Unlock the potential of your hip and glute muscles with a transformative exercise that addresses a common concern among many individuals – the challenge of truly feeling the engagement of their hip and glute muscles during activities like running, lifting, golfing, and playing pickleball. In some cases, the key to overcoming this challenge lies in enhancing the ability to stretch the back of your hip through eccentric contractions. Picture this: a simple yet effective exercise that not only stretches those elusive hip muscles but also actively engages them. The main goal of this exercise is for you to keep your affected leg (patient’s left in the example below) completely still as your pelvis and torso rotate as a unit over the fixed leg, while working on your balance.  If you feel safe with your balance, give it a try!

1) First start with a mini squat (not pictured).

2) Shift your weight to your affected side (patient LEFT as shown in this picture).

3) Keep your shoulders stacked in line with your front hip, knee, and ankle as you bring the unaffected leg back to a resting position on the ground (picture 1). Now most of your weight should be on your affected leg.

4) Then keep the space between your ribs and your pelvis the same on both sides as you turn as far to the left (picture 2), then to the right (picture 3) while maintaining the mini squat and the majority of your weight on the affected leg.

5) Repeat this 10-12 times on each leg for 2-3 sets.

PROBLEM SOLVING:

If you feel this in your thigh muscles:

• Try not to sit as far down into the squat.
• Make sure your nose is over your toes (you might need to hinge forward more through the hips). See image below as an example.

If you are feeling this in your back:

• Keep your index finger on your lower rib cage and your pinkie on your pelvis, when you rotate be sure that the pelvis and rib cage move as a unit.
• Make sure that your ribs are not lifted up to the sky (your back should be flat, not arched)

Still having trouble?

• Talk to your physical therapist for possible modifications or pointers.

Empower your pelvic health journey with JAG PT – where your well-being is our priority. Book an appointment with JAG Physical Therapy at one of our convenient locations in NJ, NY, or PA or contact us for more information.

Learn  More About Pelvic Health from JAG Physical Therapy:

• How to Support your Hips and Pelvic Floor Before Being Active
• Dry Needling in Pelvic Health
• Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
• The Importance of Pelvic Floor Therapy for Women and Men

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Dry needling is a therapeutic intervention used by licensed physical therapists in which small needles are inserted through the skin to treat muscle tension and trigger points. Dry needling focuses on tight muscles, tissues, and myofascial trigger points, which allows PTs to address almost 5-10x the number of areas compared to acupuncture.  Dry needling has been shown to reduce pain and tension while increasing circulation, blood flow and range of motion. Additionally, benefits can be seen outside of direct placement of the needles, making dry needling an advantageous and efficient intervention.

Dry needling can be used for various treatment conditions including pelvic health diagnoses such as diastasis recti, tailbone pain, sexual dysfunction, pelvic floor tightness, or scar tissue after surgery or delivery. The needles are “dry,” which means that nothing gets injected into your body. Once needles are inserted into areas of tension, they can be left in place for 5-30 mins or manipulated by the physical therapist as needed. The needles can, directly and indirectly address points of tension, which can improve bladder and bowel control and help provide stability and support for the pelvic organs. Dry needling for the pelvic floor must be performed by licensed pelvic health practitioners.

Contact your physical therapist or one of the following NJ JAG locations to see if dry needling may be beneficial for you: Hamilton, Howell, Bedminster, Bridgewater, Bordentown, Cape May Court House, Edison, Freehold, Jersey City, Ocean City, Red Bank, Warren, Westfield, West Long Branch.

Learn More about Pelvic Health from JAG PT:

• What Exercises are Good for Improving Pelvic Health?
• Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy
• How to Support your Hips and Pelvic Floor Before Being Active
• Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy

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While pelvic floor dysfunction is associated with a multitude of health problems, the good news is that pelvic floor physical therapy is an effective treatment that can be helpful for many of these conditions. JAG PT’s pelvic health specialization focuses on each patient’s individual needs, combining advanced therapeutic modalities to create a custom plan that works for their condition and their lifestyle. Our expert, specially trained PT staff treats everyone with compassion and skill. Read more on pelvic floor dysfunction below, find your nearest JAG PT location in New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania, or schedule an appointment today.

What is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a general term referring to disorders that arise from the impairment of pelvic muscles and ligaments. In pelvic floor dysfunction, one of two general patterns of physical signs can be seen. In cases of pelvic floor laxity, or more of the organs in the pelvic region herniate, or bulge, through the weakened area of tissue. On the other hand, overly short and tight muscles in the pelvic floor area can result in stiffness and spasms.

Disorders related to pelvic floor dysfunction primarily affect women, and according to Cochrane Library, as many as 50% of women who have given birth may be affected by pelvic floor dysfunction at some point in their lives. According to the Indian Journal of Urology, approximately 16% of men will experience these conditions as well.

