What to expect during your Pelvic Health Rehabilitation visit?

What is Pelvic Rehabilitation?

Pelvic rehabilitation is a specialized therapy focused on addressing dysfunctions and discomfort in the pelvic region, encompassing all the muscles, ligaments, fascia and organs of the pelvic cavity and it’s surrounding structures. Through targeted exercises and manual techniques, pelvic rehabilitation aims to alleviate pain, improve function, and enhance overall quality of life for individuals dealing with pelvic floor issues.

It’s normal to feel nervous

It’s normal to feel nervous about your first visit. Pelvic health physical therapists are familiar with individuals arriving to their first visit without any prior knowledge of experience with pelvic health physical therapy.

Assessments and Screening Tools

Pelvic health physical therapists often use assessment tools to get a better sense of how your condition is impacting specific areas within your life including bladder, bowel and sexual function. Your physical therapist is learning about all your contributing factors and may use clues within this to recommend lifestyle changes and help improve your symptoms.

What does the External Assessment entail?

Your physical therapist will look at how your body works as a whole. Then the physical therapist will look at each part of the whole including your trunk, pelvis, hips, back, legs and/or arms depending on what your symptoms are. Your pelvic health physical therapist will also look at the pelvic externally, palpating muscle, ligament, bone and/or organs. This may include palpating the perineal area over clothes. Your physical therapist may also visually inspect the perineal area without clothes, especially if there are complaints of pain. The pelvic health physical therapists goal is to find out what exactly is contributing to symptoms to develop a plan of care to improve symptoms.

More About the Internal Assessment

During an internal assessment, the pelvic health physical therapist will step out of the room and give you privacy to get ready. You will undress and get yourself into a comfortable position. Every patient is provided with a gown to change into or drape over themselves. Pelvic health physical therapists do not use stirrups or speculums. The pelvic health physical therapist will always wear gloves and lubricant during the internal assessment. An internal assessment provides the pelvic health physical therapist with vital information on the function of the pelvic floor muscles, fascia, ligament and pelvic organs. Your pelvic health physical therapist will assess several things: muscle function (strength, tone, endurance), tissue abnormalities, presence of pain with palpation, pain referral. You are encouraged to ask questions throughout all parts of the exam and empower yourself with knowledge on what is happening and also on how to improve symptoms.

What do I wear?

We recommend wearing something comfortable that you can move around in and change out of. We have bathrooms next door to the office, just before you enter if you need to use the restroom beforehand.

More About Consent

Everything that occurs in a treatment room requires verbal consent. Your physical therapist will explain to your about your condition and recommended treatment interventions. You are allowed and encouraged to ask questions throughout the whole process. You can say ‘no’ to any part or end the exam or intervention at any point. You are in complete charge of your body during the entire process. We care very deeply about consent and are open to answering any questions you may have during your physical therapy session. Our therapists develop a treatment plan for you and work with you as part of your healthcare team. We may provide handouts or exercise programs to help. We may also offer suggestions and recommendations to help including but not limited to sleep position, food intake, toileting posture, breathing techniques.