• Rome Memorial Hospital Occupational Therapist Provides Help to Women with Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction

    Weakened or impaired pelvic floor muscles can be a result of aging, after childbirth, or illness. Dysfunctions involving the pelvic floor muscles can contribute to urinary incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction. Pelvic floor rehabilitation is a non-surgical approach designed to help women strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, to identify the source of pelvic pain, or to improve or resolve conditions such as stress or urge urinary incontinence, chronic constipation.
    Rome Memorial Hospital Occupational Therapist Jennifer Barone, MS, OTR/ L, is now providing pelvic floor rehabilitation at Chestnut Commons Physical and Occupational Therapy, 107 E. Chestnut St., Rome. Barone received her advanced training as a pelvic rehabilitation practitioner from the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute, recognized for excellence in pelvic floor/girdle rehabilitation.
    The pelvic floor’s skeletal muscles are part of the body’s “core”, which can become weak, tight, or spastic. This can cause impairment as the pelvic floor provides support to your pelvic, reproductive, and urinary organs. Pelvic pain and elimination dysfunction can improve as the therapist helps patients strengthen and retrain the pelvic floor muscles, and ultimately improve an individual’s overall quality of life.
    Therapy for incontinence and chronic pelvic pain could include behavioral strategies such as functional retraining, bladder retraining, and dietary and fluid modification. Also used is biofeedback, manual therapies, strengthening and conditioning programs, relaxation techniques, and education to improve self awareness of the pelvic floor muscles.
    Pelvic floor rehabilitation has proven to be effective for patients experiencing:
    • Accidental leakage of urine when coughing, sneezing or with exertion
    • The need to urinate frequently or sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate
    • Pain in the pelvic region
    • Organ prolapse
    • Pre-and post-partum related issues including back pain, diastasis recti (separation of the abdominals) and sciatica
    • Scar tissue concerns
    • Colorectal conditions and constipation
    • Sexual dysfunction
    • Core Strengthening
    “Evidence shows that pelvic floor rehabilitation is effective as a first-line therapy for people with stress, urge, or mixed urinary incontinence,” Jennifer explained. “Often times, women are unaware of the resources that are available to them for urinary incontinence, like pelvic floor rehabilitation. Women often do not like to talk about symptoms such as incontinence. However, this type of therapy could have a very positive effect on their unwanted symptoms.”
    “As an occupational therapist and pelvic floor rehabilitation practitioner, I focus on restoring my patient’s quality of life and overall wellness,” Barone added. “My goal is to help patients reduce pain, and gain control over their symptoms.”
    Jennifer became a member of Rome Memorial Hospital’s occupational therapy services team in 2012, after earning her master’s degree in occupational therapy from Utica College in 2010.
    A physician’s prescription is required to make an appointment to see an occupational therapist for pelvic floor rehabilitation. The therapy is covered by most major medical insurance carriers, including Medicare and Medicaid.
    For more information, contact Chestnut Commons Physical and Occupational Therapy at 315.337.7952. The office is open Monday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Friday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
    Chestnut Commons Physical and Occupational Therapy is located at 107 E. Chestnut St., Rome.


    About Rome Memorial Hospital
    Rome Memorial Hospital, Inc., (RMH) Rome Memorial Hospital is a non-profit health care system based in Rome, N.Y., providing services to patients throughout Central New York. From primary care to long-term care, Rome Memorial Hospital delivers quality, compassionate medical care for every stage of life. With its specialized Senior Behavioral Health Unit and Residential Health Care Facility, the hospital has become recognized as a valuable resource for senior services. Ranked among the top 20 percent of skilled nursing facilities for four consecutive years, the hospital has earned special designation as a NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) facility for providing quality care for older adult patients. Rome Memorial Hospital is an affiliate of St. Joseph’s Health.