Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) can be socially embarrassing causing withdrawal from community situations and reduce quality of life – but it doesn’t have to be.

Our pelvic health providers take a holistic approach that leverages your nutrition, sleep, exercise, mindset, and community to optimize your pelvic floor health.  

Women

Do you experience:

• Incontinence 
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Diastasis recti 
• Pelvic pain 
• Pain with sex 
• Difficulty or pain with urination 
• Constipation 

Abdominal, bowel/bladder and sexual function can vary across the lifespan. These issues, although common, can be difficult to talk about and largely become accepted as normal. Physical Therapy is an effective first line of treatment option to help you recover your strength, confidence, and intimacy. 

Your initial evaluation will be a one-on-one consultation with a pelvic health specialist. This can take up to 45 minutes. Subsequent treatments take between 30 and 40 minutes. We tailor our appointments to your needs and what works best for your schedule, most women can expect 2-8 visits /month. Many women see improvements in their symptoms in just one or two visits. If this is the case, great! More persistent problems can take up to 6 months of treatment. 

Treatment Goals: 

• Give you control over your life and your bladder
• Reduce or eliminate the need for pads and/or medications required for incontinence  
• Improve sexual function, desire and decrease pain during sex 
• Possibly prevent the need for surgery 
• Restore normal movement patterns, decrease pain and improve overall quality of life

Are you pregnant or have you recently given birth?

By consulting with a pelvic health PT during pregnancy, you may reduce your risk of tearing. We use biofeedback and a physical exam to find what laboring positions may be optimal for you. We can help develop good nursing posture that reduces your risk of low back and neck pain. Our specialists can also teach technique and timing for perineal massage, and how to mobilize your c-section scar. Finally, our specialists can work with you to safely resume exercise and revive your sex life

Men 

1 in 5 men experience pelvic floor dysfunction such as:

• Pelvic Pain
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Constipation
• Pain with ejaculation
• Urinary urgency 
• Urinary leakage 
• Difficulty or pain with urination 

What to expect (men and women)

Given the nature of pelvic health, a strong emphasis of treatment is focused on motivation, encouragement and creating a safe environment for patients to progress therapy.  An evaluation will typically include a screen of your hips, back, pelvis and abdomen. An exam will be performed in order to assess the function and support of the pelvic floor and develop a treatment plan which may include: 

• Education on diet and nutrition that contribute to bowel/bladder and sexual health
• Review of bowel/bladder habits and techniques to reduce frequency, urgency, or leakage
• Biofeedback to facilitate pelvic floor coordination and control and show you how your muscles are working
• Exercises (stretching and strengthening) to improve the function of the pelvic floor, low back, and hips
• Review of anatomy and physiology of intercourse
• Discussion and education on breathing patterns and posture that result in changes of the pelvic floor
• Manual therapy to improve the movement of the pelvic muscles and abdomen 

Pediatric

Did you know that 15-22% of children struggle with wetting problems past the age of 5? Kitsap Physical Therapy has therapists certified in pelvic health who are trained to help with many common problems, including: 

• Wetting
• Constipation 
• Urinary retention 
• Urinary urgency/ frequency
• Bowel incontinence and/or inability to empty bowels 
• Vesicoureteral reflux

Parents sometimes ignore children’s toileting problems because they think accidents are normal, or that their kids will grow out of it. 

Children do overcome these problems on their own, but many need help. Untreated bowel and bladder problems can persist into adulthood and become painful, lingering conditions related to a chronic inability to relax the pelvic muscles. 

When chronic urine or stool holding persist into adulthood, they can cause: 

• Pelvic pain 
• Pain with intimacy 
• Recurrent urinary tract infections

Easy, Flexible Scheduling

First Visit: Your child will have a 30-40 minute one-on-one appointment with a certified pelvic health specialist. Subsequent treatments are between 30 and 40 minutes.

Frequency of appointments is based on your child’s needs and what works best for your schedule, usually 2-8 visits/month.

It often takes 3-6 months of treatment to change bowel and bladder habits.

What will my child be asked to do?

Our goal is to make your child feel safe and have fun while at physical therapy. Evaluation and treatments are non-invasive and include:

• Pelvic Floor exercises and stretches
• Proper toileting hygiene
• Posture for complete bowel and bladder emptying
• Behavior shaping
• Abdominal massage
• Diet and activity recommendations that promote normal bowel and bladder function
• Biofeedback (visual, animated feedback of pelvic floor activity)