This week is World Continence Week.
Did you know:
- Up to two thirds of all women will experience some form of bladder dysfunction.
- 1 in 3 women who have had a child will wet themselves.
- Up to 50% of people perform pelvic floor exercises incorrectly.
Many conditions such as incontinence, frequently needing to go to the toilet, or experiencing pain when toileting can be treated conservatively. Sapphire Coast and Snowy Mountains Physiotherapy is able to offer services across the Far South Coast and Snowy Mountains to help.
Monica Fraser works in our Merimbula clinic. Monica has post graduate qualifications in Men’s and Women’s Health. In addition to providing regular physiotherapy for sore backs, necks, sports and work related musculoskeletal injuries Monica is a trained Men’s pelvic floor physiotherapists and can assist men with incontinence problems both bladder and bowel, chronic constipation, erectile dysfunction and pelvic pain.
Eliza Graham works in Cooma and Jindabyne clinics, and Tegan Butters works in Bega and Merimbula clinics. Tegan , Eliza and Monica have undergone specialist training in Women’s Health Physiotherapy to manage and treat conditions specific to women such as bladder weakness, bladder urgency, pelvic floor dysfunction, prolapse, and pre- and post-natal musculoskeletal pain.
Pelvic Floor muscles can be weakened or affected by :
- Women: Pregnancy and childbirth
- Men: prostate gland surgery either TURP (Trans resection ) or Radical prostatectomy
- continual straining to empty your bowels (constipation)
- persistent heavy lifting
- chronic cough
- being overweight
- lack of general fitness and muscle tone.
Our physiotherapists are able to prescribe appropriate Pelvic floor exercises. Pelvic floor exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve support and control of the bladder and the bowel. These exercises may be used in conjunction with a bladder training program to improve bladder control in people who experience urge incontinence (the urgent need to pass urine).
It won’t be hard work. It can simply become part of your daily lifestyle – and it will give you life-long benefits. This is not like asking you to stop smoking; it is more like developing a daily routine that is as simple and easy as your daily hair care routine.
For more information visit our website www.sapphirecoastphysio.com/men-s-health or www.sapphirecoastphysio.com/women_s_health
