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The Femina Physical Therapy Blog

Featuring original articles by our staff about current events and trends

Explore our insightful blog articles on pelvic health, where we delve into essential topics that empower and educate. From understanding pelvic floor disorders to strategies for conquering infertility, our content is designed for those seeking knowledge and support. We discuss the latest research, expert advice, and practical tips to enhance your well-being and foster a deeper connection to your body.

Featured From the Blog:

Therapeutic Breast Massage in Lactation (TBML)

Therapeutic Breast Massage in Lactation | Image Courtesy of Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz via Unsplash

Therapeutic Breast Massage in Lactation Can Help Make Breastfeeding Less Painful

Breastfeeding is widely accepted as the normal standard for providing nutrition to newborns, however, many women who do not reach their breastfeeding goals. US national data stated that breast pain was a commonly reported reason for women weaning less than 1 month postpartum. Within that segment, 29% of women who participated in the study stated that “breastfeeding was too painful” to continue.

In the same study, 24% of women reported “breasts feel(ing) too full or engorged” as another reason to discontinue breastfeeding prior to 1 month postpartum.¹ Currently, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding of infants for the first six months of life. As physical therapists who treat patients with postpartum conditions, we are well positioned to make a big impact on patients with breastfeeding related pain and reduce barriers to continued breastfeeding!

Restorative 20 Minute Home Yoga Practice For Chronic Pelvic Pain

Yoga Practice For Chronic Pelvic Pain Can Be a Very Helpful Routine

As stated in my last blog post, yoga can be so beneficial as a pain management tool due to its ability to modulate the sympathetic nervous system3,4 which plays a large role in chronic pain. The exact mechanism of how yoga helps with chronic pain is still being studied, however, it is reasonable to believe the full body relaxation promoted by a yoga practice helps to decrease tension in key muscle groups- including the hips and pelvic floor which are often tight in people with chronic pelvic pain.

Currently, evidence has mostly focused on one hour long practices as an intervention, although there are some studies that report improvements in pain with shorter practices, such as the routine below. As with any mobility/stretching routine, benefits will be seen with more frequent practice, however even twice weekly can help decrease pain.

Why a Multidisciplinary Team is Best for Treatment of Bloating and Abdominal Distension

Bloating and Abdominal Distension Often Benefit Greatly from Multidisciplinary Treatment

Bloating, abdominal distension, loose stools, constipation, abdominal or pelvic pain, fatigue, brain fog, weakness, nutritional deficiencies…

These symptoms may be caused by a variety of gastrointestinal or pelvic conditions. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, this article is a good place to start when deciding who to have on your care team, and what treatments can help!

Bloating is the sensation of excess abdominal gas or a feeling of being distended without obvious visible abdominal distension. Some people have a feeling of fullness or discomfort in the upper abdominal area. Abdominal distension is the visible increase in abdominal girth. A multidisciplinary treatment team of primary care physicians (PCPs), gastroenterologists, dieticians/ nutritionists, and physical therapists is ideal to help manage these symptoms and find the root cause. For example, symptoms of bloating and abdominal distension affect 66 - 90% diagnosed with IBS. Getting the proper diagnosis can help direct the best treatment options for you.

Details: Written by: Staff; Published: 30 October 2018; Last Updated: 13 April 2021; 9071 Views

A 101 on the credentials, training, and skills of a pelvic floor physical therapist

Two recently published articles, in the International Urogynecology Journal and in Neurourology and Urodynamics talk about the positive outcomes of treatment with trained pelvic floor therapists. Today is a basic rundown of what kinds of credentials, training, and skills a pelvic floor physical therapist has to offer you.

Credentials

Pelvic floor therapists are often physical therapists (PT), a discipline that requires academically rigorous coursework and covers topics from anatomy and kinesiology, to neuroscience, and the evaluation, treatment, and management of common diagnoses. They are also trained in a medical system, and are aware of "red flags" in signs and symptoms that patients may present with. These "red flags" will typically require additional medical referral to rule in or out (i.e. suspected masses, infection, etc).

You will often find a jumble of letters after your pelvic floor therapist’s name. Here is a breakdown of what those letters mean:

PT, MPT, MSPT, or DPT: These letters represent the degree that your pelvic floor physical therapist earned. For many years, physical therapists earned a bachelor's degree prior to becoming licensed. Later, schools transitioned to master's degree programs. The letters MPT or MSPT indicates a master's degree in physical therapy. Most programs today now train therapists for a DPT degree, which stands for doctorate of physical therapy.

