By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack Pelvic pain can significantly impact your quality of life, but there are steps you can take to decrease or minimize this discomfort. In this blog, we will discuss 10 tips that can help alleviate pelvic pain and promote overall pelvic health. Put a stool under your feet when having a bowel …
Emphasizing Sexual Awareness: National Condom Week
By PHRC Admin National Condom Week, celebrated every year from February 14th to 21st, serves as a pivotal reminder of the importance of sexual health and awareness. It provides an opportunity to educate about safe sex practices and their significance in maintaining overall wellbeing. As pelvic floor physical therapists, understanding the intricate relationship between sexual health and pelvic health is …
Everyday Activities Supported by Pelvic Floor Muscles
The Unsung Heroes: Everyday Activities Supported by Pelvic Floor Muscles By PHRC Admin While often overlooked, the pelvic floor muscles are unsung heroes that play a vital role in supporting everyday activities. These muscles, located at the base of the pelvis, provide structural support to our internal organs and facilitate essential functions. In this blog post, we will explore …
National Breast Cancer Month: Raising Awareness
By PHRC Admin Team October is National Breast Cancer Month, a time to raise awareness about this deadly disease that affects millions of people across the globe. Approximately one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, making it the most common form of cancer among women in the United States . This month …
PHRC is accepting new patients in Columbus, OH!
By PHRC Admin Team The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is excited to announce that we are now accepting new patients in our newest location in Columbus, Ohio! Let’s be real, pelvic floor physical therapy is needed everywhere. Since we opened in San Francisco in 2006 we have been honored to help patients from all over; which has now …
Embracing Sexual Health Awareness: Chronic Pain & Intimacy
By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village September marks Sexual Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of sexual health and well-being. One often overlooked aspect of sexual health is the impact of chronic pain on intimacy. Millions of people worldwide suffer from chronic pain, and it can significantly affect their relationships and sex lives. In …
The Jaw and Foot: Connections to the Pelvic Floor
Did you know that your foot can affect your pelvic floor? Foot and ankle positioning has an effect on the pelvic floor by influencing changes in muscle activation up the legs ultimately resulting in changes with pelvic tilt positioning. There are biomechanical changes from the ground up. The connection in brain mapping of motor and sensation- the genitals and …
Navigating Mental Health: Strategies for Managing Your Mental Well-Being
By Emily Tran, PHRC Admin, Westlake Village Pelvic pain can be a source of significant stress and anxiety for individuals. Living with chronic pelvic pain can often lead to feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and even depression. It’s important to recognize the impact pelvic pain can have on mental health. Here are a few ways mental health can affect pelvic …
March is Endometriosis Month; Current News and Updates
By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas March is the month where we get to talk about all things Endometriosis. Endometriosis (‘endo’) is an estrogen mediated, inflammatory disease characterized by endometrial-like tissue found outside of the uterus. Most commonly it is found in the abdominal and pelvic cavity, but can be found elsewhere in the body as well. Endo …
Why Do Men Develop Penile Pain? Plus video resources!
By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack One in 10 men will suffer from Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome at some point in their symptoms. Men can develop penile pain for numerous reasons: Excessive exercise Aggressive force and/or frequency of masturbation Persisting pain after disease, infection or inflammation Aggressive jelqing, attempts at foreskin regeneration, penile enhancement protocols Symptoms of …
What is Ischial Bursitis and How Can Pelvic Floor PT Help?
By Lauren Opatrny, PT, DPT, PHRC San Francisco, CA Ischial bursitis, or ischiogluteal bursitis, is a condition where the bursa that lies between the ischial tuberosity and the gluteus maximus muscle becomes inflamed.(1) Ischial tuberosities are the bones that we sit on and are commonly referred to as your “sits bones.” They provide support for the body while sitting …
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 …
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 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, marked improvement …
How Pelvic Floor Physical 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 …