How apps can empower you in improving your pelvic health
Amy Price, PT, MSc PT, BSc Kin
In 2024, technology is integrated into our lives in many ways. Most of us have a smart phone, and use apps for many day-to-day tasks and activities. What you may not have thought about is how technology can help your pelvic health. For those that experience different pelvic health conditions like overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, or persistent pelvic pain, there are a number of apps available that can help in managing symptoms. In addition, there are many apps that can be of assistance during pregnancy and to monitor menstruation. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the best apps for different uses related to pelvic health concerns.
1) Apps for tracking bladder frequency & incontinence
Example: iUFlow App
For those experiencing bladder concerns like overactive bladder and urinary incontinence, a helpful step in managing symptoms is often tracking your bladder habits, or keeping a “bladder diary”. This allows for an understanding of the condition by documenting bladder urgency, frequency, urinary incontinence, and any other symptoms like incomplete emptying, straining to empty, hesitation etc. This detailed information allows a pelvic floor physiotherapist to provide specific recommendations for habit and behaviour changes to improve symptoms. Using an app to track bladder symptoms is an easy and convenient way to log this data, as many people have their phones on them most of the time!
2) Apps for tracking menstrual cycle and related symptoms
Example: Flo App
Apps that are created to track the menstrual cycle can be very useful in understanding and logging your cycle and any symptoms you may experience. Conditions like PCOS and endometriosis can involve irregular menstrual cycles and symptoms like abdominal cramping, pelvic pain and more. Users of tracking apps can track their menstrual cycles alongside pain episodes, helping to identify potential hormonal influences on their symptoms. Also, these apps often include educational resources about managing symptoms and what different patterns in your cycle could mean. If seeing your GP or a gynaecologists to investigate menstrual irregularities, it can be really helpful to have your cycle documented for their interpretation.
3) Apps for pelvic floor exercises
Example: Squeezy App
Often times individuals who are experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction will be prescribed exercises for their pelvic muscles by their pelvic floor physiotherapist. As with any new habit, it can be challenging to integrate this into your routine and busy schedule. Pelvic floor exercise tracking apps can be great for accountability and reminding you to perform your exercises regularly. There are tailored settings so you can enter the exercises exactly as suggested by your provider, and visual cues and prompts to make the exercises a little more interesting to do. If you have been given exercises to do for your pelvic floor but are struggling to remember to fit them into your day, and app like this can be a great way to improve your adherence, and therefore the benefits of the exercises.
4) App for managing pain in pregnancy
Example: Rost Moves Mamas App
When experiencing pain around the pelvic girdle and low back during pregnancy, it can be difficult to know what types of exercises are beneficial and which types can possibly aggravate symptoms. Apps designed specifically for managing pain during pregnancy can be very helpful in navigating this and provided specific recommendations for not only rehabilitative exercises but also strategies for day to day movements. This guidance along with personalized treatment from a pelvic floor physiotherapist can be a great combination in managing pain during pregnancy.
5) Apps for managing chronic pelvic pain
Example: Insight timer
Many individuals with persistent pelvic pain also experience stress and anxiety, either around or in addition to their condition. Stress and anxiety can also contribute to increased muscular tension in the body, which can increase pelvic pain. Meditation can be a helpful strategy in managing stress and anxiety, as well as tension in the body. Meditation apps, like Insight Timer, often have many guided meditations developed specifically for pelvic pain and chronic pain. Cueing for diaphragmatic breathing, body scans, and relaxation of the muscles around the pelvis can be beneficial for managing pelvic pain.
The journey toward better pelvic health doesn’t have to be taken alone. With the aid of technology, managing conditions like overactive bladder symptoms, endometriosis, PCOS, pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain becomes more manageable. These apps not only provide tracking and educational tools but also empower users to engage actively with their healthcare providers.By incorporating these applications into your routine, and working with a pelvic health physiotherapist, you can gain insights, promote accountability, and ultimately take control of your pelvic health.
Resources:
-https://flo.health/product-tour/tracking-cycle
-https://www.rosttherapy.com/pelvic-girdle-pain-and-coccydynia-management/#apps