This dysfunction has many potential causes: hereditary deficiencies in collagen production or in specific muscles of the pelvic floor, having given birth, menopause, advanced age, and treatment for gynecological cancers. It can be a side effect of medications including muscle relaxants, antihistamines, and anticholinergics such as certain smoking cessation aids and antidepressants. Lifestyle factors can also lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, such as persistently holding back from urination or defecation for too long, overweightness, and participating in sports that have high impact on the spine and pelvis, such as gymnastics and high jump.

What Are Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to aching or sharp pain, either in the exact area of herniation or spasm or referred elsewhere in the pelvis. Many people with pelvic floor dysfunction also report a sensation of uncomfortable pressure within the pelvic region. Other symptoms can include sexual dysfunction, pain during sex, urinary or bowel incontinence, constipation and incomplete bowel emptying during defecation, overactive bladder, pain in the muscles and connective tissue, and organ prolapse, which can be indicated by a visible and palpable lump or protrusion.

How is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Diagnosed?

If a patient presents symptoms like these and their physician suspects pelvic floor dysfunction, the diagnostic process will use some combination of medical history, physical examination, and imaging. For women, their obstetric history, including the number of times they have given birth and any past complications during delivery, is especially relevant to determining pelvic floor dysfunction.

Manual examination of the pelvic floor is usually required, as well as fluoroscopy, cystography (bladder imaging), or MRI. If there has been organ prolapse resulting from the dysfunction, it will be measured and graded according to severity.

How can Physical Therapy Relieve Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

JAG PT’s pelvic health specialization uses a variety of techniques to help people bolster their pelvic muscle functioning, improve their reproductive and digestive health, and manage or eliminate chronic pelvic pain. Physical therapy methods that can help with pelvic floor dysfunction include biofeedback to improve awareness and conscious control of the pelvic floor, strengthening exercises to increase muscle functionality and flexibility, manual therapy targeting the problem area to relieve symptoms at the source, and more.

If you’re suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction, don’t delay in getting relief for your symptoms – JAG Physical Therapy has convenient locations throughout NY, NJ, and PA, and you can book an appointment online to start increasing your pelvic health right away.

Learn More About Pelvic Health:

• Yin Yoga Stretches for Pelvic Floor Tension Release
• Pelvic Floor Therapy – Internal Splinting Guidelines
• What Exercises are Good for Improving Pelvic Health?
• The Importance of Pelvic Floor Therapy for Women and Men

The post Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment appeared first on JAG Physical Therapy in NY, NJ, & PA.

At JAG Physical Therapy’s local clinics throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, we offer customized treatment plans that can include robust, specialized pelvic floor therapy. Read further or contact us to learn more about our pelvic health program, or schedule your appointment today.

Who Can Benefit from Pelvic Floor PT Treatment?

Anyone can benefit from pelvic health physical therapy to improve overall health and find relief. There are many pelvic health issues that can be disruptive to daily life, that may affect men and women equally, and that can be effectively treated with various physical therapy methods, such as overactive bladder syndrome, urinary incontinence, and constipation.

Most people can be proactive about their health with practices like pelvic floor exercises under the advice of a physical therapist. For example, student athletes who want to prevent injuries to the lower body that could sideline them, construction workers looking to avoid workplace strains, and senior citizens who seek to stay physically active can benefit, and so can many others. There are also many health concerns affecting primarily women or primarily men that a pelvic PT specialist can help with.

Physical Therapy to Support Pelvic Health for Women

For women who are pregnant or who have recently had a child, antepartum and postpartum physical therapy is an essential consideration for overall health. Antepartum PT is useful in relieving sciatic and lower back pain caused by pregnancy, addressing any pelvic floor conditions that might arise, and preparing the pelvis for delivery. Meanwhile, pelvic floor PT in the postpartum time period helps those who have given birth return to pre-pregnancy activities, reduce the risk of complications, heal from musculoskeletal injuries in the pelvis, and more.

Interstitial cystitis is a condition of the bladder and pelvic floor primarily affecting women – it can cause pain, discomfort, and many different issues with urination, and can result in lost sleep and other lifestyle disruptions. Since this is an idiopathic condition, the best treatment is symptom relief, which can be achieved with pelvic floor physical therapy.

Some women may also be at risk of sexual dysfunction due to pelvic health issues, including vaginismus and pain during intercourse, among other sexual health conditions. Physical therapy is often the most effective and least invasive treatment for conditions like these as well.

