A majority of women in France have roughly 10 appointments soon after they have given birth with their Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation physiotherapist. You may think why 10 sessions? This is because women need to look after themselves properly with the correct postnatal care and pelvic floor exercises. After 9 months of pregnancy, their body has been under important tensions and unbalances. Pelvic floor rehabilitation will assure you to avoid any future pelvic floor related conditions or conditions related to the pregnancy such as incontinence or diastasis recti (abdominal separation).
Awareness of the pelvic floor muscles for a successful pelvic floor rehabilitation
But pelvic floor treatment is not enough. Awareness of your pelvic floor muscles, their roles and how to contract them properly is the key to a successful postnatal rehabilitation. At Excellence Physiotherapy, our women’s health physiotherapist also likes to give their patients as much information as possible on any conditions or worries patients would have. Our patients can then understand all the extend of pelvic floor rehabilitation, its benefits and with these knowledges, they can have a more efficient pelvic floor rehabilitation.
Pelvic floor awareness is also very important as a majority of women in the UK don’t know that Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation and pelvic floor exercises are available to treat their postanal issues in a simple, non-invasive and efficient treatment.
Pelvic floor rehabilitation and pelvic floor exercises to treat different postnatal conditions
Pelvic floor rehabilitation englobes a variety of treatments for postnatal women as it covers a large amount of techniques and pelvic floor exercises for different postnatal conditions. Pelvic floor rehabilitation is the most efficient physiotherapy technique to treat pregnancy and post-natal conditions such as incontinence, prolapse, diastasis recti, pelvic pain, lack of sexual sensation or even back pain post-pregnancy. Depending on what you need to be treated for, our postnatal physiotherapist will create an exercise program tailored to your body and condition to strengthen specific parts of your pelvic floor muscles.
Why women in the UK should be aware of Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation and Postnatal care being available?
Speaking to mum of 4, Ruth who is 50 years old now suffers from incontinence and back pain. She is afraid to speak up about it and nobody really informed her that there are simple treatments available. Ruth mentioned that she has had to wear incontinence pads throughout the day which has not been at all comfortable. “I have not been able to keep fit at all too” Ruth says. She can’t go on a treadmill or the exercise bike as she will leak and have no control.
Ruth saw that we offer an initial assessment to go through her concerns and after the appointment she didn’t understand why she left it for so long. Ruth’s words after the appointment were “if I keep up these exercises, I can now ditch the pads!”
And that is exactly what happened, after 6 sessions and some pelvic floor exercises at home to do on regular basis, Ruth has “ditched her pads” and she is back to running with her friend without worrying about any leaks during her sport sessions. Ruth said “ I feel like a new woman. It feels like I took back my body under control. My only regret is that I didn’t know about pelvic floor rehabilitation and didn’t do it years before. That will have avoided me many worries. But now I feel much more confident and I spoke about this treatment to my friends and family who recently had babies”.
It can be embarrassing to open up about Incontinence but there is easy solutions with pelvic floor rehabilitation. Ladies, don’t leave this appointment for too long as it will help you for the long-term, leaving you feeling confident and able to go about your day with no worry. No need now to cancel your plans anymore because of your incontinence.
Not only do we cover Incontinence and back pain at Excellence Physiotherapy through simple treatments, but we also offer personalised services to mums who have just given birth and need to adapt from the changes of being pregnant to giving birth.
What do I need to check after giving birth? Mummy MOT: Postnatal assessment
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapists advise women to have a mummy MOT soon after pregnancy roughly 6 to 8 weeks after birth. A mummy MOT is plainly a full assessment where the Pelvic Floor physiotherapist will assess not only your pelvic floor muscle, but also the rest of your body from head to toe, checking for example if you have diastasis recti, back pain or any pelvic issues. They will also see if you have tension in your body following your delivery which could cause issues in the future. If our pelvic floor physiotherapist does find these tensions; she may possibly refer you to our Osteopath to rebalance your body.
Giving birth brings its changes and it can be daunting to a new mum but just as your newborn is your top priority now please do not ignore your own self-care. A full pelvic floor assessment will give you a clear vision on how to be at your best and if any conditions arise, our pelvic floor physiotherapist will be able to treat you in a few sessions.
