role of biofeedback in pelvic health physiotherapy

The role of biofeedback in pelvic health physiotherapy is to help patients gain more control over their bladder and bowel muscles. Unlike medications that can have side effects, biofeedback is a non-invasive treatment that can strengthen and train muscles to relax. It helps patients understand how to improve the function of these muscles and is a great tool for addressing problems like urinary incontinence, constipation, and vaginal prolapse.

Biofeedback is a technique that allows a patient to learn to exercise and control their muscular or autonomic functions with the aid of a device that gives feedback on what is happening. This feedback can be visual (such as a graph on a computer screen), audible (such as a tone or buzzer) or tactile (such as pressure or vibration) and is used to teach a patient how to strengthen weak or tight muscle groups and relax overactive muscles.

Pelvic floor biofeedback has shown to be a highly effective therapy for patients with weak or overactive pelvic floor muscles. Studies have found that pelvic floor muscle training combined with biofeedback can significantly improve symptoms of incontinence and increase abdominal girdle strength, and improve bowel movement efficiency.

What is the role of biofeedback in pelvic health physiotherapy?

The process of biofeedback is simple – two sensors are attached to your skin, usually on the front of your abdomen or near your anus. These sensors record electrical activity from the muscles that are activated during urination and defecation. The results are then displayed on a monitor. This enables the therapist to see what is happening with the muscles and provides instant feedback. The therapist then guides you through exercises to contract or relax the muscles that are being recorded. As the therapist helps you strengthen or relax the muscles on the screen, you can see the result immediately and this motivates you to continue.

During the initial consultation, your Pelvic Health Physiotherapy East Sheen will perform an assessment of your symptoms and your history. Afterwards, they will be able to inform you of the best course of treatment that will get you back to your normal life. This may include pelvic floor muscle training, ultrasound, interferential or acupuncture and rehabilitation exercises.

Often, pelvic floor muscle strengthening and relaxation is done by hand with the guidance of the physical therapist or nurse. This could include breathing exercises, pelvic floor muscle contraction using a finger tip, use of weighted vaginal cones (the slippage of the weight providing immediate feedback), air pressure controlled devices or surface electromyography (sEMG) which is my go-to tool in clinic as it gives you the most accurate feedback possible for your pelvic floor muscles.

In one study, patients who underwent a pelvic floor muscle training program with biofeedback showed improved bowel movement and urinary incontinence compared to a control group that received sham biofeedback. These patients also needed less laxative medication to manage their symptoms. This is because the biofeedback increased their awareness and confidence in their ability to strengthen the muscles, and also provided immediate feedback on what was happening with those muscles.