If your bladder, bowel and pelvic pain concerns are affecting your ability to enjoy life, there is help available.

A physiotherapist trained in pelvic health is an essential member of your health team.

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A physiotherapist can give you the tools you need to manage your symptoms. Your visit will take place in a private, quiet office. You will have a chance to explain all of your concerns and ask all the questions you need to help understand your condition. You will then have a full physical exam, done by your physiotherapist, including an internal exam to assess your pelvic floor muscles.

Why are you assessing my pelvic floor muscles?

Your pelvic floor muscles are located inside your pelvis. They attach to the pubic bone (front of the pelvis) and to your tailbone (back of the pelvis). These muscles contract to act as sphincters around the urethra and anus to keep us from having bladder and bowel accidents. They contract to help us “hold it in” to get to the bathroom on time. They provide support to our pelvic organs. They play an important role in sexual function. The pelvic floor muscles also have to let go and relax to allow us to void or empty our bowels.

If your pelvic floor muscles have lost strength and endurance, this can lead to bladder and bowel control issues. If the pelvic floor muscles are under tension, they can contribute to pelvic pain.

Have a look at the images below to visualize the pelvic floor muscles.

Ideally, to see what is happening to your pelvic floor muscles, MJ will do to an internal exam. This exam is very gentle, not meant to cause pain and, only done if you give consent. The goal of doing an exam is to see if you have a weakness in your pelvic floor muscles or if there is tension in your pelvic floor muscles. This will help guide treatment options.

What if I don’t want an internal exam?

You do not need to have a pelvic floor exam done if you are not comfortable. Remember, we want you to be comfortable and feel safe at all times. MJ has many other ways to help determine what is happening to your pelvic floor and your body. She can assess your posture, your breathing, your general lower back/hip/pelvis mobility to assess what can be contributing to your symptoms. MJ will provide you with a lot of tips and tools to help reduce your symptoms even without doing an internal exam.

An internal can be done at a later date, when you are ready. Some patients never want a pelvic exam done and that is ok!

You are always in control of what happens during your physiotherapy session.

What to do before my first visit?

When you call the office, we will be sending you forms to fill out. There are a lot of questions to answer but your answers are very important and will help MJ understand your concerns. Do your best to fill them all out. Don’t get overwhelmed, MJ will go over them with you if you are not able to fill them out.

What do I wear? Dress comfortably. MJ will be asking you to move and do some physical tests.

What if I need to go to the bathroom? No worries, we have a bathroom close by for you to use!

What if I have my menstrual cycle? Again, no worries and don’t cancel your appointment! MJ will talk about options to make the evaluation as comfortable for you as possible.

Can I do a virtual appointment? Absolutely! MJ is all set up to do virtual sessions.