Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, fascia and ligaments that sit deep in the pelvis, starting at the pubic bone at the front and finishing at the tailbone at the back, forming a floor-like structure at the base of the pelvis – hence the term pelvic floor.
The pelvic floor has a number of important roles, including
- Keeping closure around the bladder to prevent leakage of urine
- Keeping closure around the rectum to prevent bowel leakage
- Providing a support system to the uterus, bladder and bowel to prevent prolapse
- Working closely with our abdominal muscles to help stabilise our spine, hips, pelvis and ribs.
Whilst having a strong pelvic floor is important for all these functions, it is also essential that we can effectively relax our pelvic floor to allow the emptying of our bladder and bowels, and most importantly, birth a baby!
When should I get my pelvic floor checked?
Women’s Health Physios strongly believe that all women should get their pelvic floor checked at least twice for each pregnancy – once during the pregnancy (ideally around 20-24 weeks gestation), and once about 6 weeks post-partum.
A check during pregnancy allows us to check that you’re activating your pelvic floor correctly, how strong your pelvic floor is, how tight or ‘overactive’ it is, and also whether you can fully relax your pelvic floor – this last part is really important if you’re planning a vaginal delivery.
Once you’ve had your baby, a pelvic floor assessment gives us the chance to have an in-depth chat with you about your birth – how you delivered your baby, if any interventions such as forceps or an episiotomy were required, if you sustained any tears, and how big your baby was. These factors can all have an impact on your pelvic floor. The assessment will allow us to check your strength, assess for any prolapse, and help tailor an exercise program to your individual needs, including working to address any incontinence you may be experiencing.
What does a pelvic floor assessment involve?
A pelvic floor assessment is no more scary than a pap smear! The assessment will start off with a chat with our women’s health physio and some general questions about your health, exercise and any symptoms you may be experiencing, as well as your birth story if you are coming for a post-natal pelvic floor check. The physio will then go through how the assessment will work and if you’re comfortable to proceed, gain your consent prior to starting.
A pelvic floor assessment will start with the physio observing how you contract your pelvic floor – this may include holding for a number of seconds to check your endurance, and seeing if you can maintain that pelvic floor contraction while you cough. For the internal part of the assessment, the physio will insert one gloved, lubricated finger which will allow them to accurately assess the tone and strength of your pelvic floor. For a post-natal pelvic floor check, a gloved, lubricated wooden tongue depressor may also be inserted to help us check for prolapse – this is a lot more comfortable than a cold metal speculum used for pap smears!
At each stage of the assessment, the physio will explain what is happening, and you can ask to stop the assessment at any stage if you are experiencing any pain or discomfort, or are uncomfortable proceeding. The exam itself takes no more than 5-10 minutes.
For any further information on a pelvic floor check, please contact us via email or on 0431 221 381. You can also book an appointment online by clicking the button at the top of the page.