If you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, never in my life would I have said a pelvic rehab therapist; in fact, I had never heard of such a thing until my last year of PT school. I was convinced I would work for the Seattle Seahawks (and then marry one, of course…a girl can dream!), but one women’s health elective and a single weekend class later, I dedicated my heart to the pelvic health specialty and never looked back.
Physical Therapists are amazing in general— we see our patients more often than any other medical profession, provide long-lasting treatment plans rather than a quick fix, and overall use the body to treat the body, which tends to be more effective than most other options out there. These reasons are why I became a PT in the first place and continue to love what I do every day.
As a pelvic rehab therapist, I know how to treat the shoulders, neck, knees, and back just like any ol’ PT, but the pelvic floor (the sling of muscles that sit in the bottom of the pelvis) and its surrounding structures of the hips, abdomen, and diaphragm, are my bread and butter and where I focus my care.
A urologist specializes in the urinary system, a gynecologist in the reproductive system, and a gastroenterologist in the excretory system. But my job is to take all of the above into account and their relationship with the musculoskeletal system (PS- that relationship is strooooong), to treat bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction, pain, and weakness together.
If you have a pelvic floor…FYI- you do!… then trust me when I say you want a pelvic rehab therapist in your corner. It might be hard to find one in your area and their wait list miiiiiiiight be kinda long, but having a local specialist that you can go to as needed, or someone online that you trust and whose content you can confidently consume is HUGE for improving and maintaining your pelvic health.
The medical community is just beginning to accept the importance of the pelvic floor; therefore, you won’t see a lot of doctors, billboards, or infomercials singing our praises…yet. But when you do find a pelvic rehab therapist that you like and trust— hold onto them, because you’re going to get care like you’ve never received before.
It’s my impossible dream (but a dream nonetheless) that every woman has access to a pelvic health specialist and the time, energy, and means to utilize this resource. My wish to reach more people, even if only through their computer screen, is why I created this blog, my online courses, and the Make + Manifest Facebook group and what keeps me hitting “publish” every week with my free time outside of the clinic.
This post is what I wish I could tell every patient that walks through my office doors and every woman who questions if pelvic rehab is right for her. I can almost guarantee this is a medical experience like you’ve never had before (in more ways than one), and I strive for it to be your best.
To the person who has frustrating, embarrassing, how-did-this-happen-to-me pelvic health concerns, but all feels hopeless and you’re ready to just accept this as normal:
It’s likely that I’m your last resort— I expect this before I even meet you. I realize that you’ve tried everything else with no results or nothing else because you don’t know where to start and are desperate for answers. So don’t mind me if I smile as you tell your story…I just get a bit excited when I have the solution to your problems and get to share that addressing your pain, leakage, constipation, or [insert pelvic health issue here] is easier than you might think.
I need to tell you right from the beginning that I won’t fix you. There’s no magic machine or fancy device that I use to get you results, in fact if you look around my office, I only have a handful of tools (my hands being two of them, as well as gloves and lube in my drawer). I help you through teaching you what’s normal, educating you in exercises, habits, and lifestyle changes to yield results, and instilling the knowledge and awareness you need to do the rest.
Consider me an investigator; the person who listens to your story in a way no one else has before. I keep my ear open for clues, pieces of information you don’t even realize are important, and make sense of it all through my physical therapist’s brain. “No such thing as TMI” is my motto and I’ll remind you of it again and again, because you have no idea what little detail will help me help you. It’s my job to ask the right questions (to over-ask if I’m being honest), to dig deeper, to bring up the uncomfortable, and urge you to tell me more.
Once I know your story, it’s my job to make you comfortable and assure you you’re in the right place. I tend to share my story too— the endometriosis that threatened my fertility, the fertility journey that led me to my daughter, my daughter that gave me a third degree tear, hemorrhoids, pain with intercourse, and leakage after a home birth, and my own experience with pelvic rehab that eliminated my issues and gave me 4582938423980% more appreciation for what my patients go through.
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I know that seeing someone like me for something like this can be awkward and scary, but I hope your walls are starting to come down. And as they do, I listen even harder…this time not as the detective, but as the friend. I read between the lines, catch the cry for help, and often times offer you a tissue for your tears [which is ok, by the way]. You don’t know it, but sometimes I cry when you leave too— because I can feel your desperation in my heart, soul, and bones.
Remember, I’ve been there too.
And sometimes it’s a heavy weight to know that helping you is my responsibility.
As we work together more and get to know each other better, I hope it doesn’t bother you when I speak my mind. Allow me to validate you when you downplay your symptoms. Permit me speak up for you. Let me be your researcher, your guide, your recommender of resources, and your advocate. And if you’re up for it, nothing would make me happier than teaching you how to do these things for yourself too.
Now don’t be surprised when it’s not all butterflies and rainbows— as I mentioned before, we’ll be seeing each other a lot and disagreements are bound to arise. I’ll call you out when you’re not making your health a priority. I’ll push you to do better, point out your weaknesses, and always tell you the truth. Trust me when I say this is done out of care, because doing anything else won’t help anyone.
And if you can accept that bit of tough love, know that there will be far more words of encouragement, celebration-worthy wins, endless possibility, and pushing you forward on the other side. We create, foster, and achieve those successes together…but let me remind you that you’re the one who earned them.
My friend, I could go on and on about how happy I am that you’re here and fill your cup with validation, praise, and excitement since you were brave enough, aware enough, and smart enough to commit to your health. Excuse me while I continually pump you up and please never stop me from doing so.
To close, what I want you to know is this— I’m here for you. You may have been dismissed before, convinced this is normal, or told yourself that no one will ever understand. But I do. I believe in you. I see how far you’ve come, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Please continue to be proactive and ridiculously adamant about advocating for your health.
You aren’t here for nothing, now live in the health you’re creating.
-Amanda
Disclaimer: The content provided here does not constitute medical advice, nor is it a substitute for personalized healthcare. If you have concerns about a medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment, you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional.
