What to Expect from a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Visit

A pelvic floor visit isn’t too different from a standard physical therapy visit. First we start off with a lot of talking, hearing your story is the most important part of any evaluation and often times a very overlooked part. How many times have you gone to the doctor and or another healthcare provider and felt like you were cut off or rushed? We don’t want that to happen anymore. You are the one experiencing your symptoms and will be the best at explaining them. The big difference of pelvic floor PT is that a lot of our conversation may include talking about things that you may be slightly uncomfortable talking about, but don’t worry I’m not! We will discuss areas such as urination, bowel movements, menstrual cycle (if applicable), pain and intercourse. All VERY important areas of your daily life that are not discussed enough.

After a pretty lengthy conversation we do an external exam, I want to observe things like what your posture looks like in standing, sitting and with different movement patterns. We will observe your pelvic alignment and muscle tone as well as your breathing mechanics. This doesn’t differ at all from a standard PT appointment, we are gaining knowledge about you as a whole person from the ground up!

The main difference is that with Pelvic floor PT is the internal exam. Much different than your standard GYN exam, the internal exam consistent of a single finger used to palpate your pelvic floor muscles. This allows us to truly know how these muscles are functioning, because we cant see them. Our pelvic floor is a part of our musculoskeletal system and therefor just like other muscles of the body can become weak, tight or irritated! A PT is considered a musculoskeletal expert and this area is no different!

After the extensive evaluation we area then able to create an individualized treatment plan based on what your body needs and what your goals are