Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) is a specialized area within physical therapy that focuses on the rehabilitation of muscles in the pelvic floor after injury or dysfunction. It is a treatment for problems related to the pelvic floor, such as pain, discomfort, and disruptions to your quality of life. The pelvic floor refers to the muscles that support your reproductive, colorectal, and urinary tracts, including your bladder, uterus (female), prostate (male), and rectum.
During the initial examination, pelvic floor physical therapists will manually examine muscles of the pelvic floor both externally and internally, palpating to locate trigger points of pain and guiding patients to manually tighten or loosen muscles to assess tone and function. The goal of PFPT is to ease symptoms so that patients can get back to their daily routine, including being able to control their bladder better or take part in sports and exercises that they enjoy.
Pelvic floor physical therapy can include techniques or exercises like trigger point therapy, which puts pressure on a spot on your body, internally or externally, to relieve pain and tension. Other techniques include biofeedback therapy, electrical stimulation, and exercises that help your pelvic muscles relax and get stronger. The number of sessions needed will vary, and each session is customized to address the patients needs and symptoms.
PFPT can be used to address a variety of conditions, including:
- Urinary incontinence
- Pelvic pain
- Constipation
- Anismus
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Pain during sex
PFPT can also be beneficial for postpartum women, including increasing muscle strength and endurance on top of decreasing the rate of urinary incontinence. More research is needed to determine the best treatments within PFPT and/or interdisciplinary approaches to treatments for these disorders.
