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:
Hormonal Birth Control and Vulvodynia - Part 1: Combined Hormonal Methods
We Take a Look at Combined Methods of Hormonal Birth Control and Vulvodynia
In this three part series, we will explore the effects of hormonal contraceptive methods and their relationship with vulvodynia.
What is Hormonal Birth Control?
Hormonal birth control methods, such as birth control pills, patches, injections, rings and hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs), work by altering hormone levels in the body to prevent pregnancy. Hormonal contraceptives fall into two categories: combined, meaning they contain both estrogen and progestin (think the pill, patch, or ring), or contain progestin only (think progestin only pill or “POP”, arm implant, IUDs, or injections). While the primary intent of these drugs are for contraception, they are also widely prescribed for other common issues such as: mood imbalance related to periods, skin issues, irregular periods, and painful periods.
Read more: Hormonal Birth Control and Vulvodynia - Part 1: Combined...
Running Mechanics and Pelvic Floor Health: The Impact of Footwear
Did You Know That Proper Footwear Can Improve Your Running Mechanics and Pelvic Floor Health?
How Do My Feet Impact My Pelvic Floor When I Run?
If you are a runner, you tend to look for ways to improve your running. If you’re thinking about starting up or returning to running, it can feel intimidating particularly if you have any symptoms related to pelvic floor dysfunction. This only complicates an exercise that, on the surface, seems fairly straight forward. There are some studies that have looked at how your feet can play a part in your pelvic floor muscle function while you run. And if you are looking to return to running postpartum, read on and also check out this article by one of our pelvic floor physical therapists.
Read more: Running Mechanics and Pelvic Floor Health: The Impact of...
Hormonal Birth Control and Vulvodynia Part 3: The Mini Pill
Is the hormonal birth control mini pill better than the regular pill?
If you have been following along, this is the third part of our hormonal birth control and vulvodynia series. First, we covered how combination methods of birth control (containing synthetic forms of both estrogen and progesterone) could lead to vulvodynia. We then explored if there is a risk of developing vulvodynia after the insertion of a hormonal intrauterine device IUD). In this post, we will delve into the relationship between the progesterone only birth control pill, also called “the mini pill,” and vulvodynia. As a quick refresher, vulvodynia is pain on the vulva, or external genital tissue. For more information about vulvodynia, check out this post on our website.
Read more: Hormonal Birth Control and Vulvodynia Part 3: The Mini Pill
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- Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
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What are Kegels?
Kegels are a contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, sometimes referred to as “PC Contraction”. PC is short for “pubococcygeus”, the name of one of the many pelvic floor muscles.
However, after over a decade of practice, I have found that simply telling a patient to “Do Kegels” is usually not enough. Often, women perform pelvic floor exercises incorrectly, or do not do an amount appropriate for their strength levels. This finding has been confirmed by Bump et al in an August 1991 article from the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, “Assessment of Kegel pelvic muscles exercise performance after brief verbal instruction”.