Physical Therapy

Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

University Hospitals Rehabilitation Services offers specialized care for patients with incontinence, pelvic pain and other issues that involve the pelvic floor. We are proud to serve all ages and genders. Our specialized program allows physical therapists to work alongside patients to:

Evaluate pelvic floor muscles
Formulate a personalized plan of care
Use the latest rehabilitation therapies to help patients achieve their goals.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a bowl of muscle in the pelvis. This muscle group is important for our everyday activities. From a variety of causes, this muscle group can stop working well and present in multiple ways. Any person of any gender or any age, can have issues with the pelvic floor.

Pelvic floor physical therapy may be helpful if you have:

Pain with sitting
Incontinence (urinary or fecal)
Pain with sex
Pelvic pain
Lower abdominal pain
Genital pain
Constipation

Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation Strategies

Many proven strategies are used to help patients strengthen the pelvic floor, including:

Behavioral strategies
Biofeedback
Manual therapy
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation
Patient education
Relaxation strategies
Stretching and strengthening exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pelvic floor physical therapy?: Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialization within physical therapy that treats pelvic floor muscles, ligaments and orthopedic issues around pelvic floor dysfunction.
What can I expect during my first session?: You will meet one-on-one with a licensed physical therapist in a private treatment room. The therapist will take a detailed history, discuss what goals you would like to achieve, and perform a physical assessment. The physical assessment will include a hip, low back and abdominal screen of your muscles to look for areas that are tight, weak, stiff or painful. An internal assessment is usually performed on this day as well. Physical therapists do a digital muscle assessment to look for areas of pain, decreased activation and overall performance of the pelvic floor.
Is an internal assessment mandatory?: Our first goal is to make you comfortable. Nothing will be performed without your consent. We highly recommend letting the physical therapist do the assessment as it often gives vital information about how to personalize your treatment. However, it is ultimately your decision.
What will treatment look like?: Treatment is individualized to each patient and could include exercises, soft tissue work, retraining the pelvic floor with biofeedback, mindfulness work and other techniques.
Is this covered by insurance?: If physical therapy is a covered service by your insurance, then pelvic floor therapy will be covered as well. Pelvic floor therapy uses standard physical therapy codes for billing purposes. If you have concerns about your coverage, please call your insurance provider. Depending on your insurance, you may or may not need a referral from another provider.
What do I need to bring to my first appointment?: Your insurance card and identification. Wear loose, comfortable clothing for the visit.