What exactly is a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Evaluation like?
It came to my attention the other day that most people don’t actually know what a pelvic floor ‘evaluation’ is. And I was like.. hot damn, have I never explained this before!?
So I wanted to talk about this. Seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist (in person or virtually) may seem so intimidating, but in reality — YOU run the show.
We are here to HEAR you. Unlike most providers, we get a full hour of your time and you get a full hour of ours where we can chat about literally anything and everything (and no, nothing is TMI…).
Here’s what to expect at your FIRST pelvic floor evaluation visit:
- Begin the session listening to your concerns and asking you about your health history, surgeries, lifestyle, and personal goals. Truthfully myself, and most other providers, want to know the INs and OUTs of everything. Like c’mon… I talk about pee, poop, and sex. Spill the beans sister.
- Next, we perform a movement assessment that looks at your posture, spinal and pelvic alignment, full body flexibility and mobility, balance, breathing techniques, and muscle activation patterns. YES.. the WHOLE BODY needs to be addressed.
- IF you are being seen in person you can opt for an internal pelvic floor muscle examination. This is a way for the pelvic floor PT to assess tone, coordination, strength, and endurance of the muscles. This can be helpful in identifying your symptoms. ** I know this can be intimidating but you do NOT have to get this if you do not want to ** and PTs can still do their job in helping find the root of your problem.
- Lastly, we discuss findings and create the plan of care for you. The plan is always tailored and customized exactly for you, your habits, and your lifestyle so it feels tangible and achievable for where you are at in your current stage of life. We want to work with you, not against you.
Thats it, my friends!
Collectively as a profession we strive to really give you time, space, and an environment to vent, ask questions, feel validated, gain hope, and receive thorough explanations for your concerns.
If you have been feeling some ~type of way~ towards a pelvic floor therapy evaluation I hope this inspires you to book your appointment that you’ve been putting off because there is nothing better than getting your pelvic health checkbox marked off!
We are always accepting walk in visits for our virtual clinic. If you have been needing to address your pelvic health concerns but have been unsure where to start or unable to get time away from the kiddos to do so, book a free consultation call with me first and let’s chat about starting with an evaluation (*We do accept HSA/FSA as payment **)