A

t 70 years old, Sylvia R. 
(patients’ names in this story 
have been changed for priva-
cy) assumed leakage and multiple trips 
to the bathroom every day were an 
inevitable part of getting older. 
“I had a teacher’s bladder,
” she said. 
“When you can’t go whenever you 
need to, it ruins the muscles.
” 
Finally, her physician recommended 
pelvic floor therapy, and she decided 
to give it a try. By the sixth session, 
Sylvia was using the bathroom less fre-
quently and the leakage had completely 
stopped.

“I was very surprised. No meds or 
surgery and it worked,
” she said.
Pelvic floor therapy, which has 
been used successfully in Europe for 
decades, is gaining rec-
ognition as a successful 
non-surgical option for 
treating a variety of pelvic 
floor disorders such as 
incontinence, consti-
pation, pain and organ 
prolapse.
Jennifer Kaiser-Blase, 
M.D., a local obstetrician/gynecologist, 
is among a growing number of medi-

cal professionals who prescribe pelvic 
floor physical therapy for patients with 
a wide variety of issues. 
“More and more of us are using pel-
vic floor physical therapy as one of the 
first-line treatments for many pelvic 
floor disorders, helping women avoid 
painful surgeries and have longer-last-
ing results,
” she said.

WHAT IS A PELVIC 
FLOOR DISORDER?
The pelvic floor is comprised of 
muscles that support the organs and 
control the opening and closing of the 

urethra, vagina and rectum. When this 
muscle group does not work proper-
ly, symptoms such as pain, urgency 
and incontinence may result. While 
a weakened pelvic floor is the more 
common culprit, overly tight muscles 
can also affect function.
While pelvic floor issues can cause 
various conditions in all stages of life, 
some disorders are more prevalent 
among certain age groups. For exam-
ple, it is common for women to devel-
op stress incontinence and pelvic pain 
during pregnancy or after giving birth, 
especially with vaginal deliveries. Pelvic 
floor issues can also cause painful 
intercourse in young women who have 
never been pregnant. 
For older women, the physical and 
hormonal changes that accompany 
menopause often cause conditions 
such as vaginal dryness and tightness, 
urgency, bowel or bladder inconti-
nence, and prolapse of the bladder, rec-
tum or uterus. Decreased mobility can 
also affect pelvic floor muscles.
Other causes of pelvic floor dis-
orders include chemotherapy or 
radiation used to treat cancer, injuries 
sustained in an auto accident, and psy-
chological conditions such as PTSD or 
severe depression and anxiety. Impact 
sports such as running, gymnastics or 
bicycling can also play a role.

RELIEF IS POSSIBLE
Like Sylvia, some women resign 
themselves to living with discomfort 
because they are embarrassed to talk to 
a doctor or don’t realize there is a way 
to treat their symptoms 
without surgery or med-
ication.
“
A lot of people think 
these symptoms are a 
normal part of aging … 
women should know they 
don’t have to live with 
incontinence or pain,
” 
said Elana Bodzin, PT, DPT, owner of 
Aligned Physical Therapy and Wellness 
in Pleasant Ridge. Conditions resulting 
from pregnancy or birth are in the 
same category. “Back pain after preg-
nancy is common, but it’s not normal.
”
The first step is an evaluation by a 
physician, usually a gynecologist or 
urologist, to rule out other medical 

Pelvic floor therapy can help with incontinence 

and other issues.

continued on page 30

Elana 
Bodzin, PT, 
DPT

RONELLE GRIER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

WOMEN’S HEALTH

28 | OCTOBER 31 • 2024 J
N

Jennifer 
Kaiser-
Blase, M.D.

Discomfort

Don’t Live 
With the

Elana Bodzin, PT, 
DPT, provides 
pelvic floor therapy 
to a patient.

