These words describe a physical condition that affects an estimated 13 million Americans every day. Both men and women, young and old, can experience some form of urinary incontinence that can make them feel ashamed and isolated. Worse yet is the feeling of not having control over your own body, the feeling that somehow you can no longer depend on it functioning the way it did before. The truth is there's no need to feel this way.
Physical therapists can help.
With the right kind of treatment, you can get your bladder control problem back under control. Many physical therapists concentrate their practice in women's health, and incontinence is one of the most common problems they treat. Physical therapists use a variety of methods to help their clients correct pelvic floor weakness. Your physical therapist will teach you how to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which may prevent the onset of incontinence or help to reverse the process. He or she will evaluate the extent of your incontinence, identify treatment goals, and make sure you understand how your treatments works - now and in the future.