At Patterson Physical Therapy & Wellness Center our therapists take pride in treating patients who have otherwise struggled to achieve improvement with their complex conditions. One of those conditions is pelvic floor dysfunction resulting from having an asymmetrically balanced pelvis.
 
We can help patients with hard to treat pelvic floor disorders such as:

• Stress and urge incontinence
  
• Pelvic floor prolapse
  
• Dyspareunia
  
• Pudendal Neuralgia
  
• Tension Myalgia
  
• Intercystitial Cysitis
  
• Coccygodynia
  

Treatment consists of a non-invasive holistic biomechanical approach that looks at position of the pelvis and muscle imbalances that may be surrounding the pelvis. An extensive evaluation, which includes only external testing, is performed on the first visit. The patient’s treatment program is then developed based on the test results specifically for their problem.  All exercises are based on current pelvic floor research.
 
Home exercises are given for the patient to continue to work on the repositioning of their pelvis and the retraining of the pelvic musculature of the pelvic inlet and outlet.  Once that has occurred, the patient is ready to continue with recommended Pilates based exercise programs to continue their health and wellness journey to overall increased strength.

Since the pelvic floor muscles in your pelvis go around your urethra, vagina and rectum, we need exercises that teach the body a motion of lifting up and in, not pushing down. Pilates aids in specific exercises that can be used in a home-based program for CORE conditioning. Learn how to incorporate a holistic approach to incontinence and how to help yourself through a Pilates-based practice.

• Isolation exercises, focusing on contracting the pelvic floor muscles, and not the abdomen, thigh or buttock muscles.
  
• Internal muscle lifting exercises, focusing on the Transverse Abdominal Muscle Group (TAMG) which forms the front of the CORE muscles.
  
• Strengthening exercises, focusing on the transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle (aka the queen of continence). This muscle runs from front to back and is the primary support for both the spine and the pelvis.
  
• Rib cage breathing techniques, and maintaining a neutral spine, are emphasized in addition to strengthening your TrA muscle. These three together are the recipe for success.
  
• Bending and twisting exercises for your multifidus muscle, on the back of the CORE muscles.

Urinary difficulty, in traditional Chinese Medicine terms, is often linked to the bladder, kidneys, and spleen. The cause is often the body’s exhaustion from labor(s) and the physical and emotional demands of a newborn. Although it can manifest as urinary retention, it is more commonly seen as urinary incontinence.
 
The most common acupuncture points used for addressing urinary incontinence are located on the lower abdomen, middle and low back, and near the ankles and wrists. These points are used to support the kidney, bladder, and spleen function. It is referred to as “tonifying” and “raising the qi” of the patient. The goal is to raise the function of the patient’s body with a series of treatments.
 
Historically, Chinese medicine has been a successful and non-invasive treatment of a wide range of gynecological issues. The needles are extremely thin and sterile. Compared with most procedures, it is quite comfortable. Acupuncture is a complementary style treatment that does not interfere with conventional medicine.