Berkeley-Transgender Health Services 2 | Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center

Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

When transgender or gender non-conforming people utilize packing, tucking, or binding techniques or undergo gender affirming surgical procedures, it can have negative effects on the trunk, lower extremities, pelvic floor and surrounding structures resulting in pain and dysfunction. Pelvic floor physical therapy can assist in minimizing or eliminating the pelvic, back, and chest pain and urinary, bowel and/or sexual dysfunction that can arise from these techniques and surgical procedures.

Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

When transgender or gender non-conforming people utilize packing, tucking, or binding techniques or undergo gender affirming surgical procedures, it can have negative effects on the trunk, lower extremities, pelvic floor and surrounding structures resulting in pain and dysfunction. Pelvic floor physical therapy can assist in minimizing or eliminating the pelvic, back, and chest pain and urinary, bowel and/or sexual dysfunction that can arise from these techniques and surgical procedures.

Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

When transgender or gender non-conforming people utilize packing, tucking, or binding techniques or undergo gender affirming surgical procedures, it can have negative effects on the trunk, lower extremities, pelvic floor and surrounding structures resulting in pain and dysfunction. Pelvic floor physical therapy can assist in minimizing or eliminating the pelvic, back, and chest pain and urinary, bowel and/or sexual dysfunction that can arise from these techniques and surgical procedures.

Symptoms

Pain from surgical scars
Pain with vaginal penetration
Inability to achieve vaginal penetration
Difficulty or inability to achieve orgasm
Urinary dysfunction including urgency, frequency, hesitancy, incontinence and spraying
Pelvic pain
Chest and back pain
Shoulder pain

Symptoms

Pain from surgical scars
Pain with vaginal penetration
Inability to achieve vaginal penetration
Difficulty or inability to achieve orgasm
Urinary dysfunction including urgency, frequency, hesitancy, incontinence and spraying
Pelvic pain
Chest and back pain
Shoulder pain

Causes of Symptoms

Surgical scars
Stenosis of neovagina
Loss of neovagina depth
Pudendal neuralgia
Persistent granulation tissue
Pelvic floor dysfunction
Compression
Lower extremity muscles dysfunction
Poor posture

Causes of Symptoms

Surgical scars
Stenosis of neovagina
Loss of neovagina depth
Pudendal neuralgia
Persistent granulation tissue
Pelvic floor dysfunction
Compression
Lower extremity muscles dysfunction
Poor posture

Diagnostic Challenges

Unfortunately, most medical providers, including pelvic floor physical therapists, are unfamiliar with packing, tucking, and binding techniques as well as gender affirming surgical procedures. These surgical procedures are not widely available in the United States nor is education for health care providers on how to care for these patients. At PHRC we have been fortunate to work in geographic locations where these procedures are available and we have had the opportunity to work with the surgeons providing these services. We have also sought out specific training on how to best care for this patient population as physical therapists. As a

Diagnostic Challenges

Unfortunately, most medical providers, including pelvic floor physical therapists, are unfamiliar with packing, tucking, and binding techniques as well as gender affirming surgical procedures. These surgical procedures are not widely available in the United States nor is education for health care providers on how to care for these patients. At PHRC we have been fortunate to work in geographic locations where these procedures are available and we have had the opportunity to work with the surgeons providing these services. We have also sought out specific training on how to best care for this patient population as physical therapists. As a