So many questions can flood your mind right now and that’s completely normal. You may be wondering why your pelvic floor is weakened? This can be for a number of reasons. It could range from pregnancy to childbirth, surgery menopause or a chronic cough.
Do I need pelvic floor rehabilitation?
The following symptoms can help you confirm if you may need pelvic floor rehabilitation:
- Leakage
- Prolapse
- Lower back pain or pelvic pain
- Pain during sex
- Constipation
- Feeling pressure in the vaginal area
- Vaginal or rectal pain
Pelvic floor treatment can take from 4 weeks to a couple of months. This will be dependent on the condition your pelvic floor is in but also how regular your are with your pelvic floor exercises.
To narrow down what could be the reason your pelvic floor is in a weakened state, the pelvic physio will assess your pelvic muscles during the initial appointment and ask you questions about your medical history. There really is nothing to prepare for this. Clothing wise, it is best to wear something light and comfortable for you to help with movements when going through the exercises. If you have a medical history of past/current medications you are on, or treatments regarding your pelvic floor, is it best to inform the therapist of these as they will know what steps to take throughout the appointment as well as setting up your personal treatment plan.
Pelvic floor exercises to Strengthen your Pelvic Floor muscles:
After doing a full overview, the Pelvic Physiotherapist will then set up a plan of pelvic exercises. Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation exercises will be catered to you and will help you recover but also give advice further down the line with your lifestyle.
Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation is suggested predominately if you are experiencing symptoms, but prevention before things escalate are far better all round for your health.
Your Pelvic Floor could be at a weakened state and it is completely natural after birth, so these exercises need to be done gradually – starting with low intensity exercises to finish with high intensity exercises in different positioning. If not strengthened, pelvic floor weakness could have dire consequences which could result in incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
Pelvic floor exercises can range from a variety of positions, from laying down, sitting or standing – all to improve and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. The Pelvic Floor Specialist will guide you through the correct pelvic floor exercises so that you can leave your appointment feeling confident to carry on back home. The more time you spend on your pelvic floor rehabilitation, the quicker your pelvic floor muscles will get their hold and form back in place.
Our health and well-being should always be our main priority and with the help and care of our physiotherapists at Excellence Physiotherapy, you will be in the right hands. Simple steps to a better lifestyle.
Answers to your questions about pelvic floor rehabilitation and pelvic floor exercises
Are pelvic floor exercises painful?
No, pelvic floor exercises are not painful at all. Our pelvic physio has enough experience to make sure your pelvic floor rehab is totally painless.
Do pelvic floor exercises need to be done regularly?
Yes, this is the key point to a successful pelvic floor rehabilitation: you need to take control of your treatment and be regular on your pelvic floor exercises. Our Pelvic physio will give you tips and advices to create a routine that suits your schedule.
I don’t feel confident to do an internal assessment, is it an issue?
No, it is not. We understand that everybody has their own sensibility and pelvic floor rehabilitation can also be done without a manual assessment. The assessment can be done verbally and externally. So don’t hesitate to let us know if you prefer having only an external assessment.
How often pelvic floor rehabilitation sessions must be done with the pelvic physio?
Our pelvic physio usually sees patients every week for the first few weeks. As soon as the patient is more independent in their treatment, the pelvic physio will see the patients every 2 or 3 weeks to leave enough time for them to do more exercises in between sessions.
Do pelvic floor exercises help tighten pelvic muscles and increase sexual sensations?
Yes, not only pelvic floor rehabilitation helps with postnatal conditions but even if you haven’t been pregnant or haven’t done you pelvic floor exercises after your pregnancy, you may start to feel that your muscles have weakened and the sensations with your partner has diminished. Pelvic floor exercises will definitively help you recover normal sexual sensations by tightening up your pelvic floor muscles.
Is blocking my stream (commonly called pee stop) when I am on the toilet an efficient pelvic floor exercise?
No, no and no! This is a pelvic floor exercise that was given 20 years ago. This pelvic floor exercise has been proven inefficient and a source of urinary infections as you are training your bladder not to empty completely, which on the long term is counterproductive.
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