Women's Health Therapy
Pelvic Floor Therapy Provides Relief from Incontinence, Pain and More
No one wants to talk about leaking urine when you cough or chronic pelvic
pain from an injury or pregnancy – but everyone wants to find relief.
If you’re dealing with concerns like these, know that many other
women have similar issues and that physical therapy can help make a difference.
You’ll find it here, with specially trained physical therapists
at the IVCH Center for Physical Rehabilitation & Aquatics.
Christine Layhew, DPT, and Sara Burd, DPT, are trained in pelvic floor
therapy, an innovative treatment that can provide relief from conditions
including:
- Urinary incontinence
- Urogynecologic pain syndromes
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Levator ani syndrome
- Vulvodynia
- Interstitial cystitis
- Pain during intercourse
- And more
How does pelvic floor therapy work?
The IVCH physical therapists are trained in assessing your condition to:
- Recognize the key signs and symptoms that lead to impairment
- Address functional limitations and disabilities
- Provide treatment to improve outcomes and produce results
What kinds of treatment will I get with pelvic floor therapy?
Treatment interventions as part of Pelvic Floor Therapy can include:
- Therapeutic exercise
- Manual therapy
- Patient education and behavioral instructions
- Surface electromyography (SEMG) biofeedback
- Electrotherapeutic modalities
- And more
What are some of the conditions that pelvic floor therapy can treat?
Urinary Incontinence
Did you know that an estimated 10-30% of women under the age of 65, 15-30%
of women over 65 and 50% of women living in nursing homes have urinary
incontinence? Because many women think this is an unmentionable issue,
these statistics are probably on the low side of the actual number of
American women who have incontinence problems.
With a referral from your doctor, you can have an evaluation of your pelvic
floor muscles and work with IVCH therapists to strengthen or coordinate
the pelvic floor to decrease the frequency and amount of urinary leakage.
Pelvic Pain
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is one of the most common medical problems affecting
women today. Nearly 15% of all American women ages 18-50 suffer from CPP.
This type of pain can be caused by many different things, including painful
bladder syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, sexual trauma
or physical abuse. CPP can even arise for no apparent reason without any
source or cause.
Treatment can vary; however, after completing an evaluation, you may work
with IVCH therapists on methods including manual therapy, stretching,
pelvic floor strengthening, relaxation techniques and education on personal care.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Care
Research suggests that 50% of women experience low back or pelvic girdle
pain in pregnancy. After the baby is delivered, some women develop pain
due to the hormonal and anatomical changes that happen during pregnancy
or due to labor and delivery.
You can work with IVCH therapists to learn how to use exercise effectively,
improve body mechanics and posture and reduce and manage your pain.
Contact Us
Don’t let embarrassment keep you from getting the relief that’s
possible. If you or anyone you know is suffering with any of these issues,
call the IVCH Center for Physical Rehabilitation and Aquatics at
815.780.3509.