Are you experiencing urinary leakage when you cough, sneeze, laugh, run or jump? This is called ‘stress incontinence, which affects 4 in 10 women and 1 in 10 men.

Are you having pain in your buttock areas and difficulty initiating bowel/bladder movements?

Do you experience pain with sex? As many as 75% of women will experience pain during sex at some point, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Answered YES to any or all of the above?

You may be experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction. And you’re not alone. In fact, 1 in 3 Canadian women are affected by a condition associated with pelvic floor dysfunction.

Okay so now you know you could have pelvic floor dysfunction, so you pick up the phone and call a pelvic floor physiotherapist, you book an appointment, you hang up.

Your next thought… I have no idea what to expect at a pelvic floor physiotherapy session.

Here’s what to expect at a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy session

Upon arriving, you will be greeted by one of our top-tier patient coordinators. The Physiotherapist will meet you in the front and guide you to a private room. We aim to connect with our patients and create a safe space where they can feel comfortable discussing issues and goals with us openly.

Your initial assessment will consist of discussing history, symptom, lifestyle, medical/surgical/pregnancy history and anything else you think could be important to discuss.

The discussion is then followed by a physical assessment, either external, internal or both. This will be determined by your comfort level and what YOU would like to get out of the appointment. You are in the driver seat with what kind of session you would like.

Upon completion of an assessment, your physiotherapist will discuss a plan of care tailor-made for you and pertaining to fulfill your goals.

Is an internal assessment always needed?

An internal assessment provides your physiotherapist clinical information about your muscle tone, strength, endurance which can help determine the Direction of your treatment. Your physiotherapist will always prioritize your comfort and consent for the internal assessments the most. To answer the above question, an internal assessment is not needed if you do not feel comfortable, however it is highly recommended.

Internal assessments hold an irreplaceable value to physiotherapists as it can guide the treatment towards the completion of your goals.

What does a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Treatment consist of?

Physiotherapy treatment can consist of pelvic floor muscle tension release, strengthening and endurance exercises, breathing control patterns, pelvic floor muscle relaxation and pelvic girdle mobility, stretching and strengthening exercises. Your physiotherapist May use tools like cupping, instrument assisted soft tissue release and much more.

If you feel like your pelvic floor isn’t performing optimally, our team can help you. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction is incredibly common, yet so many people suffer in silence. Let us help you take control.

Did you know that your breathing pattern can affect pelvic floor muscle tone and tension?

The diaphragm is an important muscle that controls your breathing. As we breath in, the diaphragm descends and so does your pelvic floor. As we breath out, the diaphragm elevates and so does your pelvic floor! A shallow or breath holding pattern of breathing can therefore prevent the pelvic floor from relaxing and can cause dysfunction of increased tension giving rise to the symptoms above!