Urinary incontinence , painful menstruation or intercourse, or difficulties in getting pregnant are health problems that urogynecological physiotherapy can help solve. However, visiting a specialist is often not our first choice because it is still not a very popular practice. Instead, we wander from gynecologist to gynecologist, often losing hope for a "normal life."
Partly for the purpose of creating this material, but also largely driven by my own curiosity, I decided to visit Anka Zemlik-Franz's office. Step by step, I described the entire visit for you.
Signing up for an appointment
I received information about Anka from our mutual friend, so I was confident that I would find a good specialist. However, if we do not have a "recommendation", it is worth reading the opinions before choosing the right physiotherapist for you.
I signed up for an appointment by e-mail. I received a response quickly, and the day before the meeting I received a text message reminding me of my appointment.
I didn't know if I should prepare in any way, but I assumed that I would probably have been warned about such a necessity.
Office
The place where Anna works is a small office located at ul. Zakładowa in Wrocław and is aptly named "Mama Ciało". A great play on words, especially since a large group of people visiting Anka's office are pregnant or postpartum women. No matter how you look at it, these are the biggest challenges for our pelvic floor muscles.
What does a visit to a urogynecological physiotherapist look like?
Anka received me on time. During the visit, we were assisted by an intern who introduced herself at the beginning and explained that she was studying and if her presence was embarrassing for me, she could of course leave. I didn't feel embarrassed, so the three of us sat together.
I read on Anna's website that the visit lasts about an hour and I couldn't imagine what you could do for an hour in terms of the pelvic floor muscles... How wrong I was.
Interview
The meeting started with a very detailed interview. The course of pregnancy, childbirth, how I go through my period, whether I feel pain during intercourse, etc. Then, Anka showed me a three-dimensional model of the pelvic floor muscles, began to explain how they work and what we can observe if they function incorrectly. And that was a moment of enlightenment - as if I was given life wisdom that we should have received at school, instead of learning the structure of a slipper. How many of us would be happier if we didn't have to listen to the doctor's gibberish "it's just your nature", but actually knew how our body works, why we writhe in pain during our period and what preventive measures to use.
The first part of the "external" study
Then it was time for the examination. An examination by a physiotherapist is different from a gynecological examination. First of all, the physiotherapist doesn't look at anything, she just learns everything by touching us in different places.
At first, I lay on my side and Anka, having a casual conversation with me, pressed various points on my back, sometimes on my buttock, and responded to my "ow!" From this she was able to say that, for example, I work a lot in a sitting position. This part of the examination was very enjoyable. Despite a few "aw"s, it felt more like a massage than an examination. Then Anka asked me to undress from the waist down. I was instructed that if I wanted, I could wear a disposable 'skirt' which, although slightly see-through, ensured that I didn't feel too exposed.
Time for palpation
I'm lying on the couch in my new fancy dress. First, I was asked to cough to check if my MDM was responding properly, then Anka asked if I was ready for an internal examination.
"I'm ready, come over ;)"
During the examination, the physiotherapist wears gloves additionally lubricated with gel to ensure your comfort and mutual safety.
Throughout the entire examination, Anka explained what she was checking, what places she was touching, and I could visualize everything by looking at the three-dimensional model. Then I was asked to do some contractions and relaxations of my MDMs. My stresses were reduced to a series of numbers and carefully noted down. Then I could go get dressed.
Conversation, diagnosis, my questions
When I got dressed, I returned to the office, Anka dispelled the atmosphere of mystery by explaining to me exactly the meaning of the string of numbers. At each stage I was asked if I really understood everything, and if I didn't understand, I felt comfortable enough to ask all the questions that bothered me.
I was given homework - one was to press a specific place every 4 days for about 30 seconds, the other was to sit on a soft ball 3 times a day for 2 minutes. I couldn't believe that such light exercises could change anything, but as Anka said, when it comes to MDM, less is more! Which says a lot about the subtlety of this part of the body and the delicacy with which we should approach it.
And that's it, my dear! Nothing hurt, it was professional, comfortable and sometimes even funny. I heartily recommend visiting urogynecological physiotherapists and taking care of our MDM, because what can I say - I will boldly say that they are like a portal of life, sexuality and female power!
