Why Pelvic Health Is A Lifestyle

If you've been referred to physical therapy before you are probably familiar with this model.

You likely attended 1-2x a week for 6-8 weeks, made some progress, and then were told it was time to be done with physical therapy.

You may have been overjoyed to have attended PT for a few weeks and leave with your issues resolved. Or, you might have felt relief and being freed from this burden of attending therapy every week. Or, you might have felt dismissed and discounted, as your issues did not improve and now there's no where to turn.

I have issues with this traditional model, I can see why!

I am here to argue that physical therapy is a lifestyle, not something that last for 6 weeks following an injury and is then complete.

Especially when it comes to pelvic health.

Prevention

Many major injuries are actually preventable. Often there are clear warning signs that will lead up to an issue. Our current healthcare model does not lend itself easily to prevention, but preventative measures can dramatically improve overall quality of life.

Let's take ankle injuries as an example. Once a bad ankle sprain has occurred, an individual is at a higher risk for another bad ankle sprain or fracture later. Rehabilitation for a severe ankle sprain is important, but checking in periodically to measure how well the ankle is balancing and reacting to forces can help prevent another severe injury.

Pelvic organ prolapse is another example. Prolapse is a problem associated with pressure distribution in the core. If we can see moms prior to developing issues for core system analysis, it's possible we help prevent prolapse from occurring.

Ongoing Treatment

Engaging in physical therapy for wellness is an important part of developing and maintaining a healthy core system and promoting health for the rest of your life.

In pelvic floor physical therapy this can look like fertility treatment, core activation, and hip stability prior to pregnancy, ongoing prenatal care during pregnancy, and postpartum rehabilitation after.

Following completion of postpartum therapy, ongoing wellness visits can help moms manage the challenges of postpartum lifestyle, subsequent pregnancies, and even help the transition into menopause with recommendations for maintaining bone mineral density and and management of pelvic health issues that are frequently associated with menopause.

Wellness visits

For moms that are otherwise healthy, I recommend at least one wellness visit a year. In a wellness visit, I review how their core system is operating, address any concerns that have arisen, and screen for good posture, alignment, and hip strength.

For moms that suffer from chronic illnesses or more complex issues wellness visits can be more often or simply become regular, long-term treatment sessions.

Even those that feel healthy and pain free can benefit from physical therapy as a lifestyle. We can treat the most common aches and pains that arise and can help screen, prevent and manage many major medical issues before they escalate.

Conclusion

Having a pelvic floor physical therapist in your corner long-term will pay dividends when it comes to your overall health.

The traditional model of physical therapy doesn't do justice to what physical therapy can truly do for you. My practice is structured in such a way that clients can get ongoing help whenever they need it.

I am a proud advocate of preventative and wellness visits! If you haven't yet, make sure you book yours today!