If you know someone who has received physical therapy for the pelvic floor muscles, or if you are looking to start training them yourself you probably have heard about “biofeedback”.
As per the Mayo Clinic’s definition, biofeedback is a way that we use an electrical device to gain voluntary control of a group of muscles using sensors to receive information about your body. With pelvic floor training, we use these devices as interactive tools to continue treatment out of the clinic and in the comfort of your own home.
Is Biofeedback Right for Me?
[yt link=”https://youtu.be/ookY1eEkxdw” align=”right” Before you start using these devices on your own, please visit a pelvic floor therapist for a proper evaluation of the strength and tone of your pelvic floor muscles and to create a proper home exercise program specific to your body and concerns.
Why is this important? The ways in which pelvic floor therapists treat incontinence are not always the same, although certain interventions may be used in different ways to achieve a certain goal.
For example, there are a few types of incontinence. In the case of stress urinary incontinence (loosing urine with sneezing, jumping, coughing, etc.) you may want to focus on strengthening the muscles while with urge urinary incontinence (key in lock syndrome), you might want to focus on down training and behavioral changes.
Pros and Cons of 4 Different Biofeedback Devices
No matter the symptom, if biofeedback is warranted and prescribed from your pelvic floor therapist, there are a few options of tools that you can get for yourself to use at home.
Let’s talk about 4 different devices that could be used in clinic for biofeedback purposes.
1. Medical Biofeedback Device
This one looks like a simple probe with a wire that can be attached into a device to measure specific strength and endurance of the muscles.
Pro: accurate readings, can be used as an electrical stimulation unit, great for down training
Cons: can only be used with the medical reader (usually in clinic only)
2. Elvie
This is a sleek biofeedback device that you can use at home and connects to an app. It is one of the smallest biofeedback devices and uses Bluetooth technology to connect to your phone
Pros: easy to use at home, small and sleek design, easy to charge, no vibration component
Cons: higher price, sometimes difficulty with the app (depending on the phone), superficial readings only
3. K-Goal
This biofeedback device can change shape depending on your comfort level, and reads pelvic floor contraction with a vibration component.
Pros: easy to know when you are squeezing the pelvic floor, do not need to use it with an app, can change the size of the device (pillow inflated/deflated)
Cons: vibration can cause a muscle to turn on or off (sometimes not desired with treatment), larger than the other devices, difficulty connecting to the app
Perifit
This biofeedback device measures both the superficial and deep pelvic floor muscles without using the Bluetooth on your phone
Pros: easy to set up, two sensors, better array of games and interactive content, manual mode (can be used for down training)
Cons: shape of the device is uncomfortable for some, “string” at the end of the device is a radio wire to connect to your phone
Pelvic Floor Strengthening Vs. Down Training
In my opinion, any and all of these devices are good to use for pelvic floor strengthening but not all of them are useful for down training/relaxation. Strengthening is generally warranted when there is weakness of the pelvic floor muscles while down training is better for “holding patterns” and chronic tightness in the pelvic floor.
Depending on what you discuss with your pelvic floor therapist regarding your symptoms, some of these devices might not be helpful or some may be more helpful than the others.
Check out the attached video for information about the K-Goal biofeedback device.
