What to Expect for your Pelvic Health PT Evaluation

A Pelvic Health Evaluation at Roots is Comprehensive. Our pelvic health specialists will talk with you about your history, about your condition and any factors that may be contributing to your condition. We’ll discuss your nutrition, hydration and diet, activities and exercise, bladder and bowel health and sexual health. We’ll talk about your goals and what you want to accomplish both now and in the future. We’ll offer you water, tea and probably chocolate, too. Then we’ll take you through an assessment of the following:

1. posture: how your body stabilizes itself in space
2. movement mechanics: how you sit, stand, squat, lift, carry, get in and out of bed, carry your kids, etc
3. strength: how much force you generate in key muscle groups such as your hips and abdominals
4. balance: maintaining equilibrium while standing on one foot, with eyes closed, and on unsteady surfaces
5. joint mobility + muscular flexibility
6. core, abdominal + lumbar stability: can you maintain a stable core when lifting and moving
7. internal pelvic floor muscular assessment**
8. education regarding whats going on and why
9. plan of care: how are we going to address this
10. exercises and activities that you can be focusing on between visits

***The internal pelvic floor assessment is performed by a physical therapist specialty trained in the area of pelvic health. We describe everything we’re doing to be sure you have a thorough understanding. As always, we ask for your consent and permission throughout your evaluation.

• we look to see how your pelvic floor is functioning and if there are any areas of concern that may be contributing to your condition
• we palpate the three layers of muscle that make up your pelvic floor along with soft tissue structures, both externally and internally
• we assess for muscle length, tissue tone and any areas of tension or tenderness, pelvic floor strength, and your ability to turn on and use these muscles when needed
• we ask you to do things like contract your pelvic floor, relax your pelvic floor, and bear down or lengthen your pelvic floor
• we take a look at what happens when you breathe, laugh, cough or sneeze
• we use manual therapy techniques to address what we find– we help mobilize scar tissue, relax trigger points and tension in your pelvic floor muscles, gently stretch tight issues, and use tactile feedback to help you turn on these muscles
• we teach you how to restore your pelvic floor mobility, strength and function to optimize your bladder health, bowel health, sexual health, and life the pain free lifestyle of your choosing

Pelvic Health Program at Roots combines experience + expertise in orthopedics + pelvic floor physical therapy for a truly holistic approach to healing. If you have questions or would like to schedule a pelvic health evaluation at Roots, reach out today!