approach represents a ground-breaking advance over the old “exercise-only” treatments.
Getting into a therapy program at Results Physiotherapy is as easy as calling to schedule an appointment for an evaluation. Treatment is covered by insurance and in most cases a physician’s referral is not required. The West Nashville and Hendersonville clinics are two of the Results locations that have therapists that specialize in Women’s Health issues. For a complete list of locations and more information regarding Results Physiotherapy Centers, please visit www.resultsphysiotherapy.com, www.facebook.com/resultsphysiotherapy,
or contact us at (615) 373-1350.