Category Archives: Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy

C-Section Pre-hab and Rehab

While many people experience a pivot from an expected vaginal delivery to an emergency Cesarean Section (C-Section) birth. There are also many people who have a planned or scheduled C-Section.

If this is the case, Physiotherapist can help prepare you in advance for the birth as well as the first few days. While many people try and soften the process by titling it a “C-Section birth” and a view point that it is as valid of a birthing process as a vaginal birth (which it IS!). A C-Section is still a surgical procedure that has different considerations when it comes to recovery than a vaginal birth.

It is possible to have have pelvic floor issues post c-section even when / if a person has not laboured, had to push, or delivered vaginally.

yoga stretching poses from an oakville virtual physio — Postnatal Physio-C-Section

These pelvic floor issues post C-Section may be:

Pain / discomfort with urination
Stress or urge urinary incontinence
Pelvic floor pain or discomfort
Bowel issues / constipation
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP)

In the early days post C-Section your pelvic floor focussed physio can provide you with a plan in how to set your home environment up to best help your own recovery as you care for a newborn.

Once your C-Section incision is healed, your pelvic floor focussed physio can assess and gently treat your scar / incision or the surrounding area. Your Physio can also assess your pelvic floor. You should be provided with some education and a plan of how you can self treat at home and how to fit it into your new life!

If you have not had your scar massaged or worked on by a physio and you are further down the road of your recovery, if is never too late. People are often surprised by how much C-Section scar work as part of physio treatment can help with low back issues and pelvic floor tension / issues as well as in the local area.

If you are interested in a pre-hab or prenatal physiotherapy session for a schedule C-section we are here for you. We are able to see you in person in our North Oakville Physio clinic. We are also able to “see” you virtually via Telehealth if you are residing or have a permanent address in Ontario.

We are able to provide direct billing to most insurance companies.

Burlington, c-section, core, Direct billing, Massage, Milton, North Oakville, Palermo Physio, pelvic floor, post natal, Prehab, prenatal, scar, telehealth, virtual

A Few Surprising Things About Pelvic Health Physiotherapy

The majority of men and women diagnosed with pelvic health issues such as endometriosis or chronic prostatitis, do not know that there are treatment options beyond medications and surgeries.

In addition to the general population knowing little about alternative or supplementary treatment options, there are many healthcare practitioners that also do not know this. This means that there are many people who are not offered care that will likely make a large impact in their lives. That pelvic health physiotherapy can help with pain and function in these pelvic conditions is still undiscovered territory.

When To See a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

3 common reasons people access a pelvic health physiotherapist in our Oakville clinic:

1. Pre & Post Natal Health

Did you know that in France it is protocol to provide a post-natal woman a full-course of pelvic floor physio treatment? A pelvic floor physiotherapist can help a woman recover from pregnancy-related pain, a traumatic or complicated birth, and prevent possible future pelvic surgeries. They will ensure that a woman’s recovery is facilitated and that they are educated adequately in safe return to activity, sport and exercise. this is based on tissue healing time, strength, whether there is pelvic organ prolapse present etc.

A pelvic health physiotherapist can also be helpful in the prenatal period with pelvic pain and low back pain. They are also able to help with labour preparation to ensure that you are able to relax your pelvic floor.

2. Incontinence

1/3 women experience incontinence throughout their lives. Physiotherapy has been shown to help a person who experiences different types of incontinence, such as stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urgency incontinence. Incontinence does not have to be a normal part of the aging process.

Incontinence is most commonly due to weakness of the pelvic floor muscles. Women and men who experience incontinence and bladder dysfunction are helped the most when a pelvic health physiotherapist helps them strengthen their pelvic floor and insure they are doing the exercises properly.

3. Pelvic Pain

1/3 women and men will experience pelvic pain at some point in their lives. Men may experience pain in their testicles or penis, while women may experience vulvar or clitoral pain. Both men and women may experience bladder pain, tailbone pain or pressure in the rectum.

To the relief of their patients, pelvic floor physiotherapists can often find soft tissue dysfunctions that contribute to the patient’s pain.

