Pelvic Floor Wellness
As we approach Mother’s Day this weekend, we want to draw attention to an area of the body that may cause issues for many mothers, mothers-to-be, postpartum mothers and women in general. Yep, we’re talking about the pelvic floor. What is it, how is it affected by pregnancy, what can you do about it? Read on for the answers to all your questions!
What Exactly Is The Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles located between the tailbone and the pubic bone in the pelvis. They support the bowel and bladder (as well as the uterus and vagina in females). As Dr. Samantha Bennett of West Loop Spine & Stability notes, this is a group of muscles that is often overlooked. “Many people spend a lot of their lives unaware of this part of their body,” she says. Many women become more aware of the pelvic floor, unfortunately, during and after pregnancy, childbirth, and/or surgery.
“More and more weight is added through the pregnancy and hormonal changes also change the connective tissue stability,” says Dr. Bennett. “This results in things becoming more mobile and stretching to accommodate the changes from the growing baby.” Over the course of a pregnancy, the pelvic floor muscles can become weak from being weighed down and these weakened muscles may not return to their optimal strength or function following childbirth.
The Pelvic Floor Postpartum
The most commonly thought of pelvic floor issues following a pregnancy usually tend to be bladder and bowel function (ie bladder leaking when sneezing). According to Dr. Bennett, there can also be a variety of more subtle issues as well, such as groin pain, low back or tailbone pain. It is important to note that while all of these issues may be common postpartum, none of them are normal - meaning if these changes are limiting your function and not allowing you to do what you want or need to do, then something should be done about it. Enter pelvic floor therapy.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
A physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor rehabilitation will be able to assess your strength, coordination, and how you are managing pressure and develop a program to help you. Dr. Bennett advises to explain your symptoms/problems to your provider / gynecologist / urologist and ask about pelvic floor therapy. She also notes that while medication can be helpful temporarily it isn’t usually a long-term solution.
“It’s important to get access to care now; it doesn’t matter how many years since you’ve given birth,” says Dr. Bennett. “It is not just a ‘normal’ part of the birthing process to have these issues. For some women it can get better on it’s own, but tends to come back in later pregnancies or during menopause with hormonal shifts.”
So the time is now - check in on those special women in your life and don’t hesitate to reach out if we can aid in any way.
