Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
Beneficial at any stage of life - pelvic health physiotherapy is used as a first-line treatment in the management of incontinence and pelvic pain.
It is so much more than Kegels.
Pelvic health physiotherapy can help support you during pregnancy, prepare your pelvic floor for birth and rehabilitate these muscles postpartum. Plus, some women may experience pelvic floor symptoms despite never having given birth, or symptoms may arise much later in life. It is never too late to seek help for common pelvic health concerns!
You are more than a pelvis!
It is common to hear “I tried Kegels and they didn’t work”. Pelvic health concerns go way beyond the pelvic floor, and Kegels are not appropriate for everyone. You deserve a program tailored to you, based on a comprehensive individualized assessment.
Stop putting your life on hold due to bladder leakage or debilitating pelvic pain, and get back to playing with and lifting your kids, and exercising in ways that make you happy.
People who would benefit from pelvic floor physio:
Those who leak when they sneeze, cough, jump, lift, etc.
People with pain in the pelvic region, including SI joints, hips, and low back; or pain with intercourse.
Those who have pelvic pressure or a diagnosis of prolapse.
If pregnant and wanting to prepare for birth.
If recovering from birth (both vaginal and cesarean).
Those with diastasis recti looking to restore their core.
If pregnant or postpartum and looking for guidance on maintaining or returning to exercise.
Possible Outcomes with Pelvic Health PT
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No Leaking
Get back to activities you love without worrying about leaking with things like jumping, running, or lifting, even after kids.
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Relief from Pain
You do not need to live with pelvic pain. Pelvic physio can help whether you are experiencing it during pregnancy or otherwise.
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Prepared for Birth
Get the education you deserve on how to effectively prepare your mind and body for birth while minimizing impact on the pelvic floor.
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Relief from Pelvic Pressure
Participate in daily life and activities you enjoy without the heaviness holding you back.
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Stronger Core
Stay connected to your core in pregnancy, and rehab and retrain it postpartum - after vaginal or cesarean birth, and if dealing with diastasis recti.
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Fewer Bathroom Trips
Learn tips to reduce those inconvenient bathroom trips. It’s not your “small bladder” causing them.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Pelvic health physiotherapy is a branch of orthopedic physiotherapy that focuses on the muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and fascia of the pelvic girdle. The pelvic floor muscles are a basket of muscles that sit at the base of the pelvis connecting from the pubic bone in the front to the tailbone at the back, and side to side between the sitz bones. They provide support for your pelvic organs (bladder, rectum, uterus), help to maintain urinary and fecal continence, provide stability for the lumbo-pelvic and hip joints, and aid in sexual function and circulation through the pelvis. A registered pelvic health physiotherapist has received advanced training and certification in the muscles and tissues of the pelvis and will use internal (vaginal and/or rectal) and external techniques to assess and treat the pelvic floor and associated structures.
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Those experiencing any of the following:
Incontinence (urinary or fecal)
Urinary/fecal urgency and frequency
Pelvic organ prolapse
Diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
Pelvic girdle pain (SI joint, pubic symphysis)
Coccydynia (tailbone pain)
Dyspareunia (pain during intercourse)
Vaginismus
Vulvodynia/Vestibulodynia
Pudendal neuralgia
Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis
Pain associated with endometriosis and/or dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
Constipation
Hip, low back and sacroiliac joint pain that has not responded to traditional care
If pregnant and wanting to prepare your body (including pelvic floor) for birth and get a head start on your postpartum recovery.
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Absolutely. A comprehensive pelvic assessment should involve the whole body as everything is connected. In order to address your pelvic symptoms we may need to treat beyond the pelvis (upper/mid/low back, hips, knees, ankles, etc).
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The internal exam (vaginal and/or rectal) is performed to assess the pelvic floor muscles and associated structures. This is critical in identifying the tone, strength, and control of your pelvic floor muscles. However, if you do not want to have an internal exam it is not mandatory. The procedure, benefits, and alternative options will be explained to you so you can make an informed decision. You may withdraw consent at any time should you change your mind.
Learn more about Spera Health Physiotherapy
Serving Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma Region
765 Queen Street East Suite 101
Sault Ste. Marie, ON, P6A 2A8