Physical Therapy to Improve Pelvic Health for Men

Men who have prostate conditions or who have had surgery for their prostate can be at risk for issues like urinary incontinence and overactive bladder syndrome. Pelvic floor training through biofeedback and exercise, among other PT methods, can alleviate conditions such as these long-term without the need for prescription medications or surgery.

In addition, men are equally as susceptible to sexual dysfunction due to pelvic health problems as women are. The right pelvic health treatment program can relieve erectile dysfunction, penile pain, and other sexual dysfunction issues affecting men, and JAG PT’s empathetic therapy staff treats these conditions with the utmost care.

JAG Physical Therapy takes pride in helping anyone with a pelvic floor condition find better health and greater quality of life. Contact us with any questions, find your nearest location in NJ, PA, or NY today, or schedule a pelvic health evaluation online.

Learn More About Pelvic Health

• Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
• What Exercises are Good for Improving Pelvic Health?
• Pelvic Floor Therapy – Internal Splinting Guidelines
• Yin Yoga Stretches for Pelvic Floor Tension Release

The post The Importance of Pelvic Floor Therapy for Women and Men appeared first on JAG Physical Therapy in NY, NJ, & PA.

As many as 17% of women may experience pain in the vulva (the area outside of the vagina), also referred to as vulvodynia. There can be many different factors that contribute to vulvodynia, including hormonal changes, inflammatory conditions, musculoskeletal conditions, side effects of medication, traumatic injury, nerve pain, cancer, and more. Vulvodynia can range in severity from sharp pains when performing certain activities to constant, burning pain. Most women with vulvodynia also report pain during sexual intercourse.

With such a wide array of potential causes, most women dealing with vulvodynia will go through several physician visits before correctly identifying the issue and beginning treatment. The right care team and the right methods are important to relieving vulvar pain, and at JAG PT, our pelvic floor specialists are adept at treating sexual health conditions such as this with the utmost compassion and skill.

One method that’s promising for many patients with vulvodynia is transcutaneous electrical
nerve stimulation, or TENS. One study found that twice-weekly 20-minute TENS sessions using
internal vaginal probes or external pelvic electrodes showed significant improvement of vulvar
pain within 10 weeks – you can view the article with these findings here. If you need relief for
vulvodynia, contact JAG PT today to find out how our pelvic floor therapists can help or
schedule an appointment at your nearest location today.

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Deer pose – hold 3-5 minutes each side (option with block)

Butterfly Pose – hold 3-5 minutes each side (option with block)

Melting Heart Post – hold 3-5 minutes each side

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At JAG Physical Therapy, our pelvic therapy specialists are adept at helping people improve their pelvic floor conditioning. Our guidance and expert therapy has aided pregnant people in staying healthy throughout their pregnancy and speeding up their physical recovery in the postpartum period, allowed people with urinary incontinence, constipation, and other excretory conditions to find relief, restored individuals’ sexual health, and much more. Read on to learn more about effective, everyday pelvic health exercises, or schedule an appointment with us today.

People of any gender can identify their pelvic floor muscles by tensing as if to hold in urination without using their buttocks or thighs. The muscles that contract during this movement are the pelvic floor muscles. Once you find where your pelvic floor muscles are, you can begin to correctly work them using several different forms of exercise, including:

Kegel Exercises

To perform Kegel exercises, you can sit down or lay down, tighten your pelvic floor muscles as much as possible, hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds, and then release, relaxing for 3 to 5 seconds before you repeat the exercise. This is a basic, foundational exercise for pelvic floor health that holds some benefit for all types of pelvic health conditions.

Bridge Pose

The bridge pose is derived from yoga, where it’s called sarvangasana. This stretch begins lying flat, and is performed by placing feet flat on the floor, keeping the arms parallel to the rib cage either on the floor or with elbows bent 90 degrees, and lifting the hips, raising the lower body while the feet and shoulder blades stay in contact with the floor. Practicing this pose strengthens the entire bodily core – thighs, hips, abdomen, legs, and back – and therefore provides more pelvic support from the area surrounding the pelvis.

Squats

Squats should be done with feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly out (not straight ahead). When squatting, you should brace your torso, keep your hips back, and bend your knees, making sure they bend pointed outwards, not inwards. When your thighs are about parallel to the ground, rise back up putting your weight on your entire foot and repeat. Squatting is well-known to be great for general fitness, but it’s also an incredible pelvic health exercise. Whether performed with or without weights, squats help the pelvic floor muscles become both more flexible and more resilient.

Bird Dog

The bird dog is considered an intensive exercise and doesn’t need the use of weights to be effective. To practice the bird dog, kneel down with your knees hip-width apart and place your palms firmly on the ground shoulder-width apart. Then, while tightening your abdominal muscles, point one arm straight forward and extend the opposite leg straight back, hold for 3 to 5 seconds, and smoothly return to your hands and knees. Switch to the other arm and other leg for the next repetition, and alternate throughout the set. This exercise focuses on core strength and balance, and is great for the hips, the hamstrings, and the gluteal muscles, all of which support the pelvis.

