Welcome to the Pelvic Floor Therapy and Dry Needling Posts Page

Your Specialized Provider:

Samantha Curran PT, DPT, CMTPT, CSCS

To contact Samantha click here

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Stress Incontinence

When you hear “Jumping Jacks” do you cringe at the thought of them? If you do them do you perform full jumping jacks or do you perform modified jumping jacks to avoid Stress Incontinence?

15 million adult women in the U.S. have Stress Incontinence!  If you are modifying your jumping jacks, you don’t have to be! This is common, but it IS NOT NORMAL and we need to stop normalizing it! Typically with a little retraining, strengthening, and education these issues can be quickly resolved!

How To Do The Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise

Breathing is something that we do not have to think about … or so we thought. It turns out most of us do what we call a “stress breath” or chest breathing,

Instead of chest breathing it is better to breath from the diaphragm, what is know as diaphragmatic breathing. Changing to this form of breathing offers many advantages to your health.

Diaphragmatic breathing is important for the reduction of stress and anxiety, improved GI function, and reducing tension and pain. It actually improves muscle coordination, and breathing this way can help improve overall strength.

Here’s how to do diaphragmatic breathing. Start by lying on your back, place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. As you inhale through your nose you should feel the belly rise, keeping the chest relaxed. As you exhale through your mouth (do not force it) let the belly fall and relax back down.

Perform this series for 5-10 minutes every night to help improve your overall health!

How To Properly Perform Clam Shells

Clam Shells are a common exercise that are often performed for hip weakness. When performing a clam shell we are working to strengthen the back of the hip area.

The video begins by showing how clam shells are typically performed, which is to say improperly. The pelvis is rocked backwards and uses the TFL and hip flexors to lift the leg. This is not ideal.

Next we see how to properly do a clam shell. Line up your heels, hips and shoulders in a straight line, rock the top hip and shoulder slightly forward, engage your pelvic floor and deep core, slightly lift the top knee not allowing your pelvis to rock backwards, rest between each contraction. You should start to feel the muscles working in the back of the hip (think of your back pocket if you were wearing  jeans). Once you start to feel a burn perform 2-3 more and then rest. 

Dry Needling and Pelvic Floor Therapy To Treat C-Section Scar Tissue and Chronic Pain

Where are my c-section mommas at? ??‍♀️   

I had a c-section and at 10 weeks postpartum was having increased pain through the right side of the scar into my right groin. After three sessions of pelvic floor therapy I was back to doing what I wanted, pain free! 

We often think of a c-section as a routine surgery, and not as significant as it may be… C-sections are one of the top 5 most performed surgeries in the US and require decreased activity for proper healing. 18% of c-sections result in chronic pain that often goes unaddressed secondary to the lack in postnatal care and the expectations of caring for a newborn.

Clinically we see patients with hip pain, GI issues, pelvic pain and so forth and these little scars can often times be the culprit.

If you’ve had a c-section or know someone who has get it checked out!   Dry needling is one of the many techniques I use for patients with increased scar tissue and chronic pain. This along with other manual treatments and a routine tailored to each individual can help on your way to recovery! 

Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common diagnosis affecting approximately 26% of women. There are many correlations with pelvic pain including central sensitization, painful bladder syndrome, IBS, endometrioses and more. Our Pelvic floor provider will work closely with your healthcare team to provide a holistic approach to management of symptoms and an improved quality of life.

Incontinence

Approximately 13 million Americans are incontinent. Just because it’s common, doesn’t mean it’s normal! Whether leakage is occurring with exercise, the urge to use the restroom or other triggers, in most cases, there are alternatives to improve these symptoms! If this is you, call (620) 235-1500 today to set up an appointment with our pelvic floor specialist. You can also contact her by clicking the red contact button at the top of the page.

Introduction to Pelvic Floor Therapy Video

We recently posted our Introduction to Pelvic Floor Therapy FB Live video to our YouTube page which you can view here:

To visit our YouTube page CLICK HERE

To go directly to the Pelvic Floor Therapy Intro Video CLICK HERE

We had some great questions that were emailed to us that we are posting here. Hopefully they will be of use and interest to you:

Q: I have always had pain with speculum exams and with using a tampon, is there anything that can be done for that?
A: Yes, Inserting something such as a speculum or tampon into the vaginal canal should not be painful. I frequently see patients with pelvic pain, and there are several techniques that we use. First off we determine the cause for the symptoms and then from there we would do hands on techniques and relaxation techniques in order to improve tissue mobility. I always give my patients “homework” to allow them to work on techniques outside of the clinic in order to require few treatments and increase the speed of recovery.

Q: I have had incontinence since my last child was born 23 years ago, I guess I just thought this was normal, is there something that can be done for this?
A: YES, yes there is! Incontinence post baby does not have to be a normal part of motherhood! As a matter of fact, it’s NOT normal! It’s our body’s way of telling us that something is weak or not working appropriately. So if you are leaking with your workouts, playing with your kids, laughing, or if it comes when you pull into your driveway, you hear running water, or you see a toilet, this does not have to be the case!

Q: I was having a hard time emptying my bladder, had other complications and had to have my prostate removed. Unfortunately now I am leaking urine. Is there something you could do to help with this?
A: YES, I have seen many men post surgery that have gone from one extreme to the other. I often times work with men to improve the activation of the pelvic floor muscles and then work on coordinating that contraction with functional tasks. Often times men do not think about activating the pelvic floor like women do, so it is a little more foreign when they try. With a little cueing and some diligent work at home, we can see significant improvements in symptoms.

Q: You mentioned constipation. I have struggled with constipation for YEARS, it has affected my life significantly. I take several medications, laxatives and so forth. Is there anything that you could do that may give me some relief?
A: YES, there are multiple things that we can do to help with constipation. First, we want to determine the cause. Are the muscles of the pelvic floor working how they are suppose to? If not this is a good place to start. We would also work on specific routines to help your body find its proper rhythm and get on a good schedule. We would work on the abdomen, relaxation techniques, toileting techniques and so forth. We would use what is called “biofeedback” to help with retraining in order to help you to have a better understanding of what the muscles are doing.

APRIL IS ALSO MULTIPLE BIRTH AWARENESS MONTH

Pregnant or postpartum with twins or higher order multiples? Hats off to you! You are doing a great job momma! If you have had multiples make sure to take time for yourself to get the help you need! This month is Multiple Birth Awareness Month, and while we think of our little munchkins and the journey we have been through with them, also think of yourself and the capability and strength you have! Call today to set up an appointment to improve any unresolved pregnancy symptoms!

APRIL IS CESAREAN SECTION AWARENESS MONTH

Pregnant or postpartum? 32% of births in the US occur Via C-section. Call today for any questions regarding recovery and how to return to your desired activities safely.

Did you know that 18% of women continue to have chronic pain post cesarean section? This can be pain related to scar tissue, hip pain or generalized pelvic pain. There are multiple techniques that can be utilized to improve mobility and reduce overall pain. Speak with our pelvic floor specialist to see how she can help you with your postpartum recovery. Call (620) 235-1500 or click the red contact button above.