Treatment

With us, a typical plan involves one visit per week for the first 8-12 weeks, depending on your unique case and exam findings. After your full evaluation, your Doctor of Physical Therapy will recommend a schedule tailored to you. As you show progress, your therapist may suggest moving to every other week or twice per month. After that, most of our patients benefit from a maintenance program at once a month or once every two to three months depending on your personal goals and preferences for tune ups. 

In-network clinics often ask you to come in 2-3 times a week for 2-3 months, which can add up to 36 visits—almost double the time! Our approach is designed to provide focused, one-on-one care, so you get the most out of each visit.

Most of our patients start to feel better between their 2nd and 6th treatment. However, to achieve lasting results and address the root cause of the problem, it usually takes about 12-16 visits. We’ve found that when clients stop coming as soon as they feel some relief, they often end up back with the same issue later. Consistent therapy over time helps create long-term change, so you can stay symptom-free.

We offer a VIP membership for clients who want to stay proactive and prevent future problems. This allows you to continue coming in for recovery sessions, pelvic floor tune-ups, and progressive exercise programming. Most of our patients in this membership find this ongoing support helpful for maintaining their progress and working toward new goals!

Your Doctor of Physical Therapy will give you specific instructions based on your needs, but it usually involves doing exercises 2-3 times per week. We know everyone’s schedule is different, so our therapists work with you to find simple ways to fit your homework into your routine without taking up too much extra time.

Your treatment will depend on your specific diagnosis and how severe your symptoms are. At the start, you’ll likely spend more time one-on-one with your Doctor of Physical Therapy in a private room. During this time, we’ll focus on hands-on techniques, like working on your abdominals, hip flexors, glutes, hip rotators, adductors, and pelvic floor muscles. This might include soft tissue work, cupping, dry needling, or gentle mobilizations.

As you progress, we’ll shift to more exercises in a quiet gym space. These exercises help retrain your muscles to function correctly, keeping your symptoms from coming back. Everything we do is tailored to your needs and goals!

Your Doctor of Physical Therapy might suggest a few lifestyle changes to support your progress. These can include things like improving your hydration, adjusting your bathroom habits, learning proper pooping mechanics, and incorporating more fiber into your diet. We may also look at your exercise routine, stress management, sleep habits, posture at home and in the gym, and even address any mental health blocks. These changes are all about helping you feel your best!

If there are any exercises or movements that flare your symptoms, we may modify your activity temporarily in order to return you back to that activity symptom-free again! 

An internal exam is never required. Your comfort is our top priority. However, if you choose to have one, know that our physical therapists are highly trained, trauma-sensitive, and have between 4 to 7 years of experience in pelvic floor therapy, thus having done thousands of exams. The internal exam provides valuable information, helping us accurately diagnose and treat your condition.

During the exam, your therapist may assess things like range of motion, strength, coordination, muscle tension, and pain. We’ll explain each step before and during the process, so you always know what to expect. Your comfort and trust are at the heart of everything we do.

Read these reviews about how our team made our clients more comfortable:

Not at all! You don’t need to shower or shave before your visits. We’re here to help with your health, and we’re not concerned about the appearance of your vulva, so no worries there!

Yes, we absolutely treat men! All of our therapists have advanced training in male pelvic floor dysfunction. Common symptoms we help with include urinary leakage, pelvic pain, testicular pain, back or hip pain, constipation, tailbone pain, abdominal pain, pain with sexual activity, and erectile dysfunction- just to name a few! We’re here to support you on your journey to better health.

Yes, we treat people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). All of our therapists have advanced training in pelvic floor conditions related to EDS. Common issues we address include pelvic pain, urinary leakage, constipation, and prolapse.

Since EDS is a connective tissue disorder, it can cause the pelvic floor muscles to compensate for hypermobility by becoming tense and overactive in an attempt to create stability. This can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, showing up as leakage, pressure, or pain. Our therapists understand the specific precautions needed when exercising with EDS and will tailor your treatment to support your unique needs.

No, we do not treat pediatric patients. We work with individuals 16 years old and older. However, we’re happy to refer you to a clinic that specializes in pediatric care for those under 16!

Yes, we use various forms of biofeedback tailored to your needs. We offer manual biofeedback to help relax (downtrain) the pelvic floor muscles and assess their function. For bowel conditions, we may use balloon training biofeedback for certain conditions. However, we do not use sEMG, as current research no longer supports this method as effective. Our goal is to use the most effective, evidence-based techniques for your care.

Signs of a weak pelvic floor may include:

• Urinary leakage
• A feeling of pressure in the pelvis
• Prolapse (a feeling of organs shifting or dropping)
• Diastasis (separation of abdominal muscles)
• Fecal leakage
• Pain in the pelvic area

A weak pelvic floor can result from several factors, such as repeated pregnancies and births, long labors, straining on the toilet, lifting heavy objects improperly, “push peeing,” and lack of physical activity.

A common misconception: Not all weak pelvic floors need Kegels. Many people with weak pelvic floor muscles also have tight pelvic floor muscles. In these cases, doing Kegels can actually make symptoms worse. This is why a proper evaluation is key to finding the right treatment.

There are many ways to strengthen a weak pelvic floor, but it’s important to make sure you don’t have pelvic floor tension first. Contrary to popular belief, Kegels aren’t the only way to build strength. In most cases, targeted deep core exercises are highly effective because your pelvic floor is part of your deep core muscles. Strengthening your core and improving balance can help support your pelvic floor.

Everyone’s body is different, so what works for one person may not work as well for another. That’s why, even with all the exercise guides and videos available online, many people benefit from 1:1 pelvic floor therapy. In fact, about 50% of individuals have trouble activating their pelvic floor muscles correctly and need expert guidance to do it right.

Signs of a tight or overactive pelvic floor can include:

• Pain during sex, pelvic exams, or tampon use
• Frequent UTIs
• Pelvic, tailbone, hip, or back pain
• Constipation or pain when emptying bowels
• Urinary leakage
• Bladder pain

A tight pelvic floor can result from various factors, such as pregnancy, childbirth, medical procedures, a stressful job, falls on the tailbone, or other traumatic events that put stress on the pelvis.

Stretching your pelvic floor is similar to stretching any other muscle in your body! Just like you have specific stretches for your hip flexors, there are specific ones for your pelvic floor. 

In addition to stretches, internal manual therapy can help release tight pelvic floor muscles. Just like hands-on therapy for other muscle injuries, pelvic floor therapy can involve internal techniques to lengthen tight muscles and external techniques to address tight hip flexors, glutes, and abdominals. These techniques are gentle and are not like a typical pelvic exam with your gynecologist. 

Your pelvic PT may also recommend therapeutic devices, such as pelvic wands or dilators, to use at home. Learning how to use these tools gives you more control over your progress and helps you feel more independent in your recovery.

Yes, stress can definitely impact your pelvic floor! Studies show that the pelvic floor is one of the first muscle groups to respond to stress, along with the upper traps. When stress causes your pelvic floor to tense up, you might experience symptoms like leakage, pressure, pelvic pain, pain during sex, back or hip pain, or constipation.

That’s why we take a holistic approach in therapy, looking at the stressors in your life. Addressing stress is a key part of your progress and helps ensure the best outcomes for your pelvic health.