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 and Occupational 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 …
Diastasis Recti: Causes and Treatment
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 few things about each cause: …
Are Oral Birth Control Pills a Cause Of Or Solution For Pelvic Pain?
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC West Los Angeles A frequent question from social media: “I have Vestibulodynia and painful bladder syndrome. I am almost symptom free except for near or during my period. My hormone levels are fine. My urologist prescribed testosterone cream because he found atrophy. At the same time I have another doctor telling me that …
How Denise Reduced Prolapse Symptoms with Therapeutic Yoga at PHRC
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 her lifestyle. I am happy …
Pain in your tailbone? You are not alone: Michelle’s Success Story
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 about three years. Michelle did …
Hard Flaccid: Causes, Treatments, and Symptoms
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack Although our knowledge is limited with regards to hard-flaccid syndrome, based upon the minimal medical literature dedicated to this syndrome and our own experience at PHRC, hard-flaccid syndrome most commonly occurs secondary to the following: When the PFM, particularly the urogenital diaphragm, or superficial PFM, become too tight or hypertonic, they can …
How PFPT Helped Following a Prostatectomy: Peter’s Story
By Peter and Melinda Fontaine, DPT, PHRC Walnut Creek Pelvic Physical and Occupational Therapy (PPT) has been a wonderfully life changing experience for me following prostate cancer treatment. It has been a nearly three year journey, and I cannot speak highly enough of the benefits of my kind, caring, and immensely skilled PPT therapist. What are these benefits? In short, …
How Pelvic Floor Physical and Occupational Therapy Helped Megan Eliminate Rectal Pain and Bowel Dysfunction
By Kim Buonomo, DPT, PHRC Lexington Introduction Megan (mid-50 year old cisgender female) started seeing me in September 2021. She had a history of bowel dysfunction since giving birth to her daughter in the late 1990’s. She described her symptoms as a pattern of alternating constipation and diarrhea, associated with bloating, hemorrhoids and abdominal discomfort. She thought for a …
Pelvic Hip Pain, A Patient Success Story
By Jillian Giannini, DPT, PHRC Pasadena, Jennifer Keesee, DPT, PHRC Westlake Village and Emily Schwerdtfeger, BA, PHRC Westlake Village “I’m the exception, right?” “It could never happen to me.” Emily is a 25 year old female that has had left hip pain for five years now. She describes her hip pain as: Achy or sharp In front of L …
PT Across the Lifespan: Celebrating International Women’s Day
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack As we recognize International Women’s Day in March, this is the perfect opportunity to educate our community about how pelvic floor physical and occupational therapy can benefit women and folks with uteruses throughout the different phases of their lives. The truth is, virtually all women and people with uteruses will benefit from …
Announcing Virtual Pregnancy + Postpartum Pelvic Health Services
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 developing a birth plan and …
A Peripartum Product Guide for Pregnant Friends by a Pelvic Floor PT
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, emails asking for advice, etc. …
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 …
Working on mind over bladder? Urine good company
By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco Urination is one of the most reliable body functions a person can have. You go about your daily routine, you receive a little message to your brain that says “Hey there! It’s me, your bladder. We’re pretty fully down here. Do you think you could empty me?” You listen to your …
ICYMI: IG Live with Sexual Medicine Expert Rachel Rubin
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Los Angeles A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Rachel Rubin on Instagram Live. I wanted to interview Rachel because of her unique background as a board-certified female urologist who completed a sexual medicine fellowship with Dr. Irwin Goldstein. Dr. Rubin is a clinician, a researcher, and a vocal educator …
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 …
Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: Symptoms and Solutions
By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, PHRC Los Angeles Did you know that the term Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) was introduced as recently as 2014? What!? Women have been going through menopause as long as we have been on the planet. Why are we talking about it? Because too many women are currently suffering with treatable symptoms because of conflicting & …
Penile Pain- A Success Story
By Molly Bachmann PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco “Penile numbness, perineum pain, post void dribble . . . oh my!” *All names and other identifying information has been changed. Symptom Presentation: Frank began to have pain in his perineum seemingly out of the blue. The only connection he could make was an instance of loose stool that …
You’re Invited to a Live Virtual Event! Sue’s Pelvic Pain Success Story & Going the Distance for her Cause!
By Kim Buonomo, DPT, PHRC Lexington Here at PHRC we love to celebrate our patients’ success and we are inviting you to join us for a special success story and fundraising event. We shared a little on IG Live last week, in case you missed it, you can view the video on our Instagram. Register for the full event …
How Pelvic Floor PT Helps Children with Constipation & Incontinence
By Shannon Pacella, DPT, PHRC Lexington Did You Know… Bedwetting affects 15%-22% of children, and of those children, 10%-25% have urinary leakage during the day.1 One of the primary causes of bedwetting and daytime wetting is constipation.1 10%-25% of children who bed wet also have difficulty controlling their bowels.1 Awareness of bladder sensation and control of bladder begins between one …