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SLEEP WELL: Good sleep is critical to good health, D2 DEPRESSION: Clinical depression in women, D2 WOMEN’S DENTAL HEALTH: interview with James Dores, DMD, D4
| SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2019
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The essence of pelvic health is to
EMPOWER women & men through education and sound clinical rationale/treatment with the tools needed for good self-care so they can
live a worry-free and pain-free life,”
- Patricia J. Young, Physical Therapist
By Anne-Gerard Flynn
Special to The Republican
Physical therapist Patricia J. Young believes in health care that treats the whole person and that is the approach at Restore Physical Therapy and Wellness Center that she founded and owns in Hadley. The center’s staff helps patients dealing with a variety of musculoskeletal and orthopedic conditions, but Young’s specialty focuses on what is called the pelvic floor where muscles work to support organs related to sexual performance and childbirth as well as bodily functions related to waste elimination. Problems such as incontinence of the bladder and bowel, organ prolapse and separation of the abdominal muscles are among common pelvic floor disorders. Causes may include disease, hormonal changes, injury as well as aging, pregnancy and childbirth and participation in high impact sports. It is estimated that one-quarter of women face pelvic floor disorders. Physical therapists like Young specializing in pelvic floor disorders evaluate and treat patients through protocols that do not involve surgery or medication. Young refers to her practice as an “integrative pelvic health center.” “It is integrative because we treat the whole body in terms of evaluation - not just a body part - and consider nutrition, mindfulness, acupuncture, pain management and lifestyle as part of the plan of care for everyone who comes
for care,” Young said. flags/concerns we might have health is to empower women A. The pelvic floor muscles “We have an interdisciplin- during exam or course of and men through education ary referral source to support treatment, we know whom we and sound clinical rationale/ provide support for the uterus, bladder and bowel. These our work when needed such can send them to.” treatment with the tools muscles are formed in a slingas psychotherapists, family Pelvic-floor related conneeded for good self-care so practice primary care provid- ditions treated at the center they can live a worry-free and like fashion from front to back ers, naturopathic doctors, ur- include organ prolapse, and side to side. You can look pain-free life,” Young said. ogynecologists, obstetricians/ diastasis recti and dyspareuat this muscle arrangement A graduate of the University gynecologists, midwives and nia, that is, painful sex due as scaffolding for the weight of Massachusetts-Amherst, doulas. We also have referrals to a variety of causes such as of the insides of your pelvis, a Young earned her master’s with urologists and gastroen- vaginal dryness, weak pelvic degree at Springfield College foundation if you will. There terologists.” muscle support or a history of and her doctorate of physical are openings in these muscles: The center’s clients are abuse. therapy at Philadelphia’s Tem- the vagina to the uterus, the predominately women, but Organ prolapse occurs when ple University. urethra to the bladder and the She was asked in the follow- anus to the bowels. However, Young said men are also seen weakened pelvic muscles for “pelvic pain, digestive cause one of the pelvic organs ing interview further about in an even broader picture, the pelvic health and its treatment pelvic floor is a group of musdisorders, urinary and fecal to drop down and diastasis cles that work in conjunction in women at her center. incontinence and post-surgi- recti is when the abdominal cal for prostatectomy.” with the rest of your pelvic muscles separate often as a Q. What do the pelvic floor muscles, such as your gluteals She added the center’s staff result of pregnancy. muscles support and how do “can treat most of the patients (buttocks), low-back and abThe center offers ongoing dominal muscles, and are also they become weakened after we see.” wellness classes as well. affected by your knees and childbirth or as women age? “Patients/clients come “The essence of pelvic ankles. either by self-referral or from When you standanother provider. up and walk you Sometimes they need all of these come with a dimuscles to work agnosis,” Young together. So, you said. need to consider “However, the how the pelvic physical therafloor functions pist has to do an in relationship evaluation which to your posture, involves clarifyweight, how you ing the root of breathe, your hormones, how you the problem not walk, how you lift looking at the and carry, as well symptoms. For as your diet and example, asking Young said. stress levels. why is the person If you address having incontinence or pelvic pregnancy and pain and how childbirth specifically, you have and why the therapist approach to note the many treatment is our changes a woman’s body goes approach.” Physical therapist Patricia J. Young is founder of Restore Physical Therapy and through. There She added, Wellness Center in Hadley. (PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY ELLEN KELLY) is a tremendous “If there are red
“Patients/clients come either by selfreferral or from another provider. Sometimes they come with a diagnosis,”
increase in pelvic floor stress with the growth of the baby. This causes pressure on bowel and bladder as the woman’s center of gravity shifts. She may experience pain in low back, groin and in the pubic bone area. During pregnancy she may also have increased urinary frequency and incontinence or constipation due to this pressure on bowel and bladder and of course the pelvic floor can become fatigued. During vaginal childbirth, the hormone relaxin causes the joints and ligaments of the pelvis to slacken in order to accommodate the descension of baby. The pelvic floor muscles are also relaxed and stretched during this time. How much so really depends on the individual and her circumstances. Women do heal well but have to remember it takes a few months to initiate the healing process and up to two years if the woman is breastfeeding or if there are other factors to consider. With regard to the aging process, not only do women have changing hormones and loss of muscle mass but they also have established both supportive and not-so-supportive habits/behaviors. It is important for women to have proper exercise and diet. Both are necessary for pelvic floor health because proper core strength and ease of bowel movements are essential in avoiding stressing the pelvic floor. SEE PELVIC, PAGE D4
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