Split Tabletop

The split tabletop is another exercise that is performed laying flat, and is a gentle stretch that comes naturally for most people and can be repeated to varying degrees of intensity. In order to perform the split tabletop, while lying supine, lift your legs up with bent knees until they’re perpendicular to your body (forming a 90 degree angle). Slowly separate your thighs until you’re in a straddle position, with legs as far apart as you can comfortably get them. Then slowly pull your thighs back to the center while contracting your pelvic floor and repeat. The split tabletop works the pelvic floor muscles at the same time as the thighs.

Marches

Abdominal marches, or supine reverse marching, is an exercise built on a simple, easy-to-learn movement that, with repetition, can always be challenging and build important muscle groups. Begin by laying down on your back and raising your legs up to 90 degrees, with knees bent, as in split tabletop. Then bring one foot down, quickly touch the floor, raise it back up to starting, and repeat with the other foot, alternating sides with each repetition.

Heel Slides

Heel slides are a versatile exercise – they can be performed in several different ways, and each variation offers its own challenges. The basic heel slide is done lying down on the floor. Keeping your heel touching the floor, slide one leg backwards as close to your buttocks as possible, return that leg to the starting position with the same sliding motion, and repeat with the other leg. Other versions can be done with pointed toes, seated, on the edge of a chair, or up against a wall.

Happy Baby Pose

Happy baby pose is another common name for a yoga pose, which is known in its original Sanskrit name as ananda-balasana. While the happy baby pose is an effective stretch, it’s also easy and relaxing, and thus is an ideal part of the end of a workout. To assume this pose, lay flat, bend your knees towards your chest, face your soles up and parallel to the ceiling, and reach forward to grab your feet. Spreading your knees apart and holding onto your soles, you can now rock gently from side to side to relieve tension in both your back and your pelvis.

To learn more about how our expert physical therapists prioritize your pelvic health and physical fitness, contact us today, or book your initial appointment with a JAG PT location in  New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Learn More About Pelvic Health:

• Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
• The Importance of Pelvic Floor Therapy for Women and Men
• Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy
• Yin Yoga Stretches for Pelvic Floor Tension Release

The post What Exercises Are Good for Improving Pelvic Health? appeared first on JAG Physical Therapy in NY, NJ, & PA.

Around the holidays and the new year there is a lot of focus on celebration and on trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Usually this includes changes in our usual diet or eating habits. Patients will often bring up how the holidays and their changes in diet are affecting their symptoms. So, I wanted to discuss how your diet and pelvic health can impact each other. A lot of patients that we see are aware that how much they drink, and what they eat can affect their bowel and bladder habits, but they don’t always know all the effects it can have on their pelvic floor function. In fact, some pelvic floor dysfunction can even cause us to alter our eating habits. In this article disordered eating could be defined as altered eating habits such as increased or decreased volume of food intake or altered food intake quality. This is including, but not limited to other eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa, binge eating, and anorexia nervosa.

Here are a few things our diet AND pelvic floor impact:

Since there is a large overlap between how our diet can impact us and the how the pelvic floor can impact us we often see a correlation between abnormal eating habits and pelvic floor dysfunction.

• One example of how eating can affect the pelvic floor is binge eating. Binge eating has been associated with menstrual changes, PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome), abdominal discomfort including abdominal pressure and bloating which can impact pelvic organ prolapse.
• An example on how the pelvic floor can impact our diet is in patients with chronic constipation due to poor coordination of the pelvic floor may have a decreased appetite, or fear of eating, because it causes discomfort and fullness.

Our diet can also directly impact the function of the pelvic floor:

• Hormones: can affect our pelvic floor muscle elasticity, muscle growth and thus pelvic muscle function
• Nutrient and Protein absorption/utilization: This goes in line with hormones. Our food is a main source of vitamins needed for muscle growth and mobility.

If you have noticed your diet impacting your pelvic floor function, or you have noticed your pelvic floor symptoms impacting your diet please talk to a pelvic health physical therapist to help you devise a plan and see if your pelvic floor could be driving your symptoms.  One thing you can do to help is keep a bowel/bladder log. You can use many apps, make your own, ask your therapist for one, or use this link

Bowel & Bladder Diary

Learn More About JAG Physical Therapy

Make the first step towards healing with JAG PT's pelvic health and disordered eating program. Schedule your appointment today at any of our locations across NJ, NY, & PA to start your journey towards a healthier you. Contact us to learn more!

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