Ignorance Linked to Incontinence in Women

Women can help their incontinence symptoms by learning about their pelvic floor muscles and how to exercise them, a U.S. physical therapist advises.

Patricia J. Jenkyns, a physical therapist at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, says a case study published in the March New England Journal of Medicine indicates women who are unable to identify their pelvic floor muscles need to see a physical therapist.

Once patients have correctly identified these muscles, a physical therapist will train how to enhance pelvic floor muscle function, coordinate with abdominal muscle exercises and bring these exercises and awareness into functional activities, Jenkyns says in a statement.

Jenkyns notes that physical therapists use a variety of methods to help patients correct pelvic floor dysfunction. The initial patient evaluation requires determining the type of incontinence — stress, urge, or both — and the extent of incontinence.

The physical therapist can develop an individualized exercise program and make sure patients understand their role in the treatment program,” Jenkyns says.