Originally published on October 2, 2024 by Vital Physiotherapy & Wellness, now part of the Bravella Health network. Original author: Vital Staff.
Many people associate pelvic health symptoms as something that is “normal” with pregnancy, or as we age. But did you know that women, girls and people of ALL ages can develop pelvic health symptoms?[1]
Consider this: Have you ever spent the first few days of your menstrual cycle stuck at home with cramps? Have you ever experienced painful insertion when using a tampon or with penetration? Do you have to tightly squeeze your legs everytime you sneeze, jump or run to try to stop leaking pee?
If you experience any of these symptoms, I want you to know the truth: You are not alone, you are not broken, you don’t have to keep living this way, and you are in the right place, RIGHT NOW to change your life!
Are you ready?
It is really common for young women to be experiencing the SAME THING you are. In fact,
- 48% of young women report pain or discomfort with sexual intercourse, with 10% having marked difficulties allowing vaginal penetration.[2]
- While 65.7% of female athletes experience urine leakage during training or sport, 70% reported having to wake throughout the night to pee, and 52% had pelvic pain.[3]
- 25% of healthy young women are unable to contract their pelvic floor muscles voluntarily or involuntarily, leading to scattered symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.[4]
All of these common symptoms can impact every facet of your life, including engagement in social activities, concentration, athletic performance, and self-esteem.[3,5] Often, the go-to solution for these symptoms involves stopping whatever activity causes them to arise.[3] But why should you have to stop doing the things you love, instead of treating the pelvic floor dysfunction itself? You SHOULD NOT have to remove things from your life in order to accommodate these experiences! In fact, if left untreated, young women with occasional pelvic floor symptoms are at a heightened risk of having these conditions recur later in their lives, and often with greater severity.[6]
It’s easy to get frustrated with the lack of available information and widespread awareness of pelvic health dysfunction, particularly in younger people! Why aren’t more women aware that their symptoms are SYMPTOMS? Why don’t they discuss or know where to turn to address their symptoms?
Well… the short answer is that it can be hard to talk about it! There is a lot of stigma around discussing things like periods, going to the bathroom and sexual health in our society, and not a lot of science-based education readily available. Another factor is the response women and girls typically get from the healthcare system.
The discussion of pelvic floor-related dysfunctions remains taboo in society, with many women experiencing significant feelings of shame and a lack of education regarding the cause and the treatment for their symptoms.[6,7] Oftentimes, women find that when they talk about their pelvic floor or ANY of the symptoms they experience, they are brushed off or provided a band-aid solution that they end up paying for (financially and personally) down the line. Women deserve better than blame, embarrassment and shame!
When it comes to seeking advice, young women report a number of roadblocks to seeking help with their discomfort or pain:
- lack of confidence in there being a solution to their symptoms
- a sense of embarrassment to discuss their symptoms
- confusion regarding their symptoms
- negative consequences on psychosocial well-being due to failed attempts at self-treatment[5]
Further perpetuating these feelings of helplessness is a lack of accurate education and information on this topic. In fact, despite their level of distress, only 35% of women with pelvic floor dysfunctions consulted any type of health care practitioner, with only 6% making an appointment to address sexual function.[5]
And now, the good news!
Pelvic floor physiotherapy is a conservative management approach for pelvic floor dysfunctions,[8] which means physio is used to prevent conditions from worsening and to avoid more invasive treatments like surgery. Physiotherapists use a diverse array of treatment methods to help manage symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction such as manual techniques, assigning exercises to do at home, behavioral strategies, and occasionally biofeedback and electrical stimulation. All of these techniques aim to address incontinence, pain with sex, and many other pelvic floor-related conditions in both men and women.[8] To read more about what to expect in your first pelvic floor physiotherapy appointment, click here!
Every person’s body has unique needs and heals at their own pace, which means physiotherapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution! Pelvic floor rehabilitation is uniquely tailored to the individual’s body and presentation, meaning that one treatment does not work for all women. Some cases require focusing on relaxation and downregulation of the pelvic floor muscles, and others require strength and functional training of the muscles.[8] Your physiotherapist will discuss the best treatment approach for your specific needs to make sure you are on the road to recovery!
Pelvic floor physiotherapy has been shown to be significantly effective in reducing instances of incontinence and pain with intercourse, as well as improving individual quality of life and participation in activities.[8] High-performance athletes ALSO benefit greatly from pelvic floor physiotherapy to gain urinary continence during high-intensity training or sport.[7] Further, women who have participated in pelvic floor physiotherapy report applying the knowledge and strategies obtained regularly within their everyday lives, even when the primary symptoms were well controlled.[9]
Overall, pelvic floor physiotherapy is one option that women can seek to help control their symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunctions and avoid withdrawing from activities or situations due to fear of leaking or pain.
You don’t need to leak during exercise, or when you laugh or sneeze!
You don’t need to have pain with intercourse!
You don’t need to stop doing the things that make you YOU!
You are not alone, and there is a unique solution for YOU.
Young women in particular have much to gain from putting aside the stigma around pelvic health symptoms! Know that you are not alone and that there are options for you to take control of your pelvic floor; it is never too early (or too late!) to ask for help! Know that YOU can make a difference in your symptoms and your quality of life by investing in yourself and your future health and wellness by visiting a pelvic floor physiotherapist!
We see you, we hear you, we ARE you, and we want to help! Reach out to our Client Care team today to get started!
References
- Tim S, Mazur-Bialy AI. The most common functional disorders and factors affecting female pelvic floor. Life (Basel). 2021;11(12):1397. doi:10.3390/life11121397
- Prudencio CB, Nava GTA, Souza BR, et al. Knowledge of pelvic floor disorders in young women: a cross-sectional study. Fisioter Mov. 2022;35:e35607. doi:10.1590/fm.2022.35607
- Schettino MT, Mainini G, Ercolano S, et al. Risk of pelvic floor dysfunctions in young athletes. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2014;41(6):671-676. doi:10.12891/ceog19382014
- Talasz H, Kalchschmid E, Kofler M, Lechleitner M. Effects of multidimensional pelvic floor muscle training in healthy young women. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2012;285(3):709-715. doi:10.1007/s00404-011-2039-y
- Donaldson RL, Meana M. Early dyspareunia experience in young women: confusion, consequences, and help-seeking barriers. J Sex Med. 2011;8(3):814-823. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02150.x
- Parden AM, Griffin RL, Hoover K, et al. Prevalence, awareness, and understanding of pelvic floor disorders in adolescent and young women. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2016;22(5):346-354. doi:10.1097/SPV.0000000000000287
- Sorrigueta-Hernández A, Padilla-Fernandez BY, Marquez-Sanchez MT, et al. Benefits of physiotherapy on urinary incontinence in high-performance female athletes: meta-analysis. J Clin Med. 2020;9(10):3240. doi:10.3390/jcm9103240
- Rosenbaum TY. Pelvic floor physiotherapy for women with urogenital dysfunction: indications and methods. Minerva Urol Nefrol. 2011;63(1):101-107.
- Fernandes ACNL, Palacios-Ceña D, Hay-Smith J, et al. Women report sustained benefits from attending group-based education about pelvic floor muscles: a longitudinal qualitative study. J Physiother. 2021;67(3):210-216. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2021.06.010
