Pelvic Health Rehabilitation

Targeted therapy so you can stop suffering from painful and embarrassing pelvic conditions

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If you suffer from uncomfortable or embarrassing conditions like pelvic pain while walking or sitting, trouble with urination or bowel movements or painful intercourse, physical therapy can help.

Pelvic health rehabilitation helps treat these and other conditions through exercises that strengthen and restore function to the muscles, nerves and joints of your pelvis, hips and lower back.

Do You Need Pelvic Health Rehabilitation?

Both men and women can benefit from pelvic health rehabilitation. Your doctor may refer you for pelvic health rehab if you’ve had any of the following symptoms:

  • Bladder or bowel dysfunction
  • Pain in your pelvis, hips or lower back
  • Prenatal or postpartum pain
  • Urinary or fecal incontinence
  • Urinary frequency and urgency
  • Pelvic organ prolapse
  • Pain or other chronic symptoms after abdominal, pelvic or prostate surgery

During pelvic floor rehabilitation, a physical therapist works with you to improve the ability of your muscles, nerves and joints to support the organs and functions of your pelvic area. The goal of pelvic floor physical therapy is to get you back to living without pelvic pain and discomfort.

What to Expect

Do You Need Pelvic Health Rehabilitation?

Both men and women can benefit from pelvic health rehabilitation. Your doctor may refer you for pelvic health rehab if you’ve had any of the following symptoms:

  • Bladder or bowel dysfunction
  • Pain in your pelvis, hips or lower back
  • Prenatal or postpartum pain
  • Urinary or fecal incontinence
  • Urinary frequency and urgency
  • Pelvic organ prolapse
  • Pain or other chronic symptoms after abdominal, pelvic or prostate surgery

During pelvic floor rehabilitation, a physical therapist works with you to improve the ability of your muscles, nerves and joints to support the organs and functions of your pelvic area. The goal of pelvic floor physical therapy is to get you back to living without pelvic pain and discomfort.

During your first appointment, your physical therapist will examine the muscles and joints of your pelvic area. You may also need an internal assessment of pelvic muscle activity.

Your therapist will then create a plan to treat the physical causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction. Your treatment may include one, or a combination of:

Therapeutic exercises

These various exercises are designed to stretch and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, as well as the muscles in your hips and lower back.

Hands-on therapy

This type of therapy assists with muscle training and coordination. Hands-on treatments help relax internal muscles for more effective rehabilitation.

Body mechanics, posture and movement

These therapies strengthen the muscles of the hips and lower back to support the pelvis, while you learn how to avoid painful movement patterns.

EMG biofeedback

Using sensors to measure the level of activation in a muscle, this tool provides a visual representation of how your muscles perform during a given movement or exercise.

Preparing for Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

During your first appointment, your physical therapist will examine the muscles and joints of your pelvic area. You may also need an internal assessment of pelvic muscle activity.

Your therapist will then create a plan to treat the physical causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction. Your treatment may include one, or a combination of:

Therapeutic exercises

These various exercises are designed to stretch and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, as well as the muscles in your hips and lower back.

Hands-on therapy

This type of therapy assists with muscle training and coordination. Hands-on treatments help relax internal muscles for more effective rehabilitation.

Body mechanics, posture and movement

These therapies strengthen the muscles of the hips and lower back to support the pelvis, while you learn how to avoid painful movement patterns.

EMG biofeedback

Using sensors to measure the level of activation in a muscle, this tool provides a visual representation of how your muscles perform during a given movement or exercise.

You’ll want to ask questions during your first visit, and during follow-up visits, to help you get the most out of your rehab.

  • How long can I expect treatment to last?
  • Are there exercises I can do at home?
  • Do I need to avoid any activities while I’m recovering?
  • Are there medications that can help me manage my symptoms?
  • Is a urogynecologist right for me?

Questions to Ask Your Provider About Pelvic Health Rehabilitation

You’ll want to ask questions during your first visit, and during follow-up visits, to help you get the most out of your rehab.

  • How long can I expect treatment to last?
  • Are there exercises I can do at home?
  • Do I need to avoid any activities while I’m recovering?
  • Are there medications that can help me manage my symptoms?
  • Is a urogynecologist right for me?

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Patient Stories for Pelvic Health Rehabilitation

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IU Health Urogynecology

IU Health’s nationally recognized urogynecologists have special expertise to diagnose and treat common women’s bladder and bowel problems.

Resources

IU Health Urogynecology

IU Health’s nationally recognized urogynecologists have special expertise to diagnose and treat common women’s bladder and bowel problems.