From carrying your first child to entering menopause, the needs of every woman, no matter what stage of life, vary greatly. Due to the wide range of conditions that can encompass women’s health, our physical therapy program focuses on individual treatments for your current life stage and needs.
At UPMC Rehabilitation Institute we have designed a specialized physical therapy program to meet the unique needs of women throughout each phase of their lives. These phases include:
We are here to answer any questions you may have about your condition. Helping you understand your specialized therapy program is part of our mission. We strive to be efficient and want to provide you with the necessary education to aid in your recovery.
Our Women’s Health Physical Therapy program specializes in numerous treatments for a variety of conditions that specifically effect women.
Pelvic floor dysfunction encompasses a variety of conditions that result from weakened pelvic muscles. Conditions and symptoms include urinary or fecal incontinence, pain or dysfunction with intercourse, infection, and increased sensitivity of the tissues surrounding the pelvic muscles. Physical therapy treatment for pelvic pain include exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles, massage, and relaxation techniques.
Your pelvic floor goes through many changes during pregnancy and delivery. In addition to pelvic floor physical therapy, specialized physicians may be able to help restore you pelvic floor health.
At the Magee Postpartum Pelvic Floor Healing Clinic, we offer expert care for women who are experiencing pelvic floor problems within a year of giving birth. Some common problems we treat include:
Two common types of incontinence treated by physical therapy are:
Urinary incontinence specifies when you lose control of your bladder and leak urine, while stress incontinence is due to sudden pressure on the pelvic muscles. Fecal incontinence is the loss of control over bowel movements.
Exercises to regain control over incontinence involve strengthening your pelvic muscles and retraining your bladder. At times, to treat incontinence in addition to pelvic floor dysfunction, your therapist may utilize biofeedback therapy. Biofeedback is a mental technique that can help you control involuntary physical functions.
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become more fragile. As the bones weaken, the risk for fracture and other injuries increase. Women either over the age of fifty or pre/post-menopause are more likely to develop osteoporosis due to low and changing hormone levels. Physical therapy treatments often include preventative and safety exercises to reduce the risk of fracture while performing daily activities.
During pregnancy lower back pain is common due to carrying extra weight and a decline in posture.
After your body undergoes the stress of childbirth, you may develop uncomfortable symptoms such as:
Though a natural process, scarring from a C-section or other incision sites can also contribute to chronic pain.
Physical therapy helps to identify and implement treatment for the variety of symptoms and conditions that can arise both during and after childbirth. Treatments include stretching and strengthening, and self-education for at-home exercises.
Other conditions treated by therapy include:
Oakland
412-692-4305
Kaufmann Medical Building
3471 Fifth Ave., Suite 1200A
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Pleasant Hills
Phone: 412-894-1752
Southland Shopping Center
623-A Clairton Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
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