An Alternative Physical Therapy Approach to the Overactive Pelvic Floor

Abstract

Viscerally mediated pain, either as a causal or perpetuating factor, has the ability to alter tissue tension within the whole of the pelvic floor. Both acute and chronic painful phases of urogenital and gastrointestinal dysfunction have the ability to alter the resting state of the pelvic floor structures, including pelvic floor muscles. A gentle manual therapeutic technique, visceral manipulation, when combined with correction of visceral function, has shown promise in decreasing much of the physical tension that occurs with abdominal and pelvic visceral dysfunction, thereby reducing subjective pain and improving function throughout the pelvis and abdomen.

Portions of this chapter were reprinted from Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol, 28(7), Hartmann D, Sarton J, Chronic pelvic floor dysfunction, 977–90, Copyright, 2014, with permission from Elsevier.