Pelvic Health

Chris McKnight, PT, specializes in pelvic health physical therapy. Our goal is to provide you with the most comfortable treatment environment possible to assist you in the care of your pelvic health concerns.

Why Pelvic Health Physical Therapy?

  • Urine leakage or frequency

    Leakage is very common after giving birth or as we age, but it is not normal. An assessment of your pelvic floor muscles (PFM) can help determine your current PFM strength and motor function to create the right exercise program to eliminate these symptoms.

  • Pelvic pain

    Pain with sex, tampon use, tight clothing can be due to overactive/tight pelvic floor muscles and a sensitized central nervous system. PT has tools and techniques to help these symptoms.

  • Constipation

    This can often be due to poor motor coordination of your pelvic floor and transverse abdominus muscle. PT can help figure out if musculoskeletal issues are playing a roll and design a plan.

  • Pregnancy

    Birth prep education, training, and exercises can get you ready for the big day. An evaluation 6 weeks after you give birth can assess for and provide treatment of; pelvic organ prolapse, diastasis recti, scar tissue, and underactive pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic heath physical therapists understand the specific needs a body has during this life phase.

  • Endometriosis

    PT cannot directly change the endometrial adhesions, but PT can help release tight PFM, provide appropriate exercise training, recommend diet and lifestyle changes, and teach you techniques to calm your nervous system. PT can also allow you to get the best results from any excision surgery you may undergo.

  • Painful Bladder/ Interstitial cystitis

    PT can help symptom management by addressing any myofascial restrictions or trigger points, teach down training exercise, and address the sensitized central nervous system.

  • Low back, hip, SI joint, coccyx pain and dysfunction

    These concerns often have PFM issues that need to be addressed to provide you with a comprehensive treatment approach.

  • Pelvic Organ Prolapse

    PT can assess for and develop a treatment plan for anterior wall, posterior wall, and apical prolapse. PT can help in teaching an exercise progression that takes into account optimal pressure management strategies as well as assess for pessaries as a potential treatment option.

  • Lots of questions! Your therapist wants to gain a thorough understanding of your pelvic health history and current condition. An internal pelvic floor muscle evaluation will be offered as part of the process to create a treatment plan based on your specific musculoskeletal needs. The internal exam is not mandatory as your comfort level and preferences will always be honored. The initial evaluation process takes 2 full length appointments to complete because in addition to addressing your pelvic floor muscles we will be addressing how this relates to your whole body. The internal exam can either be performed on the first or second evaluation visit. We can decide what is best for you at that first appointment.

  • ◦ We welcome female, male, transgender, and nonbinary clients.

    ◦ Pelvic Floor Anatomy and Function Education

    ◦ Pelvic Floor Muscle Up Training Exercise

    ◦ Pelvic Floor Muscle Down Training Exercise

    ◦ Surface Electromyography Biofeedback with Internal or External Sensors

    ◦ E- Stim for Strengthening Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles

    ◦ E-Stim for Treating Urinary Urgency & Frequency

    ◦ Bladder & Bowel Training and Behavioral Interventions

    ◦ Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Release, & Manual Therapy

    ◦ Visceral Mobilization

    ◦ Neural Mobilization

    ◦ Abdominal Massage

    ◦ Scar Mobilization

    ◦ Neuromuscular Reeducation

    ◦ Pain Neuroscience Education

    ◦ Physiological Quieting Techniques

    ◦ Home Exercise Program Instruction

Pelvic Health conditions we provide treatment for:

  • ◦ Stress Urinary Incontinence

  • ◦ Gender Affirming Care

  • ◦ Urge Urinary Incontinence

  • ◦ Mixed Urinary Incontinence

  • ◦ Overactive Bladder/Urinary Frequency

  • ◦ Bowel Leakage

  • ◦ Constipation

  • ◦ Dyssynergic Defecation

  • ◦ Pelvic and Perineal Pain

  • ◦ Pelvic and Abdominal Pain

  • ◦ Coccydynia

  • ◦ Vaginismus

  • ◦ Vulvodynia

  • ◦ Vestibulodynia

  • ◦ Dyspareunia (painful sex)

  • ◦ Endometriosis

  • ◦ Pudendal Neuralgia

  • ◦ Male Pelvic Pain

  • ◦ Diastasis Recti

  • ◦ Pregnancy/Post Pregnancy Pain

  • ◦ Interstitial Cystitis/ Painful Bladder Syndrome

  • ◦ Pelvic Floor Muscle Spasms and Trigger Points

  • ◦ Pelvic Organ Prolapse (Apical/Vaginal Vault/Cystocele/Rectocele)

  • * Post-Prostatectomy Rehab