Pelvic Health Program

Physical therapy can be used for a variety of treatments for pelvic floor conditions.

Your physical therapist specializes in pelvic floor health and only treats pelvic floor issues. This means you have a highly skilled expert helping you, and educating you. How physical therapy heals:

• Breaks down scar tissue and adhesions to restore clitoral and/or penile range of motion.
• Facilitates muscle “re-education,” as your muscles re-learn to work properly.
• Aids pelvic floor muscle movement for normal voiding and sexual function.
• Engages trigger point release directly to the pelvic floor/vaginal muscle to decrease muscle tension.
• Decreases pain as a result of post-surgical inflammation or other conditions.
• Restores your lower-back muscle control and helps restore your pelvic alignment.
• Helps your lymphatic system “clean up” post-surgical tissues and maximizes blood flow to boost tissue healing.
• Helps control post-surgical inflammation to keep your urethra open.
• Minimize constipation from post-operative treatments.

If appropriate, your pelvic floor physical therapist will also Instruct and prescribe dilator and/or partner training.

A physical therapy order (or referral) from your physician is required to access services provided by physical therapists in Hoag’s Pelvic Health Program. This is required regardless of your insurance type, including a PPO. Talk with your gynecologist , OB/GYN , urologist , urogynecologist or primary care physician to determine if pelvic floor physical therapy is right for you.

Preparing for Your Physical Therapy Visit

Please wear comfortable clothing and arrive 15-20 minutes prior to your appointment time to complete your paperwork. Please bring your insurance card, a physician’s prescription (referral) for physical therapy as well as a list of your current medications. You should also be prepared to provide dates of any past surgeries/medical procedures, any findings from recent x-ray, MRI or CT Scans (as is listed in the MD reports), and any history that may have led to your pelvic floor condition(s). Most initial physical therapy evaluations last approximately 1 hour and will include same-day treatment.

If you have a referral and would like to schedule an appointment, please click here .

Hoag’s leading Pelvic Health Program combines research-based integrative therapies for health for all genders. Your pelvic floor physical therapist coordinates with credentialed specialists at the Hoag for Her Center for Wellness who offer sexual health counseling, acupuncture, massage therapy and Pilates for a comprehensive, coordinated approach to your care, no matter your gender.

Pilates

Pilates improves your “core” muscle groups, which include your pelvic floor. Your specialty trained pelvic floor physical therapist works with certified Pilates instructors to lead and teach you the exercises that can strengthen weak muscles, stretch shortened muscles and retrain muscles that may have adopted unhealthy movement patterns in response to pain. Learn more about our Pilates services here .

Acupuncture

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine may help you overcome pain and restore bladder, bowel and sexual function. Our acupuncture treatments increase blood and energy flow through all systems of the body, including pelvic muscles. Learn more about our acupuncture services here .

Massage Therapy

When there is tension or tightness in the vaginal/pelvic muscles, other areas of the body are also affected. Muscle tension restricts blood flow and can decrease organ health, cause headaches and decrease the ability of your body to rid of its waste through the lymph system. Massage therapy is also helpful for regaining muscle balance and decreasing toxin build up. Learn more about our massage therapy services here .

Hoag’s licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) can help you cope with sexual issues, have more comfortable sexual experiences and better understand your sexuality. Our sex therapists can help you identify and overcome underlying psychological issues that might contribute to both sexual problems and chronic pelvic pain conditions. Goals can include patient comfort, sexual satisfaction and acceptance of gender. Learn more about our sex therapy services here .

We are with you every step of your gender confirmation journey. This includes providing you with the evidence-based physical therapies that allow you to heal faster during your post-surgical transition. Through pelvic floor physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture and more, your team will guide you to bladder, bowel and sexual health.

Your physical therapist may also perform exercise based treatments like neuromuscular re-education or therapeutic exercise. This hands-on, individualized approach to movement can help restore function in the body.