pelvic floor physical therapy.

Comprehensive Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for Women and Men

Professional Physical Therapy offers comprehensive Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for women and men with a variety of conditions to improve their quality of life and promote overall wellness. Treatment is provided by our trained physical therapist in a comfortable, private setting.

Pelvic floor therapy allows therapists to assess any issues a patient may be having with the pelvic floor.

Trainer showing floor stretch for pelvic floor physical therapy.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor refers to the muscles that support your reproductive and urinary tract, including your bladder, uterus (or prostate), and rectum, also wrapping around the urethra, vagina (in females), and rectum. These muscles attach to your pelvis and to your tailbone and sacrum. In addition to providing support, they also help you control bladder and bowel function.

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a treatment that addresses pain, weakness, and dysfunction in the pelvic floor muscles. The type of therapy indicated will depend upon the symptoms you’re experiencing. For example, some symptoms will require strengthening the muscles while others may require releasing and lengthening of the muscles.

Conditions Treated Include

  • Men’s and women’s health
  • Pre-natal/post-partum: back pain/Diastasis recti/episiotomy/c-section
  • Urinary incontinence/Pelvic floor weakness
  • Fecal incontinence/urgency/frequency
  • Urinary urgency/frequency//bladder pain/dysfunction
  • Chronic Pelvic pain
  • Vaginismus
  • Dyspareunia
  • Interstitial cystitis
  • Pre and post prostatectomy/prostatitis/prostatodynia
  • Endometriosis
  • Pelvic organ prolapse/ repair
  • Bowel disorders/ constipation
  • Coccydynia
  • Pubic symphysis dysfunction
  • Pregnancy Related Orthopedic Conditions
  • Pre- and Post-Partum Rehabilitation

pelvic pain conditions treated.

Pelvic floor pain
Endometriosis
Vaginismus: Involuntary tightness of the pelvic floor muscles
Dyspareunia: Painful sexual intercourse
Interstitial Cystitis: Chronic painful bladder
Vulvodynia: Vulvar pain

What to expect during your appointment

Your first appointment will consist of an initial evaluation. At the initial evaluation the therapist obtains a thorough history including bladder and bowel health. The physical therapy exam includes assessment of the strength and length of external muscles in the trunk, low back and hips. During the pelvic floor exam, the therapist will perform both external and internal muscle palpation, skin inspection strength and endurance of the pelvic floor muscles. This includes coordination, strength/endurance.

Your therapist will provide education on the condition and treatment plan, possible home exercises, education on behavioral changes, posture, diet, and other appropriate topics. After the initial evaluation, patients can expect appointments 1-2x a week for 8-12 weeks.

To find out more information on at-home physical therapy, reach out to your local clinic for more information by completing the following form.

Pelvic floor pt patient.

Treatments include

Manual therapy

Including trigger point release, soft tissue mobilization, and scar massage.

Relaxation techniques

Therapeutic exercise

Including stretching and strengthening exercises

Bladder retraining

Biofeedback

Electrical stimulation

Education

Locations offering Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

About our specialist

Abby De Angelis Women’s Pelvic Floor Specialist.

Treating at our Morristown, NJ location

Abby De Angelis PT, DPT

Women’s Pelvic Floor Specialist
Advanced Hip Clinician

After earning my Doctorate of Physical Therapy from New York University, I earned my Bachelor of Science from James Madison University. I am a seasoned physical therapist, whose long career has given me extensive clinical experience in outpatient sports and orthopedic physical therapy. I am also an Advanced Hip Clinician through the Hospital for Special Surgery.

I completed the Herman and Wallace Pelvic floor course to broaden my treatment capability. With a special interest in Women’s Health, I have the knowledge, skillset, and opportunity to help even more women.

I greatly enjoy working with professional and competitive athletes, as well as the elderly and youth. I focus on injury rehabilitation, helping my patients return to exercise, sport, and life. I specialize in the treatment of the lower extremities and a variety of post-surgical conditions. As a former collegiate athlete, I was an NCAA Division I soccer player, team captain, and a scholar athlete during my time at JMU.

I have been a medical volunteer at the NYC Marathon since 2005 and am an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association. I continue to contribute to the education of future physical therapists as a clinical instructor for third year PT students. I possess an expertise in soccer, skiing, spinning, and running.

Understanding pelvic health physical therapy:

Definitions of conditions treated

chronic-pelvic-pain-syndrome1

Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

A condition in which the muscles of the pelvic floor do not contract or relax properly. It may include muscle spasm, weakness, or muscle incoordination.

Pelvic Congestion

A chronic medical condition in women caused by varicose veins in the lower abdomen. The condition causes chronic pain, often manifesting as a constant dull ache, which can be aggravated by standing.

Scar Tissue Restrictions/Adhesions (Abdominal, Pelvic)

Scar tissue is a common contributing factor to pelvic pain. The good news is it’s an issue that’s highly treatable.

Fascial restrictions

Fascial restrictions are areas of tension and tightness in the body’s fascia. Abnormal adherence of connective tissue to itself or to other tissues which impedes normal, fluid movement of tissues across each other. The Fascia is naturally very flexible, but certain fascia in the body can become tight and rigid with injury or stress. These restrictions and tightness in fascial and connective tissues can restrict the body’s movement, flexibility, and function. They may cause muscular shortness and tightness, which can cause pain by putting tension on muscles and/or joints. This can sometimes carry over and cause restrictions to blood flow, organ function, and nerves.

womens-health-pelvic-floor1

Myofascial trigger points

Myofascial pain often results from muscle injury or repetitive strain. When stressed or injured, muscles often form trigger points, like contracted knots, that cause pain and tightness.

Levator ani syndrome

This is a painful condition in the anorectal region. It typically causes a dull vague ache in the perineum and anus.

Coccygodynia

Pain in and around the region of the coccyx (tailbone); the coccygeal region is usually markedly tender. This condition can be one of the many causes of pelvic muscle spasm and dysfunction.

Sacro-iliac joint dysfunction

Dysfunction in the sacroiliac joint, or SI joint, is thought to cause low back and/or leg pain.