Cancer

What is pelvic cancer?

Pelvic cancer includes all cancers affecting the organs and tissues in the pelvic region (the area below your stomach and between the pelvic bones).

Examples of pelvic cancers include:

• Bladder cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Uterine cancer (endometrial cancer)
• Cervical cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Vaginal cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer

Why do I need physical therapy combined with my oncology treatment?

Cancer causes pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness that improve with personalized physical therapy. However, pelvic cancers pose another unique problem: They affect the pelvic floor muscles and the pelvic organs. 

Your pelvic floor muscles support and protect the bladder, anus, uterus, vagina, and prostate. They also control urination and bowel movements. And they’re essential for your sexual health.

The tumor and/or your cancer treatment may cause scarring that tightens the muscles or makes the muscles shrink or weaken. Dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles cause problems in your pelvic organs and affect sexual function.

How will I know when cancer affects my pelvic floor muscles?

When cancer weakens the pelvic floor muscles, you experience a wide range of symptoms, including:

• Pelvic pain
• Bladder pain
• Urinary incontinence
• Stool incontinence
• Constipation
• Erectile dysfunction
• Pain during intercourse (in women)

Receiving specialized pelvic physical therapy supports your cancer recovery and improves your quality of life by helping you overcome the problems caused by weakened or damaged pelvic floor muscles.

What should I expect during physical therapy for pelvic cancer?

Your therapist learns about your symptoms and reviews your medical history. They also complete a physical therapy evaluation, checking your muscle strength, range of motion, gait, posture, and pelvic alignment.

If you’re comfortable with an internal exam and agree to one, your therapist does a vaginal or rectal exam. This exam lets them use a finger to feel your muscles, detecting weak, painful, or scarred tissues.

Your physical therapist has extensive training and experience using many specialized techniques that improve pelvic floor muscle problems, ranging from soft tissue mobilization and strengthening exercises to eliminating painful spasms and trigger points.

Call Inland Pelvic Health & Physical Therapy today or request an appointment online to learn more about how they can ease cancer-related pelvic problems.