What is urinary incontinence physical therapy? How can it help manage this condition. Explore the benefits and effectiveness of this treatment approach.

Understanding Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by the involuntary loss of urine, which can occur for a variety of reasons, including weak pelvic floor muscles, nerve damage, or underlying health conditions. Urinary incontinence can have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life, leading to embarrassment, social isolation, and even physical discomfort.

The Role of Physical Therapy in Urinary Incontinence Treatment

Physical therapy has emerged as a highly effective approach in the management of urinary incontinence. By addressing the underlying causes of the condition, physical therapists can help individuals regain control over their bladder function and improve their overall quality of life.

Key Benefits of Urinary Incontinence Physical Therapy

Urinary incontinence physical therapy offers a range of benefits, including:

• Strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles
• Improved bladder control and reduced incontinence episodes
• Enhanced awareness and control of the bladder
• Reduced reliance on incontinence products or devices
• Improved quality of life and psychological well-being

Commonly Used Techniques in Urinary Incontinence Physical Therapy

Physical therapists employ a variety of techniques to address urinary incontinence, including:

1. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT): Exercises designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve bladder control.
2. Biofeedback: Using specialized equipment to provide real-time feedback on pelvic floor muscle activity, allowing individuals to better understand and control these muscles.
3. Electrical stimulation: The use of low-level electrical currents to stimulate and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
4. Bladder training: Strategies to help individuals better manage their bladder function and reduce incontinence episodes.
5. Manual therapy: Hands-on techniques, such as soft tissue mobilization and joint mobilization, to address any underlying musculoskeletal or neurological issues contributing to incontinence.

Effectiveness of Urinary Incontinence Physical Therapy

Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of physical therapy in the management of urinary incontinence. Research has shown that pelvic floor muscle training, the cornerstone of urinary incontinence physical therapy, can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of incontinence episodes. Additionally, the combination of various physical therapy techniques, such as biofeedback and electrical stimulation, has been found to enhance the overall effectiveness of the treatment approach.

Preparing for Urinary Incontinence Physical Therapy

Before beginning a course of urinary incontinence physical therapy, it is important for individuals to undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified physical therapist. This evaluation will help the therapist develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses the specific underlying causes of the individual’s incontinence. Patients may also be asked to provide information about their medical history, medication use, and any previous treatments they have undergone for their condition.

Conclusion

Urinary incontinence is a challenging condition that can have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life. However, physical therapy has emerged as a highly effective and non-invasive approach to managing this condition. By addressing the underlying causes of incontinence and empowering individuals to regain control over their bladder function, physical therapy can help improve overall well-being and restore a sense of normalcy and confidence. If you or someone you know is struggling with urinary incontinence, consider exploring the benefits of physical therapy as a path to better bladder health and a higher quality of life.

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Urinary incontinence exercises for women, Kegel exercises

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Increasingly, women are experiencing urinary incontinence. There can be many reasons – the pathology of the location of internal organs, complications after childbirth, stress or frequent lifting of weight. The muscles of the small pelvis, like on belts, hold the bladder, if they weaken, then it changes its location in the abdominal cavity, which leads to big problems. Therapeutic exercises for urinary incontinence is a fairly effective way to deal with them. Kegel gymnastics strengthens the muscles of the small pelvis, allows them not only to get stronger, but also to stand in the right place. This is a medically recognized technique that is prescribed by the attending physician in cases that do not require surgical intervention.

Urinary incontinence exercise includes 3 main actions: contraction, retention, contraction of the pelvic muscles. Normal compressions can be done anywhere: while watching TV, while cleaning or cooking food. They involve a movement that mimics the cessation of urination. You can do them unnoticed by others.

Kegel gymnastics involves a gradual increase in load. You should start with 10 contractions and gradually increase their number to 30, adding 5 per week. Before doing Kegel exercises need to go to the toilet to keep the bladder empty. Otherwise, there will be pain in the lower abdomen, the muscles will not cope with the load and it will be worse. As for the time of the event, it does not matter, you can do gymnastics at any convenient time. The first few times it is better to do exercises lying down. As for the posture, you need to start with the most comfortable for you. Here it is very important that a woman is comfortable. The body relaxes, the muscles of the thighs, the abdominal cavity do not tense up.

Basic Kegel exercises

Urinary incontinence exercises – a set of exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the small pelvis. With its help, it is possible to completely get rid of the pathology and maintain muscle tone, but you need to do the exercises constantly, otherwise the incontinence may return again. The basic movement includes contraction, retention, and muscle contraction, reminiscent of the cessation of urination. It is considered correct to squeeze the muscles, hold them for 3 seconds and relax, count the same number of seconds and repeat the exercise. You can gradually increase the number of seconds up to 15.

Once you have reached this mark, you can move on to the next exercise. It’s called the “elevator”. Compression occurs under a certain pressure, it feels like when you go up in an elevator, and then it starts to relax smoothly, as if he is going down.

Another type of complication involves the rapid contraction and relaxation of the pelvic muscles, but it should not be erratic. You need to keep a certain rhythm that is comfortable for you.

Pushing out is another type of exercise very familiar to new mothers. Childbirth, by the way, is often the cause of urinary incontinence in women. The exercise suggests pushing, as in childbirth. The process is very similar to a bowel movement, so you need to go to the toilet before performing it.

