Prolapse and Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

So you’ve been diagnosed with prolapse, or think you might have it. What now?

Maybe you’ve heard that you should do pelvic floor physical therapy for prolapse, and I am sure you have a lot of questions! 

First off, What is Prolapse? 

Prolapse is when one or more of the pelvic organs are descending out of position and pushing into the vaginal canal. The pelvic organs include the bladder, rectum, and uterus. 

When one or more of these structures are pushing into the vaginal canal, it can cause feelings of heaviness, pressure, or bulging. It can also cause difficulty with emptying the bladder or bowels well.

Source: Cleveland Clinic

How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Treats Prolapse

Pelvic floor PT is a specialized therapy used to help relieve pain and discomfort used for a wide range of different health conditions that stem from dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles.

Our first goal of pelvic floor physical therapy is to educate the patient regarding their current condition. We want the patient to have a good understanding of their body so they can understand their progress and how to maintain it. After we find the causes of the problem and treat them, the patient will be able to progress their activity level and maintain their progress.

Let’s take a look at how pelvic floor therapy can treat prolapse: 

Step 1: assess the prolapse

First, we will assess the situation. This is accomplished via internal examination. One finger is inserted vaginally, then a visual exam is performed while the patient bears down. This will help the therapist to visualize what organ is prolapsing and how much. 

Step 2: identify the underlying causes

This is the most important step! In order to solve a problem, we first have to identify its cause. Prolapse is a pressure issue, meaning too much pressure is being placed on the pelvic floor. This could be due to incorrect pelvic floor activation, incorrect abdominal activation, breath-holding, constipation, etc. 

Step 3: treat the underlying causes 

After we identify the underlying causes, we will go ahead and treat them! This means treating both the external factors (can include hip mobility, hip strength, core strength, etc.) and also the internal factors (can include pelvic floor strength, pelvic floor tightness, etc.) 

Sign Up for Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Interested in solving your prolapse problem? Talk with a Maryland pelvic floor therapist today!