Details: Written by: Staff; Published: 09 October 2018; Last Updated: 08 October 2024; 12768 Views

What are the Links Between Menopause and Pelvic Health?

Menopause is a period of life transition for many of us. Today we will review what menopause is and how symptoms can negatively affect pelvic health, including bowel, bladder and sexual function.

What Happens During Menopause?

Menopause is an important life transition for those with female anatomy, marking the end of the regular menstrual cycle and the transition to life beyond the reproductive period.

Babies born with female anatomy have a set number of eggs which are stored in their ovaries. The ovaries make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control monthly periods and ovulation. Menopause happens when ovaries no longer regularly release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

Pelvic Floor Therapy May Be One of Your Best Painful Periods Treatment Options

Painful periods are common, but why suffer?

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, more than half of those who have periods suffer from “dysmenorrhea” (pain associated with their cycles) 1-2 days each month.

What causes the pain?

There are two main causes of the pain associated with menstruation:

Details: Written by: Staff; Published: 13 September 2018; Last Updated: 08 October 2024; 11604 Views

Tightly Wound released on Iris!

Tightly Wound has been released, watch it today and share it with your loved ones and anyone else who may need more education on vaginismus and pain with sex.

Tightly Wound is a 15-minute animated short by Shelby Hadden. Our very own Heather Jeffcoat, DPT is one of the producers of film.

Learn All About Pilates and the Pelvic Floor

And How Pilates Can Strengthen the Pelvic Floor

A modified Pilates program can be a fantastic way to improve the strength of the pelvic floor muscles. A 2018 study by Lausen et al. had clients attend weekly one-hour Pilates classes over the course of six weeks. These classes used a type of Modified Pilates which consisted of Pilates exercises which had been modified and led by a physical therapist to specifically target the pelvic floor for the management of urinary incontinence. Those who attended the Pilates classes reported less leakage, improved self-esteem, decreased social embarrassment and lower impact of incontinence. Some of the women also reported improvement in their personal relationships after attending the classes.

In another 2011 study by Phrompaet et al., researchers found Pilates to be an effective treatment for instability in the low back and pelvis, which is a common contributor to pelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction.

Learn All About Pelvic Organ Prolapse and the Role of Yoga in Recovery

Yoga can help manage pelvic organ prolapse, but there are also some poses, movements and breathing methods that could make the condition worse.

What is a Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

"Prolapse" refers to a descending or drooping of organs. Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) refers to the prolapse or drooping of any of the pelvic floor organs, including: the bladder, uterus, vagina, small bowel, or rectum. These organs are said to prolapse if they descend into or outside of the vaginal canal or anus.

Read our previous blog for more information on prolapse and how pelvic floor therapy can help.

Which yoga poses will help and which poses will make it worse?

Yoga has been found to help women with urinary incontinence, but will it help with prolapse?

Details: Written by: Staff; Published: 22 June 2018; Last Updated: 10 September 2024; 96897 Views

Do You Know the Difference Between Rectal Prolapse and Hemorrhoids?

We continue Pelvic Organ Prolapse Awareness Month by talking about Rectal prolapse and hemorrhoids, two conditions that are commonly mistaken for one another.

Rectal prolapse and hemorrhoids can both cause irritation, discomfort, and pain in the anal region. However the causes and treatment can be different for both conditions.

Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are veins in the lower rectum that become swollen or stretched. They are similar to varicose veins in the lower legs. There are two types of hemorrhoids: internal and external.

Internal hemorrhoids are swollen veins inside the rectum. Sometimes these swollen veins begin to descend and come out through the anal sphincter.

External hemorrhoids: are swollen veins that can be seen and often felt under the skin outside around the anal sphincter. Usually they look like a small bulge and are the same color as the skin.

Details: Written by: Staff; Published: 21 June 2018; Last Updated: 10 September 2024; 6322 Views

Learn How Yoga Reduces Urinary Incontinence in Older Women

A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association this past May of 2018 shows that a 3-month yoga intervention can reduce the frequency of urinary incontinence (UI) in women aged 50 years or older.

In the randomized trial completed by Dr. Alison Huang, MD and colleagues, a 3 month yoga therapy program was conducted with a group of 56 ambulatory women aged 50 years or older. These women had previously reported daily leaks and were not using any other clinical UI treatments.

The yoga program consisted of classes twice a week and one session of home practice weekly for three months. The therapeutic yoga classes were based out of the BKS Iyengar style of yoga.

After the three month trial, researchers saw a 74% decrease in daily leakage reported by the women in the yoga class. The women reported no negative outcomes related to the yoga practice.

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