What Causes Pelvic Floor Muscle Spasm and Pelvic Pain
Pelvic muscle spasm occurs when pelvic floor muscle fibres contract and unable to relax.
Pelvic floor muscle spasm in women is called vaginismus. Pelvic floor spasm and pelvic pain also occurs in men.
It's not currently clear whether pelvic pain is caused by pelvic floor spasm or vice versa. Both conditions often coexist and relieving spasm can relieve pain too.
Kegel Exercises and Pelvic Spasm
It’s advisable to cease Kegel exercise (pelvic floor exercise) if you’ve been diagnosed with pelvic spasm. Contracting pelvic floor muscles that are in spasm can exacerbate pelvic pain.
Hip and Pelvis Stretches for Treating Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain can be associated with trigger points and muscle tightness in the some of the muscles outside the pelvis ad hips. Pelvic muscles, joints and soft tissues all have the potential to increase the discomfort associated with chronic pelvic conditions such as such as vaginismus.
External hip and pelvis stretches are often used to complement traditional Physiotherapy treatment for internal pelvic muscle spasm and pain. This includes situations where internal pelvic treatment can’t be performed (e.g religious beliefs, age or sexually abstinence).
Muscles Outside the Pelvis Associated with Pelvic Pain
Some muscles outside the pelvis are commonly associated with pelvic floor spasm. These muscles can also shorten, weaken and cause pain. Alternatively dysfunction in some of the external pelvic muscles may predispose you to poor posture that can cause or exacerbate pelvic pain.
Muscles often Associated with Internal Pelvic Pain include:
-Buttocks (gluteals)
-Groin (hip adductors)
-Front of hip (hip flexors)
-Lower back (quadratus lumborum)
-Abdominal wall muscles
Treating these external pelvic muscles with regular gentle hip and pelvic stretches may assist with the overall management of chronic pelvic pain conditions.
Tips for comfortable for stretching with pelvic pain:
-Stretch when your muscles are warm
-Breathe out when moving into a stretch
-Avoid holding your breath
-Stretches should never feel painful
-Decrease the duration or intensity of any stretch that causes physical discomfort
-Use a pillow or cushion to support your body as required
-Cease stretches that aggravate pelvic discomfort
-Avoid overstretching
References
1. Weiss J. (2001) Pelvic Floor Myofascial Trigger Points: Manual Therapy for Interstitial Cystitis and the Urgency-Frequency Syndrome. The Journal of Urology, 2001, Vol.166(6), pp.2226-2231.
2. Simons G, Travell J, and Simons LS (1999) Travell & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, Vol.1, Ed. 2. Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins.
3. FitzGerald M. and Kotarinos R. (2003) Rehabilitation of the short pelvic floor. II: Treatment of the patient with the short pelvic floor. International Urogynecology Journal. Volume 14, Issue 4, pp 269–275.
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