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Heather and her staff blog about all things pelvic health related
Including male, female, pediatric, transgender and nonbinary chronic pelvic pain, urinary dysfunction such as incontinence, prostatitis, sexual dysfunction, pregnancy, back pain, upcoming events and more.
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There is growing research for the role of pelvic floor physical therapy in treating male sexual dysfunction. Dysfunction can occur in any phase of the sexual response cycle, including: erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and orgasmic disorders. Many people live with sexual dysfunction and in this article we will exhibit how exercise helps sexual dysfunction.
A 2020 study found that, almost 1 in every 3 men (up to 31%) have sexual dysfunction.1 Another research article shows that erectile dysfunction (ED) is on the rise over recent years.2 Despite the large numbers, many people put off seeking assistance for these serious quality of life problems due to the sensitive nature and potential humiliation of asking a healthcare practitioner what can be done. Even though there are many prescription drugs that can alleviate symptoms temporarily, there is little focus on the causes of make sexual dysfunction and even less on lifestyle changes that might also alleviate symptoms. Erectile dysfunction is an arterial level problem, so it is no surprise that the most prevalent comorbidity of erectile dysfunction is cardiovascular disease. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
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Did You Know That You Can Practice Yoga Therapy to Ease Prostatitis?
Yoga is a form of exercise that utilizes movement for strength and flexibility, along with breathwork and mindfulness for reduction of stress and tension. Yoga has long been used therapeutically for a variety of neuromuscular, immunological, psychological, and pain disorders. It has also been linked to improvements in body awareness, improved cognition, flexibility and strength, as well as physiology (reducing stress hormones, improving cardiac function) (Schmalzl et al, 2015).
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Male Dysorgasmia is on the Rise
In our practice, we see many males who come in describing recent or long-term pain with orgasm or after orgasm (called dysorgasmia). It is not uncommon for a patient to come in feeling discouraged or hopeless due to their pain or sexual dysfunction. Sometimes their medical providers may have prescribed pain medication or antibiotics, or others simply don’t have a solution. But there is hope and we are here to help!
This blog covers some of the main medical or post-surgical conditions that can contribute to male dysorgasmia, followed by the benefits of pelvic floor rehabilitation or pelvic floor physical therapy to improve pain and sexual functioning.
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Fusion Wellness PT is proud to be participating in a research study investigating the effectiveness of low intensity shockwave therapy for patients with dyspareunia. This study is being conducted in partnership with The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Our goal is to determine if low intensity shockwave therapy in addition to typical physical therapy treatment is more effective in reducing symptoms associated with dyspareunia compared to typical physical therapy treatments alone.
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Individuals affected by
What is Endometriosis ?
The tissue that lines the uterus is called endometrium. With
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Restless Legs Syndrome (or RLS)
Restless legs syndrome (or RLS) is a condition where there are uncontrollable urges to move limbs (mostly in the legs, but sometimes in the arms) that follows a circadian pattern, namely evenings/overnight when resting.
The urges usually come with unpleasant sensations such as tingling, burning, itching, or otherwise pain. Usually, it can be alleviated by movement, but as you can imagine, it can be debilitating and impair sleep, and thus the quality of life. It is common to experience mood swings, anxiety, and depression.
It is estimated that about 3.9-14.3% of the general population suffers from RLS. It is the most common movement disorder in pregnant women. There is either primary (idiopathic) RLS, or secondary (acquired) RLS due to pregnancy, renal pathologies, diabetes, hypertension, and other metabolic conditions. The two most common risk factors for RLS are iron deficiency and kidney disease.
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This month is Bladder Health awareness month and we would like to discuss with our readers a recent and significant update to the research regarding guidelines on treating Interstitial Cystitis / Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS).
This past May, the American Urological Association (AUA) published updated clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of IC/BPS. The purpose of this guideline is to provide a “clinical framework” for best practice regarding optimal management of patients with Interstitial Cystitis / Bladder Pain Syndrome. This includes what should and shouldn’t be done for patients, and how to avoid unnecessary or harmful interventions. The previous guidelines on treating Interstitial Cystitis were published in 2014 -- 8 years ago!
So what is Interstitial Cystitis / Bladder Pain Syndrome?
Check out some of our previous articles on our sister site, FeminaPT.com for definitions and how pelvic floor physical therapy can help, including this article specific to those that have painful intercourse and Interstitial Cystitis / Bladder Pain Syndrome. In this year’s update, the author’s, experts in the field, continued to include the role of pelvic floor physical therapy in management and treatment of patients experiencing Interstitial Cystitis or Bladder Pain Syndrome. The AUA has placed pelvic floor physical therapy under the Behavioral / Non-pharmacologic Treatments category, as we are evidenced-based (research-approved) professionals providing treatments that have proven successes for Interstitial Cystitis / Bladder Pain Syndrome.
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Want to start a spin class? Afraid of returning to cycling because of knee pain or pelvic pain?
Come see one of our trained staff therapists for an assessment of your form and spin the right way.
