Case Study: Pilates Rehabilitation for Chronic Fissures

An adult client is presenting with chronic fissures that have recurred for several years. The client had proceeded with colo-rectal surgery and pelvic health physical therapist at a local hospital. Previously had been a life long athlete with swimming and rowing in their earlier years until a shoulder injury developed and was given the choice of repairing it or quitting sport.

Their current lifestyle at the start of sessions with Julie consisted of a high level stressful job, working at a desk, a strong family and friendship connection, as well as developed their own healthy habits of daily walking, relieving stress in creative outlets and time with family.

The sessions consisted of improving the mobility in the pelvis, releasing hip flexors and hip rotators. Improving abdominal control without over involvement of scalene, trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Followed by a daily home program and in person sessions once a week that build upon the home programs that improve abdominal control, pelvic floor-neck release and strengthening. The sessions as followed a mixture of strengthening sessions in person and client education sessions on self massage techniques utilizing massage balls, exercise balls and a foam roller.

Client Outcome

In 3 months the client had felt an increased relief of pain from the pelvic and hip areas. There was further improvement in 6 months where the client had only experience 2 flare ups of pain in the time. The flare had improved over time without increased discomfort with the utilization of our techniques and client education provided in the time. They have experienced minimal discomfort in their pelvic floor health and continues to look forward to the sessions as their past experience with medical care had not given them as much of relief as our private pilates sessions have. They are now starting a running routine.