How Physiotherapy Can Help Treat Incontinence

Physiotherapy & Incontinence Treatment

Physiotherapists can help to treat and manage incontinence?

  • physiotherapists who have taken additional coursework in pelvic health can assist clients with many musculoskeletal ailments and pelvic floor physiotherapist’s are commonly known to treat incontinence.

What is incontinence?

  • Although there are many exceptions to the standard definitions, there are two main categories: stress and urgency. Stress incontinence results from unwanted leakage during activities such as running, jumping, laughing, sneezing, etc. Urgency incontinence occurs when there is a strong and sudden need to urinate.

How can physiotherapy help?

  • Physiotherapy is an essential and holistic method for the treatment and management of incontinence.
  • A physiotherapist will complete an internal exam. This exam will help the physiotherapist understand what is happening at a neurological and muscular level. Each individual client will then be educated on managing their condition through strengthening, stretching, deep breathing, relaxation methods as well as behavioural modification strategies

Incontinence Tips

  • Foods such as artificial sweeteners and citrus/acidic fruits can worsen incontinence symptoms.
  • Poor posture can contribute to worsening of incontinence.
  • A healthy individual urinates approximately 5-8 times daily and urination should take approximately 8-10 seconds

Thoughts

  • Incontinence is a condition that nobody should just live with. There are many different treatment strategies and physiotherapy is one that can help.
  • Kegels may not always be the treatment of choice for some clients. This is why a trained physiotherapist will be best able to assess and develop the best care plan to treat each individual’s unique problem.

Burnaby Physio Care

About the Author

  • Heather Enders is a physiotherapist at Absolute PhysioCare & Sports Rehab. She has completed additional coursework in pelvic health and is an advocate for physiotherapy treatment of incontinence.