Bladder health

Bladder problems are so common, and they can have a huge impact on quality of life. The pelvic floor provides support for the bladder and closure of the urethra. The pelvic floor also needs to relax when the bladder is emptying. A pelvic PT can assess the way the core and pelvic floor respond to daily activities, whether it is overactive or underactive, and find solutions for improved bladder control.

We help women with the following symptoms: leakage (stress and/or urge incontinence), pain with bladder filling, pain with urination, a strong urge to urinate (urgency), urinating too often (frequency), bladder prolapse (cystocele), difficulty emptying the bladder, or difficulty starting the stream.

Bowel Health

The pelvic floor provides closure at the anorectal area to prevent passage of gas and stool, and it also needs to be able lengthen and relax to allow for passage of gas and stool. We help patients with the following symptoms and conditions: bowel leakage (fecal smearing or fecal incontinence), fecal urgency, constipation (outlet dysfunction), pain with defecation, anal fissures, dyssynergic defecation (incoordination), incomplete bowel emptying, rectocele, rectal prolapse, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and post-surgical conditions.

Orthopedics

Musculoskeletal pain that keeps coming back may need a more integrated treatment approach. The “core” area of the body - from chest to mid-thigh - can be part of that puzzle and will be included in examination of the whole body. Weakness / tightness after an old injury or surgery may restrict mobility in joints and/or surrounding fascia/muscles/nerves. This can lead to changes or patterns in the way you walk and move. Even poor postural habits or something like jaw clenching can contribute to problems further away in the body. People experiencing too much mobility in some joints often have recurrent pain and need to do specific corrective activities versus traditional stretching/strengthening exercises.

We help people experiencing the following symptoms: back pain, hip pain, groin pain, sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain, knee pain, foot/ankle pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, pubic bone pain, sciatica, piriformis syndrome, general hypermobility, and chronic pain.

We understand how pelvic pain can limit normal life. Athens Pelvic PT is a safe place for healing and restoring function. We help women who are experiencing pain in their abdomen, hips, back, buttocks, tailbone, genitals, groin, vagina, vulva, rectum, pelvis, and pelvic floor. Some of the painful conditions we treat include: vaginismus, dyspareunia (painful or difficult sex), vulvodynia, pudendal neuralgia, endometriosis, proctalgia fugax, coccydynia, chronic pelvic pain, and interstitial cystitis / bladder pain syndrome.

Pregnancy / birth preparation

Pregnancy is like a marathon for the body - it brings new demands on muscles, softening of ligaments, and postural changes. We help patients who are experiencing joint and/or muscle pain. As women prepare for birth, we can assess breathing patterns, abdominals, and the pelvic floor. Individual plans of care can include healthy movement, breathing activities, and recommendations for support garments or belts as needed. We also discuss the postpartum recovery period.

Some of the conditions / symptoms we treat during pregnancy include: back pain, sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain, pubis symphysis pain (SPD), bladder leakage or urgency, pelvic organ prolapse (POP), perineal pain, tailbone pain, sciatica, painful sex, bowel leakage or urgency, and constipation.

Postpartum

Pregnancy and birth affect the whole body, especially the core, including the abdominals and pelvic floor. Postpartum can mean just days following birth, or it can be decades after your delivery. We encourage all postpartum women to schedule a visit. For new moms, knowledge about their own body empowers them to make wise choices during the postpartum recovery period.

We help postpartum women with the following symptoms or conditions: diastasis recti abdominis (DRA), pelvic organ prolapse (POP), bladder or bowel leakage, core weakness, Cesarean scar pain or restrictions, perineal pain or scar restrictions, pelvic pain, low back pain, sciatica, pubis symphysis pain (SPD), sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain, hip pain, constipation, rectal pain, anal sphincter injuries, and painful sex / changes in sexual function.

Pre- & Post-Surgical

Pelvic physical therapy can help patients prepare for upcoming abdominal or pelvic surgery by optimizing muscle function, coordination, and range of motion in a safe way. Learning correct techniques for lifting as well as correct defecation/elimination mechanics can help with complications following surgery. We can also help with post-operative care as healing occurs, including scar and fascial restrictions, appropriate mobility exercises, and pelvic floor / core retraining.

We treat women before / after the following surgeries: hysterectomy, bladder sling, pelvic reconstruction, prolapse repair, fistula repair, hernia repair, Cesarean births, endometriosis ablation/excision, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), bowel resection, hemorrhoidectomy, and anal sphincter repair.

Prolapse

Prolapse is a loss of muscular and/or fascial support for the pelvic organs. Laxity in some of the soft tissues can lead to symptoms of pressure or heaviness in the vagina, or even seeing bulging tissue in the vagina or rectum. Women experiencing pelvic organ prolapse may also have a backache, lower abdominal pain, and difficulty emptying their bladder or bowels. We treat the following conditions: pelvic organ prolapse (POP) including anterior prolapse (cystocele or urethrocele), posterior prolapse (rectocele or enterocele), and apical prolapse (uterine or vaginal vault prolapse), rectal prolapse, as well as diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) and general hypermobility.