Pelvic Health & Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Addressing your questions about pelvic, women's, and musculoskeletal health. Health is a journey. Movement is healing!
Everybody poops and according to Harris et al 2006 approximately 20% of individuals in the United States suffer from constipation. That's 1 in 5 people you meet have trouble pooping. So I've decided to do a series about constipation! Wohoo! So let's dive right in. It's not really surprising that so many people suffer from issues with constipation. I mean let's just think about some of the things that can contribute to constipation. DIET. We eat a lot of sugar, carbohydrates, and processed foods in America. You know how it feels a little like glue when you are chewing it? That's how it is in your gut as well. Pairing hand in hand with what we eat is what we drink. We don't get nearly enough water throughout the day. If we are lucky we stop to sip on water occasionally or some people avoid water altogether for more caffeinated and sugar-filled alternatives. But our gut needs water. The colon pulls all of the water out whatever is in it, so pair that with your gluey mess from above and you have something that just isn't going to budge very easily when you are sitting there on the toilet. Beyond diet there are some other factors that can contribute to constipation. Certainly the anatomy and motility of the intestines can play a role, but not every person walking around has had some change in the ability of their organs to move food through the digestive system (which is the definition of motility). So what else is there? Your pelvic floor muscles play a large role in the development and continuation of constipation. The muscles can become tight and can have a difficult time relaxing in order to have a bowel movement. Which is where a pelvic health or women's health physical therapist can come in to help alleviate your symptoms. The physical therapist can help to release those muscles, give you relaxation techniques, and then ultimately work on proper positioning and toileting techniques to help alleviate your symptoms of constipation. Symptoms of constipation can influence your overall health and well-being. They can cause you anything from mild to severe discomfort in your low back, abdominal, and perineal areas. I mean it just doesn't feel good when you can't have a bowel movement and you are all backed up. There are changes to diet and techniques physical therapists can help you to implement to offer relief from these symptoms. Stay tuned for part 2 on constipation we'll plunge a little deeper (pun definitely intended). References:
Harris LA, Hansel S, DiBaise J, Crowell MD. Irritable bowel syndrome and chronic constipation: Emerging drugs, devices, and surgical treatments. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2006;8:282–90. Comments are closed.
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AuthorHello! I am Caitlyn, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Board Certified Women's Health Physical Therapist working in St Louis, Missouri. Faculty in developing residency program. Endowarrior Categories
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