1 in 5 suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction

Per medical research, millions of Americans suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction, one out of every five people, to be exact. Yet for most, the disease goes unidentified and untreated. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a wide range of problems that occur when the muscles of the pelvic floor are weak or tight or there is an impairment of the sacroiliac joint, low back, coccyx or hip joint.

Katie Van Scyoc, physical therapist with Aurora Health Care said, “Research shows that 83 percent of women who have had two or more children will have some form of urinary incontinence. The issue is common, but not normal.” Van Scyoc adds, “However, a lot of women aren’t aware that physical therapy is often a very successful treatment option and covered by most insurances.”

Types of pelvic floor dysfunction include urinary dysfunction such as urgency, frequency, incontinence and incomplete emptying; pelvic pain; and bowel dysfunction such as constipation, fecal urgency/diarrhea or IBS.

“The reason this falls under physical therapy is it’s dealing with muscles and the pelvis. The same physiological principles apply to the pelvis muscles as any other muscles in the body. It’s the job of the physical therapist to teach the patient how to control it,” Van Scyoc explains.

Research shows these problems affect people from their teens through geriatrics. The pelvic floor refers to the group of muscles that attach to the front, back and sides of the pelvic bone and sacrum (the large bone at the bottom of the spine above the tailbone). These muscles support the organs in the pelvis, including the bladder, uterus or prostate and rectum, like a sling or hammock. Coordinated contracting and relaxing of these muscles controls bowel and bladder functions.

The physical therapist will test pelvic muscle strength, often via an internal exam and biofeedback. A questionnaire will be filled out regarding patient symptoms, as well. Based on information received from the questionnaire and muscle strength test, a customized home exercise program is established. Types of exercises typically given include exercises to be done standing, sitting and laying down, not just Kegel exercises, sometimes involving thera-bands and various breathing techniques.

“The goal of physical therapy for the patient is to relax the muscles and avoid stressing them,” said Van Scyoc. Self-care methods of treatment include avoiding pushing or straining while urinating, relaxing the muscles in the pelvic floor area, using warm baths for pain reduction and stretching and other techniques such as yoga that are beneficial to avoid tightening and spasms in the pelvic muscles.

For more information on how physical therapy can help you with your pelvic floor dysfunction, contact the Aurora Health Care physical therapy department at 920-303-8700.

Molly Yatso Butz is the community health and wellness director for the Oshkosh Community YMCA.