No, incontinence after childbirth is not something you need to live with Anyone can experience pelvic floor issues, even men.
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By Melissa Davidson
kay, moms. Raise your hand if sneezing often equates
to peeing your pants. There are probably a lot of you with hands in the air right now. While incontinence is a thing that happens to a lot of women after carrying and birthing babies, it doesn’t have to be the status quo from there on out. There’s therapy for that. Yes, physical therapy geared specifically toward getting what’s called your pelvic floor functioning like it did before it had to...well, you know. Funny thing about pelvic floors, though. We all have them and whether you’ve birthed a child or not, are a man or woman, young or old, you can experience issues with your pelvic floor. So what exactly is a pelvic floor, what role does it play in our bodies, and why does it cause issues in some people?
A group of muscles you never knew you’d need therapy for The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that span across the entire bottom of your pelvis, from the front of your pubic bone to your tailbone. The bladder, uterus, and rectum sit on top of these muscles. “It’s sort of like they’re sitting in a hammock,” said Jill Ehrmantraut, board-certified women’s health clinical specialist at Apex Physical Therapy and Wellness Center. “These muscles support the organs in the pelvis and abdomen while assisting with bladder and bowel control. They also provide pleasure during sexual activities.” Ehrmantraut has advanced training in pelvic rehabilitation for females, males and children and notes that there are a variety of reasons anyone can experience pelvic floor issues. “Pregnancy and childbirth are common causes of pelvic floor disorders,especially if you’re experiencing prolonged labor or delivery, multiples or perineal tears, but there are more
ABOVE: Women’s Health Clinical Specialist at Apex Physical Therapy and Wellness Center Jill Ehrmantraut holds a model of the pelvis to demonstrate where the pelvic floor muscles are and what they support. Special to On the Minds of Moms 14
ON THE MINDS OF MOMS | APRIL • MAY 2021