Proper and effective performance of Kegel exercises can be prevented by such factors as: difficult childbirth, early postpartum period, large vagina syndrome, flaccidity of muscles, ligaments. That is why more and more often gynecologists recommend the procedure of laser rejuvenation of the walls of the vagina to all women who have similar problems.

If you want to learn more about the technique – Vaginal rejuvenation with Fotona laser, to clarify the cost of the procedure, where to do it in Kyiv, follow the link.

Exercises for women with urinary incontinence

In order to make the exercise more effective, Kegel developed postures in which to do the above actions will be more effective: exercise.

Such intimate gymnastics can be done at home in your free time. The effect of it will be noticeable in a few weeks.

Common mistakes when performing Kegel

If you do gymnastics with mistakes, it will not bring the desired result or may even lead to a deterioration in the condition. Basic errors include:

1. not exercising on an empty bladder, otherwise pain may occur;
2. conducting the first workouts standing or sitting, and not lying down – in a horizontal position;
3. holding the breath – it should be even and calm;
4. strain during exercise the muscles of the buttocks, pelvis or abdominal cavity.

Often, during the first session, a woman cannot recognize the muscles of the small pelvis. Experts advise inserting a finger into the vagina, and carry out the first workouts with it. Hands must be clean, otherwise there is a risk of infection. Once you understand which muscles to train, the finger is removed.

A woman’s health is not only a guarantee of her personal happiness, but also of the whole family, so you need to carefully monitor it, follow all the doctor’s recommendations, monitor the amount of fluid consumed (first courses and fruits are also considered). It is very important to determine the cause of incontinence and eliminate it, if possible. During the period of treatment, a woman is contraindicated in lifting weights, being nervous.

095-033-54-45 (Obolon), 063-594-95-95 (Poznyaki),
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Women’s Pelvic Floor Strengthening Exercises

This fact sheet has been compiled to educate patients about pelvic floor strengthening exercises.

More than 50% of women who have given birth have problems with urination, and at an older age, prolapse of the uterus (prolapse), which can be caused by weakness of the pelvic floor muscles.

Strong pelvic floor muscles help improve bladder and sexual function, as well as maintaining internal organs in a normal anatomical position. Pelvic floor muscle problems can be caused by pregnancy, childbirth, chronic constipation, being overweight, smoking, menopause, and neurological problems.

Symptoms of weak pelvic floor muscles may include incontinence when coughing and sneezing, frequent urination and the need to urinate at night, pain in the vagina, pain during sex.

To prevent and alleviate urinary incontinence and organ prolapse, it is very important to learn how to contract the pelvic floor muscles correctly.

The pelvic floor muscles are located in the pelvic floor area between the pubic bone and the coccyx. Their function is to maintain the correct position of the organs (uterus, bladder, intestines) inside the pelvis, as well as to keep the urethra and anus closed to prevent involuntary leakage of contents, and to relax them during emptying.

Like all other muscles in the body, the pelvic floor muscles also need special training.

Manual

Get into a comfortable sitting or lying position. Try to tighten your pelvic floor muscles as if you are trying to interrupt the flow of urine or intestinal gases by pulling the muscles up.

You may feel tension when the muscles contract. Do not hold your breath, take a deep breath through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth. At the same time, the abdominal muscles can also tense up, this is normal.

Try to keep the muscles of the buttocks and legs relaxed. After each contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, try to completely relax these muscles.

Three basic ways to control the correct contraction of the pelvic floor muscles:

1. Observe the perineum through a mirror and tighten the pelvic floor muscles. Watch to see if the vagina moves inward in the opposite direction from the mirror. If you see the movement of the vagina towards the mirror, stop immediately and seek help from a physical therapist who specializes in training the muscles of the pelvic floor.
2. Place your thumb or index finger into your vagina. As your pelvic floor muscles contract, you should feel your vagina tighten around your finger.
3. Contract your pelvic floor muscles during sex, asking your partner if they feel pressure.

How to Do Pelvic Floor Exercises

1. Contract your pelvic floor muscles and try to hold that contraction for a count of seconds, and then relax those muscles for the same number of seconds. For how many seconds can you maintain muscle tension? How many reps can you do?
2. Alternately contract your pelvic floor muscles for 1 second and then relax them for 1 second as well. How many of these short repetitions can you do before you feel tired in the muscles? Always relax your pelvic floor muscles before each new contraction.

Your goal is to do 10 long contractions, holding the muscle tension for 10 seconds; each contraction should be alternated with a 10 second relaxation. Then do 10 short contractions; each contraction should alternate with a short relaxation.

You can start with a shorter duration and fewer repetitions. Do exercises at least 3 times a day. At first, the exercises are easier to perform in a sitting or lying position. You should feel the results in 3-5 months. Subsequently, to maintain the result of the exercise, you can do it once a day. As your muscles strengthen, try to do the exercises in other positions as well (for example, lying on your side, while resting on your knees, standing, while moving).

Try to tense your pelvic floor muscles before coughing, sneezing, lifting weights, laughing.

Avoid carbonated or caffeinated drinks to prevent constipation. Drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. When you have a bowel movement, place your feet on a small footrest to squat as if (this makes it easier to have a bowel movement). When you have a bowel movement during constipation, pressure on the pelvic floor muscles increases.

Eat healthy and be physically active (move at least 150 minutes per week).