Prolapse

• What is a prolapse?

A prolapse is the descent of a pelvic organ, such as the rectum, bladder or uterus, which can cause symptoms such as a feeling of heaviness or a bulge in the vagina, urinary incontinence, a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying when urinating, etc.

There are different causes and risk factors that can lead to a prolapse. The most important are:

• Excess weight
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Chronic constipation
• Activities or actions that create excess pressure on the pelvic floor, such as impact sports without pressure control, poor posture when lifting loads, chronic cough, etc.

There are different grades of prolapse:

• Grade I or mild: slight descent of the organ
• Grade II or moderate: the descent reaches the entrance of the vagina.
• Grade III: the organ passes beyond the entrance of the vagina to the outside.
• Grade IV: the organ is completely outside the vagina, both at rest and during effort.

How can physiotherapy help you?

Pelvic floor physiotherapy can act on the first two grades, improving symptoms.

The other grades of prolapse would need to be treated with surgery, although pelvic floor re-education afterwards remains important.

At Akro you can count on the guidance of our colleague Judith Olguín, a physiotherapist specialised in the Pelvic Floor, for specific treatments focused on pelvic floor prevention and care. Don't hesitate to book your assessment appointment.