PHRC is BUSY this fall!

In Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

A lot is going on this quarter and frankly, every quarter here at PHRC. Here is what you need to know!

New faces!

PHRC welcomes administrative assistant Emily Schwerdtfeger to Westlake Village and pelvic floor physical therapist Karah Charette to Walnut Creek and Berkeley. Jandra Mueller, pelvic floor specialist will also rejoin the team.

New office!

Speaking of Jandra, on December 2, 2019 PHRC opens its doors in Encinitas, CA, with Jandra Mueller spearheading this new location as our Clinic Director. Jandra is a seasoned pelvic floor physical therapist with additional training in nutrition and yoga therapy for pelvic health.

New course!

Stephanie and Liz developed “Advanced Management of Complex Pelvic Pain Syndromes”, a continuing education course for medical professionals. Their course is being hosted by Eureka Seminars and was taught in Bethesda, Maryland, November 9th and 10th. Kim and Shannon of #PHRCLexington are teaching assistants for the course. If you missed this one do not worry, the course will be taught in April 2020 in Los Angeles. Stay tuned to our social media for details!

Promotions!

Kristin Leli, of #PHRCLA, has been promoted to the Regional Director of Administration in Southern California.

Community education, one pelvis at a time…

Melinda Fontaine spoke about Incontinence, pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction in older adults at the Our Aging Nation conference in Pleasant Hill, CA

Stephanie Prendergast was on the 2nd Thrive in Menopause Panel in Berkeley, CA

Rachel Gelman lectured at the  Women’s Intelligence Trust’s 9th Annual Forum, Om Family Wellness New Mom Series and Samuel Merritt University’s Department of Physical Therapy. 

Kim Buonomo gave two Pelvic Floor 101 talks to physical therapy students at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester and UMass Lowell.

Employee AND Blog of the Quarter for Q3 goes to…..Morgan Conner of PHRC Los Gatos! 

Morgan Conner of #PHRCLosGatos wins Employee AND Blog of the Quarter! If you have not checked out her post about how to find a comfortable bike seat, check it out! Little fun fact: Last quarter Morgan evaluated 37 new patients, treated over 30 people per week, each week , and helped welcome Nina to the PHRC Los Gatos team. We appreciate her hard work, great attitude, and thoughtful comments in our staff meetings. Thank-you Morgan!⁠

Other Notables

Congratulations to Shannon Pacella on her recent wedding!

Happy birthday to Lis, Kristin, Hien, and Nina!

Happy Work Anniversary to Hein!

Upcoming Events

Melinda Fontaine is giving a postpartum talk at Walnut Creek’s Baby Boot Camp Dec 9th!

Viva la Vulva, featuring Rachel Gelman and PHRC at 111 Minna, January 17-19, 2020

Thrive in Menopause Part III: Stephanie Prendergast and Leah Millheiser, MD, Feb 1, 2020

PHRC teaches pelvic floor PT in KENYA February 17 – 28, 2020

PHRC welcomes PT students Nicole Monaco and Emily Schlaefer in January and March, 2020

Advanced Management of Complex Pelvic Pain Syndromes, LA, April 18 – 19, 2020, Bethesda Maryland October 3 – 4 , 2020

 

 

 

FAQ

What are pelvic floor muscles?

The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that run from the coccyx to the pubic bone. They are part of the core, helping to support our entire body as well as providing support for the bowel, bladder and uterus. These muscles help us maintain bowel and bladder control and are involved in sexual pleasure and orgasm. The technical name of the pelvic floor muscles is the Levator Ani muscle group. The pudendal nerve, the levator ani nerve, and branches from the S2 – S4 nerve roots innervate the pelvic floor muscles. They are under voluntary and autonomic control, which is a unique feature only they possess compared to other muscle groups.

What is pelvic floor physical therapy?

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized area of physical therapy. Currently, physical therapists need advanced post-graduate education to be able to help people with pelvic floor dysfunction because pelvic floor disorders are not yet being taught in standard physical therapy curricula. The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center provides extensive training for our staff because we recognize the limitations of physical therapy education in this unique area.

