View Post

Success Story: From Birth Prep to Birth Success at PHRC

In Pelvic Health, Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health by Molly BachmannLeave a Comment

By Molly Bachmann, DPT, PHRC San Francisco   Suzy came to Pelvic Floor PT during her second pregnancy in hopes of addressing some recent heaviness she had felt in her vagina. She also complained of urinating every hour and waking up two to three times a night to urinate. She hoped to prepare her body for birth and postpartum as …

View Post

Misconceptions About Pelvic Health And The Truth About Them

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By Emily Tran, PHRC Westlake Village   When it comes to overall health, there is one area that is often overlooked or under-discussed: pelvic health. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the importance of taking care of their pelvic floor muscles, and they pay little attention to the myriad of issues that can arise from poor pelvic health. To help …

View Post

Success Story: How Stacey Recovered from Leaking and UTIs at PHRC

In Female Pelvic Pain, Menopause, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy by Emily EckmannLeave a Comment

By Emily Eckmann, DPT, PHRC West Los Angeles   Stacy’s History   Stacy is a woman in her 60s who came to PHRC seeking help for her urinary incontinence that had progressively gotten worse over the last five years. She was eight years into menopause and had seen several gynecologists who did not find ‘anything wrong with her bladder.’ She …

View Post

Trauma-Informed Care Approaches for a Pelvic Floor PT

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by pelv_admin5 Comments

By admin   According to the Center for Health Care Strategies, “a trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective health care services with a healing orientation.” In the image we have listed a few …

View Post

The Jaw and Foot: Connections to the Pelvic Floor

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

  Did you know that your foot can affect your pelvic floor? Foot and ankle positioning has an effect on the pelvic floor by influencing changes in muscle activation up the legs ultimately resulting in changes with pelvic tilt positioning.  There are biomechanical changes from the ground up.  The connection in brain mapping of motor and sensation- the genitals and …

View Post

Fusobacterium and Endometriosis: New Insights or Media Frenzy?

In Endometriosis, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by Jandra MuellerLeave a Comment

By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas   The recent study titled “Fusobacterium infection facilitates the development of endometriosis through the phenotypic transition of endometrial fibroblasts” by Muraoka et al. has generated significant attention and frenzy in the media.  The media coverage of this article has been intense, with headlines highlighting the potential breakthrough in understanding the pathogenesis of endometriosis, …

View Post

Dyspareunia: Symptoms and Associated Conditions

In Endometriosis, Female Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Pain, Vulvodynia by Stephanie Prendergast1 Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   What is dyspareunia? A high number of people with a vagina suffer from painful versus pleasurable sex, including before, during or after sexual encounters. Superficial dyspareunia refers to pain at the opening of the vagina, whereas deep dyspareunia refers to feelings like something is being ‘hot’ or painful, deeper inside.  …

View Post

Biomechanical Evaluation for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction & PF Functions

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   To start, there are various functions we can thank our pelvic floor, but let’s get into the MAIN functions: Part of core muscles The pelvic floor supports your core muscles: transversus abdominis, rectus abdominis, and the external oblique muscles. The PFM tends to act reflexively when we’re using our core …

View Post

June is Men’s Health Awareness Month

In Male Pelvic Pain, Pelvic Health by Elizabeth AkincilarLeave a Comment

By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack   June is Men’s Health Awareness Month and it’s an important reminder of the need to prioritize preventative care and wellness for all. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, men are more likely to experience serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, diabetes, suicide, substance abuse …

View Post

Male Pelvic Health: Erectile Dysfunction Causes & Treatments

In Male Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the leading cause of sexual dysfunction in men affecting one in five men. It is defined as the inability to achieve & maintain an erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse. There are several causes for ED. Vasculogenic, or due to an issue with blood supply, is the …

View Post

It’s National Men’s Health Week!

