Pelvic floor physical therapy can sound a bit scary and overwhelming, particularly if you aren’t really familiar with the pelvic floor. Let’s clear this up a bit and give you some tips for planning your first visit, so that you feel comfortable and confident in coming in to see us.
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles in the base of the pelvis that are responsible for almost all the things we do as humans. It provides stability to our trunk, helps us urinate and have bowel movements normally, supports sexual function, supports our pelvic organs, and works to maintain blood flow through the pelvis. When these muscles get dysfunctional we can see many symptoms arise. Pain, urinary issues, bowel issues, sexual dysfunction, limitations to activities and work, and more.
At your first visit, we will discuss your medical, social and sexual history, nutrition status, stress, physical activity, sleep, environment and work and home life. We will get a baseline of your physicality, functional strength, nervous system, muscle coordination, alignment and flexibility. This will allow us to customize a plan of care to fit you. We will incorporate lifestyle factors that are important to address for healing and help you sort through ways to make changes for better.
One-on-one, hour-long appointments with your provider. We have maintained high standards of care for our clients. We spend a full hour, one on one so that we can focus on you, individually and provide a plan of care that is tailored to you. We know that pelvic issues are complex, and we understand that they need a whole person, individualized approach.
A Pelvic Exam can be expected. Our specialists have extensive experience and training to fully assess the pelvic floor, and we work to make you comfortable throughout the entire process. We examine the pelvic floor through a vaginal or rectal exam. For women, a vaginal exam consists of a visual inspection of the external tissues and digital palpation internally to assess the muscles. We do not use a speculum or stirrups for the exam. For men, and for certain conditions, we perform a rectal exam to assess these muscles. This allows us to see how well your muscles rest, contract, and lengthen. Once we know what is going on with your pelvic floor, we can tailor your home program specifically to you.
Create a patient account, schedule online, or cancel or reschedule appointments.
We offer a free, 15-minute phone consultation with one of our pelvic health specialists. Get your initial questions answered and feel confident you’re coming to the right place.
