Physical Therapy for Women's Health
At Holy Cross Hospital, physical therapy offerings include programs for the unique muscular issues many women face throughout their lives. There are some health conditions that can be better managed or even resolved simply through proper strengthening and exercise.
Some of the common women's health conditions that we treat include the following conditions.
Dysmenorrhea (Painful Menstruation)
For many women the menstruation process is uncomfortable to extremely painful. Sometimes this pain can be so severe that it prevents women from participating in everyday activities. Holy Cross Hospital physical therapists help women alleviate their discomfort through individualized programs, sometimes including exercise and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
Physical Therapy and Pregnancy
Obstetrical physical therapy focuses on many of the aches and pains women experience during and after pregnancy. Tingling in the arms and legs, back pain and difficulty holding urine are common problems that can be relieved or eliminated through physical therapy
Incontinence/Pelvic Weakness
Research shows that more than 10 million American women struggle with bladder control. Women as young as 25 suffer from this condition. Sometimes these weaknesses are associated with landmarks in a woman's physical life, such as childbirth, menopause or surgery, such as abdominal surgery or a hysterectomy.
Incontinence, or the inability to manage bladder function, is a common condition among women, especially after childbirth or during menopause. Some women may feel awkward discussing incontinence concerns with their physician; however, with today's advances in treatment options, physicians are able to treat incontinence with great success.
The incontinence rehabilitation program at Holy Cross Hospital includes classes about the different types of incontinence, strategies and techniques for exercising pelvic floor muscles, and how to manage incontinence discomfort. With adequate exercise and muscle re-education, many women find that incontinence can be easily controlled or corrected.
For some gynecological and incontinence conditions, you may be advised to seek out the specialized expertise of the Holy Cross Hospital surgical team. If your condition requires surgery, Holy Cross Hospital surgical experts in pelvic floor resection can perform minimally invasive procedures using today's most advanced surgical techniques. Our surgeons are trained to perform laparoscopic procedures that can restore bladder control with minimal pain and a short recovery period. Other alternatives to surgery include physical therapy that strengthens bladder muscles.
Chronic Pelvic Pain
Chronic back pain and/or discomfort in the pelvis, abdomen and lower extremities plagues much of the general public. Physical therapists can often modify these types of symptoms after a thorough exam by prescribing exercises designed to change your posture, strength, and mobility. Physical therapy modalities, such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound, can also help decrease pain and inflammation.