Incontinence is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It can be embarrassing and disruptive to daily life, but there are effective treatments available. One of these treatments is physiotherapy.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy (PFP) is a specialized type of physiotherapy that focuses on the muscles and tissues of the pelvic floor. These muscles support the bladder, urethra, and other pelvic organs. When these muscles are weak or damaged, it can lead to incontinence.
PFP can help to improve the strength and function of the pelvic floor muscles. This can help to reduce or eliminate incontinence symptoms. PFP can also help to improve bladder control and reduce the frequency of bathroom trips.
There are a variety of exercises that can be done as part of PFP. These exercises are designed to strengthen and tone the pelvic floor muscles. Some of the most common exercises include:
- Kegel exercises: These exercises involve contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles.
- Pelvic floor biofeedback: This involves using electronic sensors to measure the strength and function of the pelvic floor muscles. This feedback can help you to learn how to contract and relax your muscles more effectively.
- Pelvic floor electrical stimulation: This involves using electrical stimulation to contract the pelvic floor muscles. This can help to improve muscle strength and function.
PFP is a safe and effective treatment for incontinence. It can be used to treat a variety of types of incontinence, including stress incontinence, urge incontinence and mixed incontinence.
If you are experiencing incontinence, talk to your local physiotherapist about PFP. It may be the right treatment for you.
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
- National Association for Continence: https://www.nafc.org/
- International Urogynecological Association: https://www.iuga.org/
- Australian Physiotherapy Association: https://www.apta.org/
