Improving Your Pelvic Health Through Videos and Books

By Paul J. Watkins

In our health-conscious culture, we’re always looking for ways to take control of our own well-being, especially when it comes to things like pelvic health. Knowledge, as the old saying says, is power, and modern technology is allowing us to empower ourselves and better our lives by improving our health

Did you know there are a number of DVDs and books available to help us understand our pelvic health, particularly as it relates to bladder leakage? For example, these instructional programs can teach us how to properly do Kegel exercises and strengthen our pelvic floor muscles in the comfort of our own home.

Jennifer Johnson Gabelsberg, DPT, MSc, MTC, owner of Women’s Advantage, Inc. in Torrance, California, is a women’s health physical therapist who has specialized in the treatment of bladder leakage and pelvic pain since 1994. She guides many women in the use of pelvic floor exercises to regain bladder control. Gabelsberg believes strongly that women's health physical therapists can be an excellent resource for those looking to learn more about regaining bladder control. “The unfortunate thing is that there aren't enough women's health physical therapists in the U.S.,” she says. “There are only about 2,200 of us, so there are a lot of areas of the country where people may need to depend on something like a DVD.”

Gabelsberg has a DVD called Empowerment in Eight Weeks: Taking Charge of Urinary Incontinence. “I created it in response to a lot of my patients who said something like, ‘My mom lives in Nebraska, and there aren't any women's health physical therapists there. What can she do?’ That's why I put this together. It consists of about an hour of lectures and education and then an hour of demonstrating an eight-week progression of exercises.” She says the response she’s gotten from patients who have used the DVD has been very positive. "We're getting between seventy-five percent and one hundred percent improvement of urinary leakage or prolapse symptoms because the same exercises help fix those conditions.” Prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments stretch and weaken, providing inadequate support for the uterus. The uterus then descends into the vaginal canal.

Phoenix Core Solutions is a company that provides information and products on health topics, including pelvic pain, and bladder and bowel dysfunction. The company's Pelvic Rotator Cuff DVD uses vivid, anatomical 3D animations to show the muscles of the Pelvic Rotator Cuff and how they function. It also details the role they play in control of bladder and bowel function.

The online store Amazon.com is another great resource for DVDs and books to help provide education about pelvic health and treatments for bladder leakage. Freedom from Your Leaky Bladder: Get Your Life Back (publisher: Lioness for Lovers) is a six-week, all-natural approach to improving bladder health. It includes a 45-minute educational and instructional DVD featuring diagrams and visual aids to help you find the right muscles to tone. Along with the DVD comes a workbook with five worksheets to track your urinary habits and exercises as well as monitor your improvements, record and check your goals, and celebrate your progress. Here is a list of some other helpful books available on Amazon.com:

Fitness for the Pelvic Floor (author: Beate Carriere): This book features anatomical and physiological information about pelvic floor functions as well as exercises to stimulate and relax the muscles of the pelvic floor

Beyond Kegels: Fabulous Four Exercises & More to Prevent & Treat Incontinence (author: Janet A. Hulme): This book outlines simple exercises that can be done at home. When combined with simple lifestyle changes, this program effectively treats various causes of bladder leakage.

The Incontinence Solution: Answers For Women of All Ages (author: William Parker): This book is intended to be read by nurses, social workers, and other healthcare professionals, although women living with bladder leakage may find the book useful. The book includes a chapter on self-care techniques to minimize urinary conditions. It also includes sections on how to prevent bladder infections, diet habits that can affect your bladder, and other topics related to reducing bladder leakage. Stories contributed by actual patients add a personal perspective to the book. There is also a section to help guide you in finding the right doctor.

For more information about the books and DVDs mentioned above, you can visit these websites:

Women’s Advantage, Inc. www.womens-advantage.com

Phoenix Core Solutions www.phoenixcoresolutions.com

Amazon.com www.amazon.com