Mason - Pelvic Rehabilitation The manual therapy and exercise guide across the lifespan

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PELVIC
REHABILITATION

The manual therapy and exercise
guide across the lifespan

Maureen M. Mason DPT, MS, WCS, PYT

Illustrated by Bruce Hogarth

Foreword by Ginger Garner

First published in Great Britain in 2023 by Handspring Publishing, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers

An imprint of Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

An Hachette UK Company

Copyright Maureen Mason 2023

The right of Maureen Mason to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Foreword copyright Ginger Garner 2023

Illustrated by Bruce Hogarth

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is not intended to replace the services of trained medical professionals or to be a substitute for medical advice. The complementary therapy described in this book may not be suitable for everyone to follow. You are advised to consult a doctor before embarking on any complementary therapy programme and on any matters relating to your health, and in particular on any matters that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library and the Library of Congress

ISBN 978 1 91342 609 5

eISBN 978 1 91342 610 1

Jessica Kingsley Publishers policy is to use papers that are natural, renewable and recyclable products and made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The logging and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

Handspring Publishing

Carmelite House

50 Victoria Embankment

London EC4Y 0DZ

www.handspringpublishing.com

The book is a treasure for anyone who has struggled personally, or who has a loved one, with pelvic health issues. It is also a foundational book for those interested in learning about pelvic health, for students studying anatomy, physiology, and pathology, for parents, teachers, fitness instructors, movement therapists, and working health care providers who want a big picture on pelvic health across the lifespan. Dr. Mason logically introduces the level of information presented, starting with introductory concepts and moving through to advanced paradigms. The progressive knowledge base advances through the chapters, which spikes curiosity and interest as the topics are developed in the book.

The adept presentation at tackling pelvic health issues across the lifespan is apparent throughout the book, and reflected in Dr. Mason and colleagues extensive clinical experience in pelvic health. This book does a wonderful job of elucidating the team approach, as there are so many medical specialties that may be called upon to treat pelvic health challenges, and there are many interrelationships in teasing out best care practices for pelvic floor dysfunction. From self-care to health care strategies, the reader can glean preventative as well as wellness care knowledge in managing their individual health across the lifespan.

Chapter 1 encourages empowerment toward educating people about how their bodies work, something many feel is missing in our education system today. , and 11 provide a chronological journey across the lifespan of pelvic health, and explore the challenges, from infancy and early childhood through to adolescence, and from pregnancy, birth and midlife through to elder years. Pelvic expert Dr. J. Michelle Martin provides insight as a mother of three, doula, and sexual health educator in her contributions to the pregnancy, birth, and early postpartum chapter. She addresses disparities in maternal care and pelvic health in regard to minority and lower socioeconomic group status, with facts addressing increased maternal morbidity and mortality due to inadequate care, and a call to action to improve skilled care for all. She also includes perinatal fitness programs and safety profiles. These specific chapters are foundational in understanding specific health challenges and solutions in relation to the seasons of life, as well as providing wellness pearls for each life phase. Additionally, pelvic problems may be considered as part of aging and must be accepted, which is simply not true.

covers sexual health concerns, wellbeing, and healing. Pelvic health topics are often regarded as taboo, and overlooked, shamed, ridiculed, or marginalized, especially in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities. Safety, comfort, and pleasure with sexual function can be improved with strategies portrayed in this book, as well as continuing education with the reference list which is provided.

address bladder and bowel health and dysfunction, including gastro-intestinal (GI) function and the gut microbiome influence on overall health. Providers may take a course on one of these topics, or specialize in one field (urology, gastroenterology), however these two functions are anatomically, structurally, and physiologically interconnected, and the interplay of the two is clarified in this book, including topics such as pressure systems and inflammation.

).

An example of the integrative approaches covered in this text is the concept of the three diaphragms, with sample exercises to sense those connections. I originally presented this concept in my Medical Therapeutic Yoga text (Garner 2016). I used the term thoracic diaphragm in reference to the laryngeal area (see ); however, the reader may see many other names for the uppermost of the three diaphragms, including cervical, laryngeal, vocal, and cervico-thoracic.

After working in pelvic health and orthopedics for nearly three decades, I have found that one cannot treat pelvic health conditions without using both a biomedical and integrative, biopsychosocial approach. Put quite simply, using mind-body interventions such as yoga, Pilates, and mindfulness make pelvic health physical therapy intervention far more effective, with clients learning insight, self-care, and sustainable nutrition, stress management, and fitness routines. This book does a wonderful job of addressing these topics.

Another important tenet is the treatment of men, women, and non-binary individuals with regard to pelvic health. This population is well recognized as underserved, under researched, and under attended to today. People with pain or other pelvic health challenges are too often disregarded or shuffled through the health care system without being truly listened to. Listening is a hallmark of connection. And because many pelvic health disorders begin with trauma or microtrauma, listening, connection, and compassion is requisite for healing.