What is biofeedback for pelvic floor muscle retraining?

Biofeedback for pelvic floor muscle retraining is a treatment to help patients learn to strengthen or relax their pelvic floor muscles in order to improve bowel or bladder function and decrease some types of pelvic floor pain. It is a painless process that uses special sensors and a computer monitor to display information about muscle activity. This information or “feedback” is used to gain sensitivity, and with practice, control over pelvic floor muscle function. An important part of pelvic floor biofeedback therapy is consistent practice of the pelvic floor muscle exercises at home. With biofeedback, an individual can learn to stop using the incorrect muscles and start using the correct ones.

Who can benefit?

Conditions that can be improved with pelvic muscle retraining include: accidental bowel leakage (ABL), urinary incontinence, constipation that involves difficult or painful evacuation and some types of pelvic floor pain.