The Program | Therapy Options | Eligibility
Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network’s Physical Therapy for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction treats men and women in selected locations.
The Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Program
An internal pelvic exam may be included to assess strength, muscle tension, pain, and scar mobility. The physical therapist will follow the American Physical Therapy Association’s guidelines for conducting a pelvic floor muscle internal examination, which includes: patient and physician consent, no pregnancy, being at least six weeks post-partum or post-surgery, free of active pelvic infection or severe pain, etc.
Evaluation
- History regarding pain, bladder function, surgery
- Physical exam
- Assessment of lumbosacral, abdominal and hip muscles
- perineal assessment following surgical procedures
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Therapy Options
- Education, including anatomy, function, goals of program
- Therapeutic exercise, including muscle strengthening, restoring contract/relax sequence and increased bladder control during activities, soft tissue and/or joint mobilization
- Biofeedback (with surface electrodes or vaginal sensor), electrical stimulation, ultrasound
- Home Program, including instruction in self-management with individualized exercises, guidance in the use of home techniques such as vaginal dilators and vaginal weights, and home unit of biofeedback or electrical stimulation if indicated
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Eligibility
- Pelvic floor laxity
- (Incontinence, mild cystocele, enterocele, rectocele)
- Hypertonicity (pelvic floor tension)/pelvic pain
- (Dyspareunia, levator ani syndrome, vaginismus)
- Muscle weakness following obstetric and gynecological surgical procedures
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