Pelvic floor physiotherapy - optimizeottawa

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy

What is your pelvic floor?

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that lines that inside of your pelvis. These muscles act like a sling that supports your organs (bladder, uterus, and rectum). They also help constrict and relax the pelvic openings to help regulate things like urine flow, bowel movement, and sexual function. Your pelvic muscles are also part of your core, and are an important stabilizer of your lower back, your hips and your pelvis.

Pelvic floor dysfunction can cause urine or bowel incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic or bladder pain, pain with intercourse, as well as back pain and hip pain. We also work with women you are pregnant or postpartum to address pain and pelvic floor concerns, diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles), pelvic organ prolapse, and guide them on safe exercise through pregnancy and beyond.

What is pelvic floor physiotherapy?

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy aims to assess and treat the muscles in and around the pelvis to improve overall function. Treatment is individualized and can include manual therapy, corrective exercises, and lifestyle modifications

A unique part of pelvic floor assessment and treatment is the internal exam. An internal exam of the pelvic floor muscles allows the physiotherapist to determine if the pelvic floor is weak or strong, tight or lacking tension, or symmetrical or asymmetrical. An internal exam is not a mandatory part of treatment, however it does provide a unique window into pelvic floor function that is otherwise inaccessible.

What can I expect?

During the initial visit, your physiotherapist will take a detailed history of your condition. They will also perform an external exam of not only your pelvic floor, but also posture, range of motion, and core strength. You and your physiotherapist will decide if an internal exam is appropriate at that time, so the pelvic floor function can be better assessed and treated.

Not just kegels!

So often with pelvic floor dysfunction it is assumed that the pelvic floor is weak and needs lots and lots of kegels (pelvic floor contraction) to strengthen it again. However, kegels can be the opposite of what your body needs! To function properly, the pelvic floor needs to be able to produce a strong contraction, relax fully, coordinate the contraction appropriately, and work together with the core and diaphragm.
Our goal is to find the root of your symptoms, and take a full-body approach to help treat your symptoms and prevent them from happening again.

Conditions we treat

Stress urinary incontinence (with coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting, and exercise)

Urgency urinary incontinence (strong urge to empty bladder)

Coital incontinence (urinary leakage that can occur during intercourse)

Increased frequency of voiding during the day and night

Nerve irritation or pinching

Pudendal Neuralgia – pain in the groin area that is increased with sitting

Weak Core Stabilization & Muscle Control

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pain with intercourse

Pain in the pelvic region
Pain with intercourse
Pain in the pelvic region
Vulvar and vaginal pain
Interstitial Cystitis and Bladder Pain Syndrome
Frequent UTIs
Prenatal care
- Pain or preparation for birth
Postpartum care
- Diastasis recti (abdominal muscle separation), pain, scar management, pelvic floor tightness/weakness, pain with intercourse
Low Back, hip pain, pelvic pain, deep glute pain, SIJ pain
Tailbone injuries