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 […]
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! […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Ilioinguinal neuralgia is typically caused by a surgical procedure or an inguinal hernia. A hernia is when tissue pooches through the abdominal wall due to a weak point in the abdomen. An inguinal hernia, which is a hernia in the inguinal canal, can put […]
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 […]
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 […]
By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, Birth Doula, PHRC San Francisco How does your brain know when it is time to empty the bladder? As the bladder begins to fill with liquid, receptors within the walls of the bladder perceive stretch. When the receptors perceive that the bladder is full with about two cups of […]
By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, Birth Doula, PHRC San Francisco, CA Have you ever pulled into the driveway after a long day and suddenly had the urge to urinate? Like Five-Alarm Bell, clear the driveway sprinting to the bathroom to make it in time? You are not alone! You might have even heard of […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles Let’s Talk Prostatectomy Facts Although prostatectomy is a very effective surgical intervention for prostate cancer, there are some common symptoms that can occur following surgery that each person undergoing this procedure should be aware of. In fact, only 22% of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles When considering neuropathic pain in the pelvis most people think of the pudendal nerve, but there are several other pelvic nerves that can also contribute to pelvic pain! The genitofemoral nerve supplies a portion of the genitals as well as the front of the thigh. This […]
By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles There are a number of treatable causes of clitoral pain, yet often patients are misdiagnosed and this distressing symptom can persist. Hormonal deficiencies associated with birth control pills, acne medications, and age can lead to thinning of hormonally sensitive structures, such as the clitoris and […]
By Jennifer Guan, PT, DPT PHRC Los Gatos André Fenri* is a 28 year old male who was referred to PHRC by his urologist. André reports that three months prior to his initial evaluation, he developed pressure and pain on the left side in his groin region. He reports that he had gone skateboarding […]
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 […]
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack PHRC is going back to Nairobi, Kenya! The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is returning to Nairobi, Kenya to teach a pelvic health course to a second cohort of physical and occupational therapistss in October 2022. We taught the first cohort of physical and occupational therapistss […]
By Amy Stein, MPT, DPT, BCB-PFD, IF & Karen Brandon, DSc, PT, WCS This year we are excited to present a post-conference course dedicated to physical and occupational therapy clinical skills and treatment planning for complex endometriosis cases. This workshop is in-person and virtual. We are so excited to have an all-star group of presenters, an expert […]
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 pudendal neuralgia. Listed below are some of the most common questions […]
By Melissa Patrick, PT, DPT, RYT Denise is an active 61 year old woman who enjoys spending time outside walking her dog, going to Zumba class and practicing yoga. When I met Denise, I could tell that she was energetic and lively but that her primary complaints of vaginal pressure were putting a damper on […]