We love biking at Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy / Femina PT! We have a Peloton bicycle used to evaluate, modify and progress spinning and cycling routines. Our clinic director/owner Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, is our in-house spinning guru. She is here to help you with your form as well as how to fit the bike properly to your body.
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May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month.
Did you know that Physical Therapists are an essential member of your interdisciplinary care team?
With life expectancy increasing it is becoming more evident that bone health and fall prevention are key to a good quality of life. Osteoporosis is defined as a decrease in bone mass or a change in the structure of the bone causing the bone to be more fragile.1 If the bone is weak there is a higher chance of a fracture (bone break). The most common areas of fractures are the hip, spine, forearm, and humerus (upper arm bone). Osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually worldwide, affecting predominantly postmenopausal women. The probability of women, at menopause, of having an osteoporotic fracture exceeds that of breast cancer and the likelihood of a fracture is approximately 40%.2
Bone mineral density is measured through a scan called a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). It can be used to measure the bone mineral density of the whole skeleton as well as specific sites. Approximately 21% of women aged 50–84 years are classified as having osteoporosis.2
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A very important component of any running program, ranging from a 5 km (3.1 miles) race to an ultra-marathon (anything more than a marathon which is 26.2 miles), is adequate recovery.
Many people neglect this portion of their training because it doesn’t involve getting sweaty or doing high intensity intervals or weights. However, building in a solid recovery routine is crucial to helping your body bounce back after training as quickly as possible. A good recovery routine also helps prevent injury, decreased immune system function, and muscle mass loss. A recovery routine encompasses a cool-down activity, nutrition, and exercises like hatha-based yoga, foam rolling, and/or stretching the major muscle groups used during your workout. Although not discussed here, getting good quality sleep is critical to recovery as well!
My Post-run Recovery Routine:
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10 Strength, Conditioning, and Balance Exercises for Marathon Runners
Leading up to the Boston Marathon, I have been incorporating these 10 key exercises into my weekly routine (3x/week) to keep my body strong and balanced. Check out videos of these exercises here (link to instagram post). These exercises target the key muscle groups used by runners. These are for educational purposes, not meant to treat medical conditions nor supplement medical advice.
Mat-based Strength and Conditioning for Boston
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Road to Boston Marathon Part 1
A Tribute to the First Female Runners
On April 18, 2022 I am excited and grateful to be able to run the historic and prestigious Boston Marathon! As a physical therapist at Fusion Wellness /Femina Physical Therapy and avid long-distance runner for over 20 years, I’m excited to share my training journey with you leading up to the race. This race holds a special place in the hearts of long-distance runners because you must run a qualifying race with a qualifying time. Females ages 18-34 must run 3 hours 30 minutes or better, and males ages 18-34 must run 3 hours flat or better.
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Over 1 million people in the United States self-identify as transgender, and according to the 2019 Plastic Surgery Statistics by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, around 11,000 gender confirmation surgeries were performed annually in the U.S. Gender-affirming (also referred to as sex-affirming or gender-confirming) surgery encompasses various elective plastic surgery procedures that result in physical characteristics typically associated with being male or female. While not the case for all people who identify as transgender, some people experience distress that their sex assigned at birth does not match their gender identity (termed gender dysphoria). These procedures are just one means to help someone feel congruence between their gender identity and physical traits associated with a particular sex. It is important to note that just because a person identifies as trans-gender or non-binary does not mean that they feel gender dysphoria, nor does it imply that they need or want medical procedures or surgeries to look more feminine or masculine.
Types of Gender-Affirming Surgeries:
Gender-affirming surgeries can involve the face, chest, or genitalia, and are listed in the table here:
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Restless legs syndrome (or RLS)
Restless legs syndrome (or RLS) is a condition where there are uncontrollable urges to move limbs (mostly in the legs, but sometimes in the arms) that follows a circadian pattern, namely evenings/overnight when resting.
The urges usually come with unpleasant sensations such as tingling, burning, itching, or otherwise painful. Usually, it can be alleviated by movement, but as you can imagine, it can be debilitating and impair sleep, and thus quality of life. It is common to experience mood swings, anxiety and depression. It is estimated that about 3.9-14.3% of the general population suffer from RLS. It is the most common movement disorder in pregnant women. There is either primary (idiopathic) RLS, or secondary (acquired) RLS due to pregnancy, renal pathologies and are also associated with diabetes, hypertension and other metabolic conditions. The two most common risk factors for RLS are iron deficiency and kidney disease.
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Interstitial cystitis (IC) also known as bladder pain syndrome or painful bladder syndrome, is a debilitating condition that significantly affects the quality of life of patients living with it.
Symptoms of IC include:
- An unpleasant sensation (pain, pressure, discomfort) perceived to be related to the urinary bladder >6 weeks in duration6,7,9
- Increased pain with specific foods or drinks and/or worsened with bladder filling and/or improved with urination9.
- Urinary urgency (Seen in 84% of IC patients)6.
- Urinary frequency (>10x/day) (Seen in 92% of IC patients)6.
**This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor.
