Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a condition when one or more of the pelvic organs descend from their normal position. Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor muscles and/or ligaments have been weakened and the integrity of these tissues has been compromised. The most common causes of POP are vaginal childbirth, menopause, chronic constipation, chronic coughing, heavy lifting, genetics, and possibly high impact exercise.
In the USA alone, the number of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) cases is expected to increase substantially, from 3.3 million in 2010 to 4.9 million in 2050. At least 200,000 operations are performed annually in the USA with surgical failures reportedly occurring in up to 58% of cases, with about one-third of women undergoing more than one surgery for prolapse recurrence. Pelvic floor muscle retraining provided by a skilled physical therapist can be an effective and conservative approach to reducing and managing the symptoms of POP.
References:
- Barber, MD & Maher, C. (2013). Epidemiology and outcome assessment of pelvic organ prolapse. Int Urogynecol J. Nov; 24 (11): 1783-90
- www.pelvicorganprolapsesupport.org
- Shobeiri SA, Santiago AC. Individualised pelvic floor muscle training is an effective conservative treatment in women with pelvic organ prolapse. Evidence-Based Medicine 2014;19:213.
