The pelvic floor muscles form a ‘hammock’ which attaches from the pubic bones at the front of the pelvis to the coccyx (tail bone) at the back. These muscles support the bladder, bowel and uterus. They also help to control bowel and bladder function. Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when these muscles are weak or tight and are unable to perform their role effectively. It can be caused by increased load on the pelvic floor muscles, such as during pregnancy, or from trauma, such as during child birth, pelvic or prostate surgery. It can also be caused by poor movement patterning or pain.
Signs and Symptoms
• Leaking urine when sneezing, coughing, running or laughing • Leaking urine if not getting to the toilet in time • Leaking urine after going to the toilet • Difficulty emptying the bowel or bladder completely • Pain or difficulty during intercourse
Physiotherapy Management
At Live Well Physio, we perform a thorough assessment to diagnose the cause of your problem. Our goal is to get you back pain-free as soon as possible.
Your physiotherapy treatment may include:
• Realtime ultrasound examination of the pelvic floor muscles
• Self-release techniques for tight muscles
• Soft tissue or mobilisation techniques to correct any other joint or muscle imbalances which may be affecting the pelvic floor
• A graduated strengthening programme
• A Clinical Pilates programme
• We also have a specialised Women’s Health Physio at our Currambine clinic for more complex cases.
We are committed to helping you achieve your health goals and to Live Well.