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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:
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...
Understanding Relaxin: Why It Doesn’t Cause Pain in Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of significant physical and hormonal changes, and among the many hormones involved, Relaxin plays a crucial role. However, there’s a common misconception that Relaxin is responsible for pain during pregnancy. Let’s take a closer look at what Relaxin does and why it doesn’t directly cause pain.
What is Relaxin?
Relaxin is a regulatory hormone involved in growth, metabolism, and tissue remodeling after an injury to our bones, ligaments, muscles or tendons (Dehghan 2014). During pregnancy, Relaxin levels begin to increase in the first trimester to help the body prepare for childbirth by relaxing the ligaments in the pelvis and softening the cervix (Aldabe 2012, Daneau 2014). The ligaments of the pelvis will begin to relax around the 10th-12th week of pregnancy (Aldabe 2012). This process allows for greater flexibility in the pelvic area, facilitating delivery and accommodating the growing baby.
Read more: Understanding Relaxin: Why It Doesn’t Cause Pain in...
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.
Read more: Why a Multidisciplinary Team is Best for Treatment of...
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- Written by: Staff
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Learn About the Link Between Scoliosis and Pelvic Floor Health
Scoliosis is a 3D curvature of the spine.
If you recall from part 1, scoliosis is a 3D curvature of the spine. Some people get it in early childhood or adolescence, and others get it as an adult. This can lead to low back pain, breathing difficulties, and ... affect the function of the pelvic floor muscles!
Read more: Scoliosis and Pelvic Floor Health: Part 2 Scoliosis...
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- Written by: Staff
- 2948 Views
June is Scoliosis Awareness Month!
Scoliosis is a 3D curvature of the spine. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2-3% of the US population currently have some form of scoliosis.
Types of Scoliosis
There are many different types. There is juvenile scoliosis starting at a young age, or adult-onset scoliosis. It can be categorized as congenital, neuromuscular, or most common form idiopathic scoliosis.
Read more: Scoliosis and Conservative Physical Therapy: Part 1...
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- Written by: Debbie Dy, PT, DPT
- 6430 Views
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!
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- Written by: Kasia Gondek, PT, DPT, CLT, CSCS
- 4574 Views
Yoga for Urinary Incontinence is a Thing
By Kasia Gondek PT, DPT, CSCS, certification in Yoga for Pelvic Pain through the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute
When I am working with fitness or physical therapy clients, I often incorporate mindfulness, breathwork, and yoga postures (asanas) into our sessions together to cue pelvic floor muscle awareness. For thousands of years, yoga has been practiced daily as a discipline for the mind, body, and community to restore balance and overall health. Yoga has been shown to be useful in reducing anxiety, perceived stress, and autonomic nervous system imbalances that are risk factors for urinary incontinence. Yoga postures can improve and maintain general lower extremity and core muscle strength, balance, and conditioning, which has been shown to protect against incontinence in older females.1 An estimated 15 - 40% of females in their 40s to 60s experience some form of urinary incontinence.2
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- Written by: Staff
- 7323 Views
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month.
Today, we explore different exercises someone can do at home to relieve endometriosis pain.
For more information on endometriosis, see our article HERE.
Before we begin exploring gentle movements to relieve endometriosis pain, we will cover how someone may identify the pain they are having could be endometriosis. The unfortunate truth is that endometriosis can only be confirmed through laparoscopic surgery. Most people go years without getting a diagnosis or proper treatment. One study found that the average delay of diagnosis is 8.5 years!1 This is for many reasons, including the lack of awareness of the condition, the many bodily systems it involves that complicates the clinical picture, and the absence of noninvasive diagnostic testing to detect endometriosis. Through this, doctors are able to identify the endometrial-like tissue (tissue that is similar to, but not the same as, the lining of the uterus) that can be found throughout the body.
Read more: 5 Simple Exercises to Reduce and Relieve Endometriosis Pain
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- Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 5288 Views
Exploring the Mind-Body Connection to Painful Sex
Pain during sex isn’t in your head… but it can ‘get into your head’.
The medical community recently had a major a-ha moment about painful sex. It’s something the women who suffer from it have always known – but the results of a recent study about it could be a game-changer for treatment.
Whether you have a clinical diagnosis like vaginismus or dyspareunia, or you just know that sex hurts, painful sex is a common problem - almost half of all women will experience it at some point in life. More than 20% of premenopausal women say sex is painful; the prevalence is higher in women under 30. For some, it’s difficulty during intercourse; for others, it’s significant pain upon penetration. Still, others may not be able to experience penetration at all.
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- Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 3926 Views
Helping Women in Need With Our Community in Mind
The Origin Fund is dedicated to facilitating access to services that address a person’s physical, emotional and medical needs. Our focus is on individuals with pelvic health dysfunctions, and we are dedicated to improving the biopsychosocial aspects of each person as a whole. Through education, outreach and providing access to these services, we can support individuals on their journey to address their pain and dysfunction—linking patients to our network of referrals that provide these services.
Read more: Introducing The Origin Fund - Helping Women in Need
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- Written by: Staff
- 32830 Views
Let's Look at the Effects of Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength on Orgasm
Hint: strong pelvic floor muscles = strong orgasm
The world is learning more and more about the pelvic floor and the many ways that it can be treated. At Femina Physical Therapy, we have spoken about pelvic rehab for urinary, bowel, birth, pregnancy, bladder, erectile issues, and many more. But we all know the question that everyone wants answered: Does pelvic floor strength affect orgasm?
Well reader, you came to the right place.
Read more: The Effects of Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength on Orgasm
