What to Expect in Pelvic Therapy Pt 2
In our previous blog, we discussed what happens during the initial evaluation at The Pelvic Model. Here, we will discuss our method, called “The Pelvic Module,” which details what happens in subsequent visits. The Pelvic Module is based on the timeline of how the musculoskeletal system and pelvic floor changes, adapts, and heals.
The Pelvic Module
Educate
The first phase of The Pelvic Module is the education phase. As we are learning about your body, we are educating you on how our findings correlate to your symptoms. During this phase, your pelvic physical therapist is giving you all the educational tools and exercises to best improve your symptoms. As your pelvic physical therapist is learning more about your body, we educate you on how our findings correlate to your symptoms. Your sessions and home exercises are then based on the information we gathered to promote optimal healing. Information can range from bladder, bowel, and/or sexual health, information about your specific diagnosis, home exercises, and much more.
Muscles are supposed to contract, relax, and lengthen. However, it is common for the pelvic floor muscles (and neighboring muscles), to have restrictions, have inability to lengthen properly, or are muscle guarding. During this educational phase, we are also bringing proper length and mobility to all necessary tissues prior to implementing a strengthening program. This is important because the pelvic floor muscles operate a different way than any other muscle group. The pelvic floor muscles are both involuntary and voluntary muscles. This means we are able to tell our pelvic floor muscles to voluntarily contract and relax, AND they also are able to perform without us voluntarily doing so (just like our diaphragm contracts with breathing without us telling it to constantly contract). These muscles are built this way in order for us to maintain continence, hold gas, etc. without having to always tell our muscles to contract. However, this can make training these muscles trickier than treating other muscle groups because if we start strengthening these muscles too soon it could contribute to prolonged symptoms.
2. Enhance
Entering this phase, you should know what is contributing to your symptoms and have basic tools on managing your symptoms. We have also worked on lengthening the pelvic floor muscles and other structures throughout the body. Further, we should have much more information as to why your body was holding itself in a certain manner. In turn, this phase is much more exciting because we can move on to enhancing your body to optimize movement.
What we are enhancing in this phase is muscle strength and control while having the pelvic floor muscles learn to not default back into its contracted position. This way, symptoms will not only improve, but they will have a better chance of not coming back.
3. Execute
The execution phase is the final and most exciting phase. Here, patients are confident in their body, they are fully aware of what is/was happening with their body, and they have taken the steps to land themselves in this phase of treatment. During this phase, we will continue to work with patients to be able to perform activities that they originally were not able to because of their symptoms. This can look like different exercises (crossfit, pilates, hiking, etc.), playing with your kids on the floor, or merely being able to work without constantly going to the bathroom. The work we do in the clinic will start to mimic the movements that you have trouble with while exercising or tasks in daily life you need to perform. Practicing this in the clinic will prepare you for everyday activity and exercise outside the clinic. In all, during the execution phase of The Pelvic Module, we help you get back to doing things that you love and need to perform on a daily basis.
