Pelvic Floor Therapy is specialized therapy completed by an occupational or physical therapist with extensive continuing education and training. Occupational Therapy (OT) is a holistic profession that provides an intimate approach for treating Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) utilizing a biopsychosocial model. PFD has a direct relationship with and impacts activities of daily living (ADLs) and occupations including toileting, sleep, sexual relationships, social engagement, and psychological and physical well-being in which OTs have unique expertise.

Pelvic floor therapy is targeted at the pelvic floor and core muscles , ligaments and connective tissues, all of which work together to support the pelvic organs, contribute to sexual function, and maintain bladder and bowel control. A strong and healthy pelvic floor requires more than just kegels. In order to meet real-life demands, our pelvic floor needs to function multi-directionally and dynamically to handle daily movements including walking, bending, lifting, jumping, etc. Kegels are only one exercise of many that the pelvic floor and core needs to effectively support our organs, maintain continence, and provide our bodies with stability without pain or dysfunction. Additionally, the pelvic floor is directly impacted by the nervous system and how a person experiences and responds to stress and tension (including pain), which is why it is essential to consider a person's psychological factors in addition to biomechanical components.

When treating pelvic floor dysfunction, the focus is on creating balance and harmony among the joints, muscles, and nerves in order to maximize health and happiness. The goal is to empower clients to heal and safely resume desired activities by addressing common, but treatable pelvic floor issues that can arise at any point during a women's life, but especially during pregnancy and after birth. Individualized treatment includes a combination of manual therapy, education, exercise, therapuetic activities, self care training, and embedding new skills into meaningful everyday roles & routines.

Pelvic Floor Therapy techniques can include both internal and external treatment. Not everyone is initially comfortable with internal treatment or ever at all and that's okay. We utilize a holistic approach and treat the person as a whole, acknowledging you as the expert on your own body. There are many other ways to treat and improve pelvic floor dysfunction, which does not neccesarily require internal evaluation and treatment, although it can provide valuable information and beneficial results.

External therapy techniques can include trigger point therapy, connective tissue manipulation, myofascial release, skin rolling and joint mobilization. Internal techniques involve gentle use of a finger or specialized tools through the vagina and/or rectum for assessment of muscles and structures and performance of manual techniques. Treatment sessions typically also include breathing, postural, and movement assessments, training in equipment and tools, movement management, exercise training, and education.

Every client is different with different needs and different goals. For common pelvic floor dysfunction (i.e. stress incontinence) progress is commonly seen within 3-4 sessions. For chronic conditions or treatment related to pregnancy/postpartum, length of treatment is defined by what you need and/or want to feel healthy, functional, and achieve the goals you have whether it be sneezing without leaking or running a marathon. Our evaluations are typically 75-90 minutes and treatment sessions are 1 hour.

At Practical Pelvis we believe in order to produce HIGH QUALITY AFFORDABLE CARE that truly provides HEALING and IMPROVEMENT our sessions cannot be limited by insurance companies... which is why we chose to be an out-of-network provider.

Insurance companies often decide the length of treatment sessions, how many sessions you can have, and even what services can be provided during treatments without knowing or caring about what YOU personally need. We chose to be an out-of-network provider in order to work for YOU and not them.

We happily provide superbills upon request to submit to your insurance for out-of-network benefits and reimbursement. We also accept HSA/FSA accounts.

By being an out-of-network provider we are able to …

-Increase our quality of care

-Provide 1 on 1 treatments and direct access to your therapist, even in between sessions

-Provide full 75-90 minute evaluations and 60-minute treatment sessions

-Reduce overall session rates by avoiding administrative costs associated with being an in-network provider

-Focus on and address YOUR goals - whatever they may be

-Provide you with as many sessions as you need to see the improvement you want

The short answer... yes! We believe every woman can benefit from pelvic floor therapy in some way.

During pregnancy...yes! Learning how to connect with your pelvic floor and core during pregnancy is extremely beneficial for reducing common aches and pains of pregnancy and preparing your body for labor and delivery. Learning how to relax your pelvic floor muscles, birthing positions, and pushing techniques are just some of the many services we can provide to women during pregnancy. If you had a prior pregnancy that was painful and uncomfortable, accompanied by leaking or other symptoms, and/or had a traumatic birthing experience... your future experience does not have to be the same! By seeing a pelvic floor therapist you will be increasing your ability to have a pain free pregnancy and optimal delivery experience as well as setting yourself up for a quicker and smoother postpartum recovery.

During postpartum... absolutely yes! Every woman should recieve pelvic floor therapy following birth, regardless of how easy or difficult it was or method of delivery. Even if it's just to learn how to reconnect with your body after baby and for assurance you are "okay''. Childbirth is a MAJOR trauma to your body so proper recovery and rehabilitation is a must. Getting the "go ahead'' from your doctor at your 6 week postpartum check-up does not mean your body is ready to handle runnning and other high impact activites. It is important to have a professional comphrensive evaluation in order to have personalized guidelines and a safe plan for returning to higher level exercises postpartum.

Preconception & Beyond ...yes, yes, yes! It is NEVER too early or too late. Anyone experiencing incontinence, pain during intercourse, or pelvic pain even if it's 10+ years postpartum could benefit from proper evaluation and training.

"But... I have a prolapse and was told I will need surgury''... 100% yes. There is still hope! Studies show pelvic floor therapy can help improve pelvic organ prolapse symptoms, prevent worsening, and in mild to moderate cases even reduce the severity of the prolapse. It is important to understand the relapse rate for prolapse surgery is 58%. This number is so high because often times the underlying cause(s) of the prolapse are not addressed. Improving your surgery success rate can be as simple as training and education on body mechanics, posture, and pressure management techniques.

If you are unsure, please don't hesistate to reach out. We are more than happy to discuss your individual concerns and any questions you may have.