Do you have low back pain that limits your ability to live your life like you want to? At least 70-80% of the population will have an episode of low back pain in their lifetime and a Physical Therapist is an excellent practitioner to treat your low back.
Did you know that many of those same people with low back pain also have pelvic pain? Individuals with low back pain have a significant decrease in pelvic floor function. Physical Therapists trained in treating pelvic health conditions are great practitioners to help reduce low back AND pelvic pain.
How is my back and pelvic floor connected? I like to think of our trunk like a box and each side of the box is important for support. You’ve got your diaphragm at the top, your abdominal muscles in the front (and sides), back extensors in the back, and your pelvic floor at the bottom. If one area of this box is not working well or you have pain in that area, it negatively effects the support of the whole box. At Atlas Physical Therapy, we treat your whole body and won’t forget to ask about your pelvic floor function!
A lot of patients are nervous to discuss that they have pain in their pelvic floor. They might be thinking “There is nothing that can be done”, or “This is really embarrassing”. To put your mind at ease, thousands of men and women have low back pain and pelvic pain and many of them are being treated by a pelvic health Physical Therapist right now. There are many treatments to help with individuals who have pelvic pain that affects them during the day, with bladder and bowel movements, and with intercourse. Our goal at Atlas Physical Therapy is to reduce your pain and help you with your goals.
Therefore, don’t be afraid to discuss your pelvic floor concerns with your Medical Provider or Physical Therapist because there are trained pelvic health Physical Therapists who can treat you!
Brianna Walsh PT, DPT, OCS