Two women’s physical therapy exercises used in Kalamazoo, MI

Women’s physical therapy can be used to treat many issues in Kalamazoo, Michigan. One common issue it’s used to treat is pelvic floor dysfunction, and this condition can be caused by weak pelvic floor muscles. Physical therapists can help you learn many therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. Here are two examples of exercises a women’s physical therapist can recommend to strengthen these muscles: 

1. Kegel exercises

Kegel exercises are a type of physical therapy exercise, and they’re useful for several reasons. For one thing, they can help women better control the flow of waste from the bowel and bladder. They can also help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, and this can be very useful when you have pelvic floor dysfunction. 

To perform Kegel exercises, you’ll need to sit down in a comfortable position. Focus on the muscles that are touching the center of the chair, and slowly tighten these muscles. When you tighten them, you should feel a lifting sensation. Hold the muscles tight for three to five seconds, and then slowly release the tension. Repeat these steps eight to 10 times to complete one set. You can also try doing Kegel exercises while standing up or lying down to mix things up, and doing the exercise throughout the day can help increase the speed of your recovery. 

2. Shallow squats

The squat is an exercise that many people associate with strengthening the legs and buttocks. While they do work the muscles in these areas, squats can also work the pelvic floor muscles. A squat variation called the shallow squat is often used in women’s physical therapy plans to increase the strength of the pelvic floor muscles. 

To do a shallow squat, you’ll first need to position your body correctly. The correct starting position for this exercise involves standing with your feet about hip width apart, and your feet should also be flat on the floor. From this starting position, slowly bend your knees until they reach about a 45-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back straight and bend forward slightly as you bend the knees, and concentrate on tightening your pelvic floor and buttocks as you slowly return to the starting position. Repeat these steps until you’ve done about 10 reps. You can do more sets of shallow squats, but you’ll want to rest for 30 seconds to a minute between each set. 

Armor Physical Therapy in Kalamazoo, MI, offers women’s physical therapy

If you have pelvic floor dysfunction in Kalamazoo, Armor Physical Therapy has a clinic in your area that offers women’s physical therapy. We can begin your treatment process with a free screening, and this step can help us pinpoint the cause of your condition. Using this information, our team can then create an individualized therapy plan for you, and some of that could be included in your plan are: 

• Manual therapy 
• Electrical stimulation
• Redcord^® therapy
• Therapeutic exercise

Are you ready to get our help with your pelvic floor dysfunction? Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.