In Male Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles National Men’s Health Week is held each year from June 8-14, and it is a time to raise awareness about the health of men and boys. This year’s theme focuses on the importance of preventive care, early detection, and treatment of medical conditions.   Men tend to avoid doctor visits, with …

View Post

A Kenyan Pelvic Health Physical Therapy School Scholarship 

In Pelvic floor physical therapy continuing education, pelvic floor physical therapy mentoring, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Elizabeth AkincilarLeave a Comment

By Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack The Jackson Clinics Foundation was formed in 2012 to fund educational efforts in East Africa. To date the foundation has sent over 100 faculty members from their clinics and from around the country to teach in east and central Africa. Some of the best and brightest physical therapists in the United States have …

View Post

Common Prepartum Symptoms and Their Treatments

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Telehealth, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain, Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   If you are expecting, plan to be in the future or know someone that is, here are some common Prepartum symptoms! Low back pain- Foot and back pain are due to hormonal and musculoskeletal changes. Studies have shown that 40% to 60% of women will experience back pain during pregnancy and …

View Post

Hormonal Prepartum Changes and Postpartum Complaints

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain, Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   Hormones play a vital role in day-to-day function. They allow for the organs to communicate with each other so that we can filter toxic waste, grow muscle, sleep well . . . . and even grow a human! Let’s take a look at what happens during pregnancy: Estrogen goes up, elevating …

View Post

Navigating Mental Health: Strategies for Managing Your Mental Well-Being

In Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Uncategorized by Emily TranLeave a Comment

By Emily Tran, PHRC Admin, Westlake Village   Pelvic pain can be a source of significant stress and anxiety for individuals. Living with chronic pelvic pain can often lead to feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and even depression. It’s important to recognize the impact pelvic pain can have on mental health. Here are a few ways mental health can affect pelvic …

View Post

Tight Lipped: You’re Not Alone; Patient-Led Communities

In Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by pelv_adminLeave a Comment

By Tight Lipped, guest blogger.   “My doctor in college told me that my partner simply ‘didn’t know what he was doing’, and that’s why it felt like his penis was hitting a wall inside me.” “When I saw a doctor for my vaginal pain, he told me to use a cucumber to stretch out my vagina.”  “So many doctors …

View Post

Iliopsoas Dysfunction: Anatomy, Symptoms and Treatments

In pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Uncategorized by Stephanie Prendergast and Elizabeth RummerLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles and Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT, Cofounder, PHRC Merrimack   Optimal pelvic health and biomechanics involves the iliopsoas muscle. When this muscle is not functioning properly pelvic, hip and and back pain can become a problem. The psoas muscle portion originates from T12/L1. It is a powerful hip flexor and it helps to …

View Post

The Right Way To Poop and Improve Bowel Movements

In Female Pelvic Pain, Male Pelvic Pain, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, DPT, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles   April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month, so we felt it was most appropriate to discuss bowel mechanisms and the ‘right way’ to poop.   According to a study by Shahid (et al in 2012), “constipation affects up to 28% of Americans.” More Americans suffer from constipation than die …

View Post

Obturator Internus: Anatomy, Dysfunction and Symptoms

In Female Pudendal Neuralgia, Male Pudendal Neuralgia, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Stephanie PrendergastLeave a Comment

By Stephanie A. Prendergast, DPT, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC Los Angeles The Obturator Internus (OI) muscle is an external rotator and an abductor of the hip. It is also a pelvic floor muscle, with half of the muscle belly sitting right next to our Levator Ani muscles. The muscle also forms part of Alcokc’s Canal, which houses the perineal branch of …

View Post

Success Story: Constipation and Urinary Retention Resolved

In Female Interstitial Cystitis / Painful Bladder Syndrome, Male Interstitial Cystitis / Nonbacterial Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome, Male Pelvic Pain, Pain, pelvic floor physical therapy, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Melinda Fontaine1 Comment

By: Melinda Fontaine, DPT, PHRC Walnut Creek   Darnell took a trip to Europe a few months ago with his spouse. They had planned a wonderful vacation, but what they didn’t plan for was Darnell not being able to urinate or have a bowel movement (BM) for nine days! He took magnesium citrate which helped him produce partial BMs. When …

View Post

March is Endometriosis Month; Current News and Updates

In Endometriosis, Female Pelvic Pain, Pain, Pelvic Health, Pelvic Pain by Jandra MuellerLeave a Comment

By Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS, PHRC Encinitas   March is the month where we get to talk about all things Endometriosis. Endometriosis (‘endo’) is an estrogen mediated, inflammatory disease characterized by endometrial-like tissue found outside of the uterus. Most commonly it is found in the abdominal and pelvic cavity, but can be found elsewhere in the body as well. Endo …