We know that you know your neuro clients have a pelvic floor… but are you doing anything to help it?? You may be surprised how many of your clients have weak, tight, spastic, or flaccid pelvic floors, and the issues arising from this may be preventing them from fully engaging in their lives. If you want to help but don’t know where to start, this episode is for you! We break it down for the non-pelvic floor PT and give you the skinny on how to screen and incorporate an easy, functional progression of activities into what you’re already doing with your neuro clients. Grace Weiland, PT, DPT, CAPP-PH, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor therapy, shares her expertise on an often overlooked but critical aspect of treating pelvic floor dysfunction in neurological rehabilitation. Working in a rural critical access hospital, Grace highlights the importance of pelvic floor health for all patients, not just those with specific pelvic issues. She explains that pelvic floor dysfunction can significantly impact quality of life, leading to social isolation and reduced participation in activities.
Grace discusses how pelvic floor problems are common but not normal, emphasizing the need for healthcare providers to approach the topic professionally and sensitively. She offers practical strategies for screening and addressing pelvic floor issues, including breathing techniques, functional exercises, and subtle strengthening methods that don't require invasive interventions.
The conversation reveals the interconnectedness of pelvic floor health with overall body mechanics, highlighting how exercises targeting stability, balance, and proper breathing can improve pelvic floor function. Grace will be presenting a detailed webinar on this topic during the upcoming NeuroSpark quadrimester, breaking down approaches for different neurological impairments and providing clinicians with valuable tools to support their patients' comprehensive rehabilitation.
**A correction note from the episode: The pelvic floor co-activates when any of the following 4 muscles are activated: glute max, hip adductors, Transverse abdominus, obturator internus.
Incontinence Severity Index (ISI)
To get access to Grace's webinar go to www.joinneurospark.com to learn how to become a Sparky the next time NeuroSpark opens!
