What your client needs to know about their pelvic floor.

Clients who are curious about the pelvic floor and associated dysfunctions as well as those who present with pelvic floor patterns can really benefit from a little bit of understanding and some education. Clients who understand their pelvic floor function have a much greater opportunity to participate in the healing and leaning into the support you’re offering. 

1. Anatomy:

• Having a pelvis 3D model or diagram is super helpful in creating a visual model of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues that form the pelvic floor.

• It is also helpful for clients to understand the organs that the pelvic floor supports like the bladder, uterus and colon

2. Physiology:

• Help your client to understand the role the pelvic floor muscles play in supporting the pelvic organs, controlling urinary and bowel movements, their contribution to sexual function and other conditions like orthopedic issues i/e back pain.

3. Function vs Dysfunction:

• Clients need to understand what is normal vs not normal. Helping them to have a general idea of good pelvic floor function vs dysfunction is vital. Furthermore, supporting clients in understanding that both excess and deficiency or tightness and weakness can be contributing factors is important. 

4. Importance of Preventative Pelvic Floor Health:

• If this becomes a specialty in your practice or if you see a lot of clients with potential pelvic floor risk factors, adding in educational programs about preventative PF Health might really help you to build your practice and raise client awareness. 

5. Common Pelvic Floor Pathologies & Related Conditions:

• Clients should be aware of signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction as well as related conditions. And of course, how this relates to them.  

6. Pregnancy and Childbirth:

• Pregnancy and childbirth can impact the pelvic floor so this is another great opportunity for client education. It's important for clients, especially women, to understand how these life events may affect the pelvic floor muscles and for them to feel supported

7. Pelvic Floor Exercises:

• Clients should be instructed in locating their pelvic floor, breathing exercises, qi gong and strengthening/relaxation techniques to enhance the efficacy of their Chinese Medicine Treatments.

8. Lifestyle Factors:

• As acupuncturists, we are great at identifying patterns and lifestyle factors that contribute to one’s state of being. Certain lifestyle factors, including heavy lifting, chronic constipation, and persistent coughing, can contribute to pelvic floor issues. Helping clients to be mindful of these activities can be extremely beneficial to their conditions.

9. Getting Help:

• While there’s a lot clients can do at home to support their pelvic health, sometimes intervention is necessary. As a practitioner, you can provide insight about the need for professional help. You can also help clients to understand how Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture helps and answer their questions. The key is allowing the client to feel safe, heard and supported.

I firmly believe that each one of us is the authority of our own health and stepping into that role empowers us to have a voice, help ourselves and receive support from others. Empowering clients with knowledge about the pelvic floor helps them take an active role in their health. Encouraging open communication and addressing any concerns or questions they may have contributes to a more comprehensive and collaborative approach to pelvic floor health.