By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Let’s talk scars and facts: Scar tissue is of poorer quality than regular tissue; therefore it is more sensitive to UV light. Be sure to protect your scars with SPF! Don’t be surprised when hair doesn’t grow back in your scars. Hair follicles and sweat glands do not regenerate in …
Myofascial Trigger Point: What They Cause + Treatments
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Trigger points can cause local pain at the site of the trigger point and/or they can cause referred pain in a location distant from the trigger point itself. Trigger points in each muscle have common referral patterns that have been well documented in the medical literature. Trigger points can …
Sleep Hygiene: The Do’s and Don’ts to Maximize Your Rest
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Getting enough restful sleep is paramount for a healthy body. The benefits are too many to name here. It can be a challenge to get a good night’s rest for many people. Here are some basic tips to improve the quality of your sleep! Stay away from screens before …
2023: Year of the Rabbit, A (2022) Year in Review
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Welcome 2023, goodbye 2022! It’s been another year full of changes for Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center. With the start of the new year, we would like to acknowledge all of the changes that have occurred both virtually and in person. Last year….. PHRC Pasadena opened in January 2022, …
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy can help with Low Anterior Resection Surgery?
By Lauren Opatrny, PT, DPT San Francisco, CA What is Low Anterior Resection Surgery? Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (1), and low anterior resection (LAR) is the preferred surgical treatment for rectal cancer. During this procedure, the part of the rectum with cancer will be removed, and the remaining part …
The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center’s 2022 Return to Kenya!
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack, Kim Buonomo, DPT, PHRC Lexington, Molly Bachmann, DPT, PHRC San Francisco The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center recently returned from their second trip to Nairobi, Kenya to teach a pelvic health course to a second cohort of physical therapists. We taught the first cohort of physical therapists in February 2020 and unfortunately COVID …
Birth Control: Reviewing Your Options and Their Differences
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack In a post-Roe world, conversations and questions about birth control options are on the rise. Currently, everyone still has a constitutional right to contraceptives. There are many ways to prevent pregnancy, including oral medications, implantable devices, injectable medications, barrier methods, surgical interventions, fertility awareness, and abstinence. There are advantages and disadvantages for …
Performing Artists and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
By Alexa Savitz, DPT, PHRC Pasadena Reflecting on my previous years as a former professional dancer, I too often heard dressing room conversations with cast members sharing stories of accidents or urinary leakage happening over a few laughs, during partnering, while lifting, or jumping. At that time there was little to no education around what our pelvic floor muscles even …
Pelvic Pain 101: Definition + Resource List
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles “Can you please define to us what exactly is pelvic pain when sitting. Over the bladder? In the groin? On the labia? Rectum? Sit bone? Like period cramps? What is the most common definition? I’d love for this to be a post or a question for all. I keep wondering …
Myofascial Trigger Points: Facts & General Information
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Let’s talk Myofascial Trigger Point (MTrPs) Facts: MTrPs are contracted fibers with a muscle. MTrPs are painful when compressed. Active MTrPs cause pain and/or dysfunction whereas latent MTrPs do not currently cause pain and/or dysfunction but have the potential to. MTrPs can cause pain locally (at the spot of the …
Myofascial Trigger Points – Frequently Asked Questions & Their Answers
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Over the last few week’s, we have received various inquiries about Myofascial Trigger Points. Why do they occur? What are they? How can we fix them? This week we do a deep dive and answer our most frequently asked questions! Q: Never heard of this ! What is this …
Penile Pain: Frequently Asked Questions and Their Answers
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack Over the last couple of years PHRC has shared many YouTube videos and educational material on Instagram educating our viewers and readers about pelvic health. We have received an overwhelming response to several of our posts discussing male pelvic pain, in particular penile pain. Listed below are some of the most common …
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
By Emily Schwerdtfeger, PHRC Westlake Village May is Mental Health Awareness Month; we wanted to talk about pelvic pain and mental health! When it comes to pelvic pain, it can have a major effect on both your physical and mental health. Did you know about 20% or one in five people experience a mental health disorder at some …
National Condom Week: History, Facts and Pointers
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack This week we’re celebrating National Condom Week; which gives us the perfect excuse to educate our community about the correct use of and important precautions to consider when using condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Condoms, aka male sheath, johnny, rubber, raincoat, cock sock, or the English riding …
Part II: Breathing Techniques for Pelvic Floor Health
By Melissa Patrick, PT, DPT and Jennifer Keesee, DPT In part I of this blog post, we covered the basics of proper breathing mechanics and how important they can be for your pelvic health. We introduced pranayama, yoga based breathing exercises, and discussed the benefits of regular breath practice. We also talked about diaphragmatic breathing, its impact on the nervous …
Part I: Breathing Techniques for Pelvic Floor Health
By Melissa Patrick, PT, DPT and Jennifer Keesee, DPT The Basics Breathing may seem like a very simple task, but many of us breathe incorrectly. Poor breathing mechanics can affect us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Research has shown that breathing exercises can positively impact our nervous, cardiac, and musculoskeletal systems. When we pay attention to, and learn how …
Connective Tissue Restrictions: Causes, Consequences and Treatments
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Connective tissue (CT) restrictions are defined as a dense thickening of subcutaneous tissue that’s painful upon pinch-rolling examination. Connective tissue restrictions can contribute to urinary and bowel symptoms and pelvic pain. As this post will explain, CT restrictions can be a cause and consequence of multiple pelvic floor symptoms and syndromes. …
2022, Year of the Tiger; A Year in Review
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Welcome 2022, goodbye 2021! It’s been another year full of changes for Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center. With the start of the new year, we would like to acknowledge all of the changes that have occurred both virtually and in person. Last year….. Social Media Expansion and Engagement With our ever …
PHRC is accepting new patients in Pasadena, California!
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC West Los Angeles The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is excited to announce that we are now accepting new patients in our newest location in Pasadena! Let’s be real, Los Angeles traffic is no joke. Since we opened in West LA in 2014 we have been honored to help patients from all over the greater …
Dear Doctor, Your Patients are Human; An Open Letter
By Emily Schwerdtfeger, PHRC Westlake Village Admin Assistant A patient submitted this letter following their personal experience with patient care An open letter to any doctor who’s ever seen a patient. To patients who have experienced something similar, I’m sorry and you didn’t deserve it. “I understand that doctors have limited time with patients and that medicine is …
Symptoms of a Hypertonic Pelvic Floor Follow Up Q&A
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC West Los Angeles A while back we asked you for your questions about having a hypertonic pelvic floor. This week we answer all your questions and then some! Q- Hi! I have really tight pelvic floor muscles and pain during sex and I was wondering if you might be able to suggest any …