What happens at pelvic floor therapy?

During an evaluation for pelvic floor dysfunction the physical therapist will take a detailed history. Following the history the physical therapist will leave the room to allow the patient to change and drape themselves. The physical therapist will return to the room and using gloved hands will perform an external and internal manual assessment of the pelvic floor and girdle muscles. The physical therapist will once again leave the room and allow the patient to dress. Following the manual examination there may also be an examination of strength, motor control, and overall biomechanics and neuromuscular control. The physical therapist will then communicate the findings to the patient and together with their patient they establish an assessment, short term and long term goals and a treatment plan. Typically people with pelvic floor dysfunction are seen one time per week for one hour for varying amounts of time based on the severity and chronicity of the disease. A home exercise program will be established and the physical therapist will help coordinate other providers on the treatment team. Typically patients are seen for 3 months to a year.

What is pudendal neuralgia and how is it treated?

Pudendal Neuralgia is a clinical diagnosis that means pain in the sensory distribution of the pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve is a mixed nerve that exits the S2 – S4 sacral nerve roots, we have a right and left pudendal nerve and each side has three main trunks: the dorsal branch, the perineal branch, and the inferior rectal branch. The branches supply sensation to the clitoris/penis, labia/scrotum, perineum, anus, the distal ⅓ of the urethra and rectum, and the vulva and vestibule. The nerve branches also control the pelvic floor muscles. The pudendal nerve follows a tortuous path through the pelvic floor and girdle, leaving it vulnerable to compression and tension injuries at various points along its path.

Pudendal Neuralgia occurs when the nerve is unable to slide, glide and move normally and as a result, people experience pain in some or all of the above-mentioned areas. Pelvic floor physical therapy plays a crucial role in identifying the mechanical impairments that are affecting the nerve. The physical therapy treatment plan is designed to restore normal neural function. Patients with pudendal neuralgia require pelvic floor physical therapy and may also benefit from medical management that includes pharmaceuticals and procedures such as pudendal nerve blocks or botox injections.

What is interstitial cystitis and how is it treated?

Interstitial Cystitis is a clinical diagnosis characterized by irritative bladder symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequency, and hesitancy in the absence of infection. Research has shown the majority of patients who meet the clinical definition have pelvic floor dysfunction and myalgia. Therefore, the American Urologic Association recommends pelvic floor physical therapy as first-line treatment for Interstitial Cystitis. Patients will benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy and may also benefit from pharmacologic management or medical procedures such as bladder instillations.

Who is the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Team?

The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center was founded by Elizabeth Akincilar and Stephanie Prendergast in 2006, they have been treating people with pelvic floor disorders since 2001. They were trained and mentored by a medical doctor and quickly became experts in treating pelvic floor disorders. They began creating courses and sharing their knowledge around the world. They expanded to 11 locations in the United States and developed a residency style training program for their employees with ongoing weekly mentoring. The physical therapists who work at PHRC have undergone more training than the majority of pelvic floor physical therapists and as a result offer efficient and high quality care.

How many years of experience do we have?

Stephanie and Liz have 24 years of experience and help each and every team member become an expert in the field through their training and mentoring program.

Why PHRC versus anyone else?

PHRC is unique because of the specific focus on pelvic floor disorders and the leadership at our company. We are constantly lecturing, teaching, and staying ahead of the curve with our connections to medical experts and emerging experts. As a result, we are able to efficiently and effectively help our patients restore their pelvic health.

Do we treat men for pelvic floor therapy?

The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is unique in that the Cofounders have always treated people of all genders and therefore have trained the team members and staff the same way. Many pelvic floor physical therapists focus solely on people with vulvas, this is not the case here.

Do I need pelvic floor therapy forever?

The majority of people with pelvic floor dysfunction will undergo pelvic floor physical therapy for a set amount of time based on their goals. Every 6 -8 weeks goals will be re-established based on the physical improvements and remaining physical impairments. Most patients will achieve their goals in 3 – 6 months. If there are complicating medical or untreated comorbidities some patients will be in therapy longer.

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