Injury to the lower body, repeated infections and stress can cause reflexive muscle guarding of the pelvic floor muscles. Occasionally these tissues retain the memory of the injury and stay contracted, leading to trigger points and referred pelvic pain.

Pelvic health physiotherapists often find that muscular trigger points inside the pelvic floor contribute to the pain associated with endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, constipation, hemorrhoids, itching and burning that tests negative for yeast, pain with sexual activity, testicular pain and chronic prostatitis. Some women continue to experience symptoms associated with a urinary tract infection (UTI), as the tissues around the urethra stay contracted.

Accessing pelvic health physiotherapy can impact a persons quality of life substantially in the above cases.

endometriosis, Massage, Oakville, Palermo, pelvic floor, pelvic health, pelvic pain, Physio, Physiotherapy, post-natal, Pre-Natal

Leaking when you Cough / Laugh does not have to be your “norm”!- From an Oakville Physio

Do you lose urine when you cough, laugh, jump…? This does not have to be your norm. This does not have to be something you “just deal with”. There are many products marketed in such a way as to think they are the ONLY solution. While the products can help maintain a quality of life and have as a back-up in case leakage does happen, there are other treatment options.

Other treatment options for urinary incontinence can be provided by a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist. Like most Physiotherapy treatment, it is helpful to see the Physio as soon as possible, however, even if you have been experiencing problems for years, it is never too late to seek help from a Physio.

What Causes Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence can occur at any age. Common contributors to urinary incontinence that our Oakville Pelvic Health Physio sees includes anything that weakens the pelvic floor. This includes; pregnancies, pressure management issues of the core, prolapse of the pelvic organs, aging and menopause, prostatitis.

Do not be embarrassed if you experience urinary incontinence. It is more common than most think. Upon consultation with your Oakville Pelvic Health Physiotherapist, they will discuss with you how an assessment will progress. They may assess how your low back, pelvis and hips move. They will likely assess the musculature of your pelvic floor. It is through this assessment that they are best able to guide you in specific exercises for you. They will also be able to tell if you are doing the prescribed exercises properly.

It is important to try Physiotherapy and a course of exercises and progressive strengthening prior to more invasive medical procedures.

Burlington, incontinence treatment, Oakville, Palermo, pelvic health, Pelvic health physiotherapy, Physio, urine leakage

Physiotherapy for Urinary Incontinence

Registered Physiotherapists treat a multitude of issues that can impact people over a lifespan. One of the less talked about issues that Physiotherapists treat is urinary incontinence.

What is Urinary Incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of bladder control, and general bladder weakness. It have a large impact on a person’s life. Not only is it a hygiene issue, it is also a social issue.

It is far more common than people think. It is not spoken about, an when it is it may be in an offhanded way that does not offer real solutions.

Did you know in Canada:

3.3 million have incontinence issues
1/4 women are incontinent
1/9 men are incontinent
1/6 children under 17 have incontinence issues

The most problematic statistic is the low prevalence of people who seek treatment.

1/12 people seek treatment because they are embarrassed to talk about it or don’t know help (such as pelvic floor physiotherapy) is available.

Types of Incontinence:

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI)
Urge Incontinence or Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Overflow incontinence
Functional incontinence
Mixed incontinence (stress + urge)

Incontinence is not only an “older person” problem, it is not inevitable and it does not have to be “lived with”. It is treatable and preventable.

A Pelvic Health Physiotherapist can be helpful in providing a solution and treating urinary incontinence. A proper assessment is vital to ensure the type of incontinence is delineated as well as assessing if the pelvic floor muscles may be contributing (if they are tight or weak). This requires an internal pelvic floor examination. This is important to ensure the best course of treatment, advise and exercises that are provided by the Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist.

Receiving proper treatment and advice regarding urinary incontinence can impact a persons quality of life greatly.

To book in with our Oakville Pelvic Health Physiotherapist at Palermo Physiotherapy and Wellness Centre email info@palermophysio.ca or call (905) 582-9700.

Burlington, incontinence, Massage, Milton, Oakville, Palermo, pelvic floor, pelvic health, Physio