What is pelvic floor PT at Foundations Pelvic Health?
Our pelvic floor physical therapists at Foundations Pelvic Health are all doctors of physical therapy experts treating all pelvic floor issues, and have gone through years of comprehensive training and coursework to be provide the best pelvic floor therapy care for you. We help with anything pregnancy and postpartum-related, as well as bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunctions!
What makes our pelvic floor PTs different than ‘regular’ PTs?
All of our pelvic floor PTs started out as orthopedic physical therapists - we helped people with ankle sprains, hip replacements, ACL tears, neck pain…you name it! Our pelvic floor PTs then continued on to seek extensive, specialized training in the evaluation and treatment of pelvic floor issues - including:
Our specialized training certifies us to perform internal pelvic floor assessments to help determine the root of your pelvic health issues.
At Foundations Pelvic Health, we believe in having a strong foundation of how the whole body works so that we can treat the whole body - not just the pelvic floor by itself! If you’re leaking with jumping, we have a thorough understanding of how the foot, ankle, knee and hips interact with the pelvic floor.
What to expect at your visits at Foundations Pelvic Health:
During your first pelvic floor physical therapy visit at our Boston office, your pelvic floor PT will review your medical history with you, as well as ask questions about and discuss your symptoms, issues and specific goals.
The first visit may include an external assessment: your pelvic floor therapist will examine your posture, strength, range of motion, and how you are moving. We often use pelvic models and illustrations to demonstrate and show you the areas of your body that may play a role in your symptoms.
For some, an internal vaginal assessment may be performed. This is always prefaced with thorough education on the pelvic anatomy with a model pelvis or illustrations, and your informed consent. There are no speculum or stirrups involved.
Throughout every visit, your pelvic floor PT will always be involving you in your plan of care!
What can a pelvic floor exam tell us?
An internal pelvic floor assessment can help your pelvic floor PT:
Determine your pelvic floor muscle’s ability to contract (kegel) and relax
Assess for pelvic floor muscle coordination
Check for skin irritations or anatomical changes
Measure pelvic floor muscle strength and range of motion
Evaluate for areas of tightness or restrictions
All of these findings can help your pelvic floor PT determine the root causes of your symptoms, and help to form a plan to improve your pelvic health.
What does a treatment plan typically look like at Foundations Pelvic Health?
This ranges significantly depending on your symptoms! All of our visits are always one-on-one with our doctors of physical therapy, and 1-hour long so we can truly make an improvement at every appointment.
Your pelvic floor physical therapist will always be working directly with you to create a thorough and individualized treatment plan to help you reach your goals. Treatments may or may not always include an internal assessment - movement and specific exercise can be very important parts of sessions.
Most patients are provided with exercises and homework to continue to perform at home.
Foundations Pelvic Health was founded to provide specialized compassionate pelvic floor therapy for those with pelvic floor dysfunctions
We believe in the importance of assessing the whole body, as well as movement and function!
Your whole body is connected and your pelvic floor does not work in isolation, meaning that everything affects everything else. Our pelvic floor physical therapists will help you determine how your pelvic floor is contributing to your symptoms and will work with you through a whole-body lens to get you back to doing the activities you love.