Hi! I’m a pelvic health physical therapist from The Fit Pelvis, and I want to help clear up some confusion around pelvic floor treatments. If you’re looking into pelvic rehab, you might see options like therapy with electrical stimulation or biofeedback done by a nurse or other medical professional. But you may also hear about pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) with a specialist like me. While both biofeedback and electrical stimulation has a useful place it does not take into account the whole person and often leaves people without their desired results.
What’s Pelvic Rehab?
Pelvic rehab or rehabilitation is sometimes done by nurses or other healthcare providers. It often uses machines like electrical stimulation or biofeedback. Electrical stimulation involves placing small pads or probes near the pelvic area, and they send mild electric pulses to your pelvic muscles. This can help them become stronger in pure isolation only. Biofeedback is a different tool that shows you what your pelvic muscles are doing on a screen, so you can learn to control them better. This can be helpful for gaining coordination and awareness of the pelvic floor muscles but in isolation rarely solves anything.
These tools can help some people, especially if their pelvic muscles are very weak or if they have trouble sensing what’s happening down there. But here’s the thing: we don’t use our pelvic floor only while laying down and never in isolation. We have the other core muscles, the hips, the positioning of our pelvis, feet, spine and ribs that play a role in the pelvic floor’s ability to function well. Machines can only do so much on their own. They don’t always teach you how to use these muscles in daily life or why they might not be working well and they never incorporate the whole body into the solution.
What’s Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?
Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) takes a whole-body approach to pelvic health. A physical therapist like me is trained to look at more than just your pelvic muscles. We look at how your body moves, how you breathe, and how your daily activities might be impacting your pelvic area. We determine the cause of your pelvic floor dysfunction and determine exactly why you are leaking, having pain or constipation. Then we can treat the exact problem and have a specific solution for you.
While some people benefit from exercises like Kegels (tightening and releasing the pelvic muscles), they’re not always the answer! Sometimes, your pelvic muscles need to relax, especially if they’re tense or overactive, and doing Kegels could actually make things worse. That’s why it’s so important to work with a specialist who can guide you through what your body needs.
We also take into account your whole being as many factors can play a role in symptoms such as nutrition, fluid intake, bathroom habits, stress, worries, and beliefs about your body.
At The Fit Pelvis, our goal is to get you moving comfortably and confidently, so you can enjoy your life without worrying about your pelvic health. If you want to learn more or ask questions, we’re here to help. Remember, you don’t have to figure this out alone!
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