Women’s Health

Women’s health

There are many health issues that are more likely to affect women more than men. Some of these issues are those that affect the pelvis, and medical professionals consider this area to be located between the stomach and the upper legs. 

The pelvis contains the pelvic girdle and other bones. It also contains organs like the bladder, bowels and urinary tract. Additionally, the pelvic floor muscles are an important pelvic structure that helps hold the organs in place. In general, women tend to have more problems with all these pelvic structures. 

What is women’s health physical therapy?

Women’s health physical therapy is a type of therapy specifically geared toward treating conditions that affect women. An increasing number of physical therapists are working in women’s health physical therapy. The Section on Women’s Health of the American Physical Therapy Association (SoWH) currently has more than 3,000 members.

What are some issues women’s health physical therapy can treat?

There is a set of basic steps that our women’s health physical therapists will use when you come to see them. They’ll ask you some questions about your symptoms and various lifestyle factors. Your therapist might perform an internal exam as well, and such steps help them determine what issue is affecting your pelvic area. Some issues that women’s health physical therapists can help you with are: 

  • Pelvic pain — A medical study reports that about 39% of reproductive-aged women who went to their doctor reported pelvic pain. Often, pelvic pain is related to pelvic floor muscle tightness or weakness. But this type of pain can also be caused by other pelvic issues. 
  • Urinary incontinence (UI) — This condition occurs when the pelvic floor muscles that control the bladder are weak or injured. It often leads to uncontrolled urine leakage, and researchers estimate that more than 51% of women deal with UI. 
  • Osteoporosis — Osteoporosis is an issue where the body draws calcium and other nutrients out of the bones faster than they can be replaced. In turn, this causes bones to become more brittle and susceptible to fractures. It’s estimated that about 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and of these, about 80% are women

Other issues that we can help you with include: 

  • Abdominal pain
  • Pregnancy-related issues (pre- & postpartum)
  • Cancer and lymphedema
  • Pain with intercourse
  • Post C-section, mastectomy, and hysterectomy therapy

Which therapy methods are commonly used in women’s health physical therapy?

A women’s health physical therapist is trained to treat each patient as an individual. The reason is because even people with the same issue often react differently to that issue, and your therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan that’s specific to your needs. A few of the treatments that could be included in your pelvic issue therapy plan include: 

  • Therapeutic exercises — Therapists rely on therapeutic exercise to treat many pelvic issues. These exercises can be particularly helpful for urinary incontinence (UI) and other issues related to pelvic floor muscle problems. Researchers report that more than 51% of women have some level of UI. A medical study reports that pelvic floor physical therapy that includes therapeutic exercise led to 75% fewer leakage episodes
  • Manual therapy — This category of therapy techniques involve therapists manipulating or moving body structures with their hands. One common form of manual therapy is joint mobilization. This technique is commonly used to treat sacroiliac joint issues that can cause pelvic pain. One medical study reports that joint mobilization helped decrease pain scores by more than 4.5 points on the visual analog scale for pain
  • Biofeedback — This type of therapy is designed to help you gain more control over body functions that are normally involuntary. One example is that biofeedback is commonly used to treat overly tight pelvic floor muscles. A study of patients with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction and constipation reveals how effective biofeedback can be. This study reports that 80% of the study participants who had biofeedback had a major decrease in their constipation symptoms.

Border Therapy Services offers women’s health physical therapy

Are you looking for women’s health physical therapy? You’ll find it at the Border Therapy Services clinic located on Gateway Boulevard in El Paso, Texas. Our team here offers free screenings designed to pinpoint the issue you’re dealing with. We can also build you a personalized treatment plan for many different women’s health issues 

Take the next step to start getting our help with your pelvic issue. Contact our team today for more information about our women’s health services or to schedule an initial appointment.