In the past few years there has been increasing media attention about the lack of pelvic health information and care given to pregnant woman. In a recent survey, 93% of women felt like they did not have enough knowledge about pregnancy and postpartum pelvic health.
Our pelvic floor muscles play a key role in bladder, bowel, and sexual function. Pregnancy is the #1 risk factor for pelvic floor dysfunction. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help women prepare their bodies and pelvic floor muscles for labor and delivery and help minimize trauma and build confidence that they are prepared. Postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy helps new moms restore their pelvic health and prevents pelvic pain, and urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction from persisting.
By Cambria Oetken, PT, DPT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT Background Diane is a 66-year-old woman with a history of three vaginal deliveries. She came to PHRC with a significant history of pelvic floor pain, muscle spasms, urinary incontinence, pain with intercourse, and muscle weakness. Diane had undergone multiple pelvic reconstruction surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), […]
By Cambria Oetken, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT Here is What You Need To Know! This year new moms are finally getting the attention they deserve! We are excited to report our trusted sexual medicine experts coined a new term that describes the genitourinary hormonal deficiencies of lactating moms experience. What […]
BY PHRC Admin Team All those who are pregnant and/or postpartum can benefit from pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy given the crucial role these muscles play during delivery and how prevalent dysfunction is after birth. Pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy reduces the risk of pelvic organ prolapse, urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction and […]
By Alexa Savitz, DPT, PHRC Pasadena Meet Jackie! Jackie, six months postpartum, came to PHRC experiencing heaviness, pressure, muscle spasms around the rectum, and pelvic pain near her right hamstring and sit bone. She had a vacuum-assisted vaginal birth and a Grade Two Perineal Tear. Despite being ‘cleared for activity’ at her six-week check-up, […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Pasadena Urinary leaking during sneezing and coughing is common. Constipation affects millions of people. Irritative bladder symptoms plague women at multiple points in their life for a number of reasons, and bother men too. If one stops to think about orthopedic surgeries for broken ankles and shoulder dysfunction, […]
By PHRC Admin Depression, a common and serious medical illness, affects how we feel, think, and handle daily activities. In recent years, there’s been growing concern over the potential link between hormonal birth control and depression. Join us for a review of an article linking Oral contraceptives (OCPs) to depression! We thank Fiona Riddle […]
By Molly Bachmann, DPT, PHRC San Francisco Suzy came to Pelvic Floor PT during her second pregnancy in hopes of addressing some recent heaviness she had felt in her vagina. She also complained of urinating every hour and waking up two to three times a night to urinate. She hoped to prepare her body […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles During prepartum/postpartum evaluations, a physical and occupational therapists will take an extensive medical history. Following the history, the PT will perform a thorough external and internal musculoskeletal exam. Your evaluation should include: Musculoskeletal: An assessment of structure, muscles, tissue, joints and manual evaluation of the […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles If you are expecting, plan to be in the future or know someone that is, here are some common Prepartum symptoms! Low back pain- Foot and back pain are due to hormonal and musculoskeletal changes. Studies have shown that 40% to 60% of women will experience […]
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Hormones play a vital role in day-to-day function. They allow for the organs to communicate with each other so that we can filter toxic waste, grow muscle, sleep well . . . . and even grow a human! Let’s take a look at what happens during […]
By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, Birth Doula When it comes to pain management during labor, most of us think of medical interventions such as an epidural or pain medication. Did you know that there are things that your doula, support person, midwife, partner or even OB can do to decrease pain? When I’m working with […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Diastasis recti can be caused by various reasons, some of which can affect one person more than the next. The integrity of our connective tissue is genetic. However, external factors also play a role in who may develop a DR. It is important to note a […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Some people with diastasis recti (DR) also report urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and myofascial pelvic pain. HOWEVER, it is not the presence of diastasis alone that leads to these things. Longer term problems from unresolved DR can (but don’t always) include: back pain […]
By Jennifer Keesee, PT, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village Michelle is a 39 year old patient who was referred to PHRC by her pain management specialist for evaluation and treatment of tailbone pain, known as Coccydynia. Her symptoms started one year after giving birth to her second child, and had continued off and on for […]
By Lauren Opatrny, PT, DPT, PHRC Berkeley & San Francisco *all names have been changed to maintain patient privacy Background Rachel* is a 32 year old experiencing urinary incontinence after giving birth to her baby in December 2020. When she was eight months postpartum and still experiencing incontinence, her doctor referred her to […]
By Jillian Cerda Ramos, PT, DPT, MFDc *all names have been changed to maintain patient privacy Introduction Pregnancy is truly a life-changing event in more ways than one: bringing a baby into this world is no easy feat, and neither is the recovery process! Just like how each pregnancy is so different, each […]
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack The pandemic has brought countless changes to PHRC and frankly, the world. In January 2020 PHRC had intentions of offering virtual health services sometime in 2020 to folks searching for information, answers, and hope with regards to their pelvic concerns. In March 2020 Covid19 hit all of […]
By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco Virtual appointments are now available for those who are pregnant and postpartum! We are excited to offer this service to birthing people around the world. Whether you are pregnant and are interested in learning more about how to prepare your body for birth or need help […]
What does a Pelvic Floor Physical and Occupational Therapists gift her pregnant friends at their baby showers? By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco Working in the medical field places one in a unique position when it comes to relationships with family and friends. Frequently I’ll receive questions about aches and pains, […]
By Kim Buonomo, DPT, PHRC Lexington Many women do not realize how common pelvic floor dysfunction is after giving birth. We often hear patients who think it is normal to leak urine or to be unable to exercise after having children. Postpartum pain is common, but not normal, and pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, DPT, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles With May being Pregnancy Awareness Month, we wanted to share an overview of the pregnancy and postpartum services we offer here at the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center. Along with the overview we will discuss what to expect in your appointment with additional blogs, videos […]
