Pelvic Health Physiotherapy can be beneficial in ensuring healthy bowel function. Healthy bowel function compromises good nutrition, a well functioning digestive tract and effective defecation strategies.
● We are able to help with concerns involving all aspects of bowel function. After a comprehensive workup with your GP to rule out organic causes, Physiotherapy can help with constipation and faecal incontinence.
Constipation:
● The diagnosis given to someone when they experience at least 2 of the following symptoms: Straining, lumpy/ hard stool, less than 3 defecations per week, manual manoeuvers to facilitate, sensation of incomplete evacuation, sensation of blockage.
● This needs to be in the absence of an IBS diagnosis.
● There are three likely causes of constipation including slow colonic transit time (meaning the bowel motion takes a long time to get through the digestive tract), outlet obstruction (something blocking the release of bowel movement) and functional defecation disorders (the muscles and structures involved in completing a bowel motion are not functioning properly).
● Pelvic Health Physiotherapists are well placed to help diagnose the cause and manage constipation in all three circumstances.
Faecal incontinence:
● Can be a very debilitating condition which can impact a person’s quality of life.
● There are many strategies including pelvic floor exercises, optimising stool consistency, exercises and biofeedback tools that Pelvic Health Physiotherapists can use to help reduce or eliminate the occurrence of incontinence.