Physical therapists are medical providers that specialize in how bodies move, function, and complete physical tasks. We use conservative measures (like manual therapy and therapeutic exercise) instead of invasive procedures or pharmaceuticals.

Pelvic floor PT is a specialty in physical therapy. The pelvic anatomy is extremely complex, and it requires specialty training in order to accurately assess and treat pelvic floor dysfunction. Pelvic floor specialist are trained to understand the inner workings of your pelvic organ systems (bowel, bladder, sexual function), the intricate web of nerves that live in the pelvis, the complex muscular system, hormonal and emotional influences, and the way this anatomy interacts with the rest of your body. Not to mention: some specific life events can effect this anatomy, like pregnancy and birth, surgical procedures, injuries, and menopause. Any dysfunction within this anatomy can cause symptoms that are complex and require an experienced professional to help you unravel and fix them!

Pelvic floor therapy, however, does not only focus on the internal pelvic anatomy (it shouldn’t!) An experienced pelvic PT considers how pelvic anatomy works with your entire body… even your feet! If you book with Sam, you’ll see this throughout your visits, as we are constantly assessing and treating your entire body.

Pelvic floor therapists treat all sorts of conditions related to pelvic health. Including: painful sex, urinary leakage, pelvic organ prolapse, pregnancy and postpartum related symptoms, tailbone pain, SIJ pain, constipation, bowel incontinence, chronic hip and back pain, and even more! Learn more about pelvic floor dysfunction here.

If you are not sure, you aren’t alone! Pelvic floor conditions can be quite tricky and mask themselves in strange symptoms. Here is a link to the Cozean Pelvic Dysfunction Screening Protocol, which is a small quiz that can help you identify whether you are a good candidate for pelvic therapy.

Click here to learn all about the pelvic floor conditions we treat and whether you might need a specialist’s perspective. If you have one or more of the conditions listed there, you would likely benefit from pelvic PT.

Sam also specializes in treating pregnant and postpartum patients. But… having been pregnant/given birth isn’t a requirement for pelvic floor PT (everyone has a pelvic floor and can have pelvic floor issues).

It’s important that providers are transparent with the type of training they have, especially when they call themselves a specialist. In order to be a “pelvic floor PT,” to start: you must be a licensed physical therapist and you need to take a series of specialized training classes (4 in total). Pelvic PTs can either take the classes through a company called Herman & Wallace or through the APTA. Both are broadly recognized and have respect and rapport in the pelvic health world. These courses teach PTs how to assess, treat, and manage the intricacies of pelvic floor conditions. Your pelvic floor PT should be experienced in assessing your pelvic floor vaginally, rectally, and externally with confidence.

Yes! She has all qualifications of a pelvic floor therapist, as well as 8+ years of clinical pelvic floor experience, pelvic health mentorship, and even specialized in pelvic health while in PT school at the University of Utah. She took all of her coursework through Herman & Wallace from 2019-2021. Sam also has further training in sexual health, perinatal wellness, complex bowel dysfunction, and trauma informed care. She is confident in helping your through any condition (she’s really seen it all!) and is well-connected in the community, should you need care outside of PT.

Assessing the pelvic floor is often essential to unlocking why you are having symptoms. The pelvic floor lives inside of your body, therefore an “internal assessment” (as we call it) is usually the best way to do so.

However, it is the number one priority that each patient feels comfortable and safe in our care.

We would never force or try to convince anyone to undergo internal assessments if you aren’t comfortable with it. Before any internal assessment or treatment, we review the goal as well as communicate what we are doing during the assessment/treatment. As our patient, you have all the control of the session, so if you wanted to cut the internal treatment short, you can do so! If you’re not up for it that day, we will focus on other non-internal care.

In short, we are here to help you and we work as a team. Intra-vagina/rectal treatment is often vital when unraveling pelvic floor conditions, but are sure to educate you before, during, and after and never perform or push it when a patient is not comfortable with it.

It depends on your symptoms and your body… the pelvic floor is both shallow (just beneath your skin) and extends deep (about 3 inches internally). It also spans from your pubic bone to your tailbone, so we often utilize vaginal and rectal assessments. For example: if you are having painful intercourse or bladder/hip conditions, an intravaginal assessment is usually warranted. If you are having bowel conditions, tailbone, or anal pain an intra-rectal assessment can be helpful. Sometimes, both are beneficial to your care!

For more detailed info on the internal assessment (like, a step by step run-down on how Sam performs them) check out this blog post!
*We do not use stirrups or speculums like a OB/GYN would. You are always draped and never openly exposed.

No, and here is a blog post all about why we don’t (it’s a very intentional choice not to).

We are a flat-rate, cash based practice: $140/hr with some variation on price for home visits. We take HSA and FSA accounts but are not contracted with insurance companies and therefore cannot bill our sessions with them. We can provide you an itemized receipt that you can submit to your insurance in attempt to get reimbursed (this is called a “superbill” and reimbursement largely depends on your insurance plan).

When it comes to treating pelvic floor dysfunction, things can get complicated and more expensive than patients realize. It’s important for patients to understand exactly what their insurance covers when it comes to physical therapy treating pelvic floor conditions. It’s unfortunately not uncommon for patients to end up with hefty bills that they weren’t expecting (like, $350 per visit). With a private-pay model, we have the flexibility to treat your symptoms in the best way possible without the binds that insurance often puts on physical therapists.

The simple answer is, whenever you want to! In pregnancy, the body is constantly changing and physical therapy is appropriate throughout pregnancy. Some people prefer to wait until after the first trimester, but pelvic therapy can still be valuable in early pregnancy. Pelvic floor therapists can help someone proactively during pregnancy, like provide exercise/movement advice, pelvic floor and core education, birth preparation, and postpartum planning. We can also treat any sort of ache, pain, or any of the other frustrating symptoms that tend to occur in pregnancy.

People also find it helpful to establish care during pregnancy, so that having a plan for postpartum feels easier and more supported.

Although aches and pains are very common in pregnancy, they can and should be treated! (Especially if they are limiting your function and keeping you from moving how you want). Common symptoms that pelvic floor therapy can treat are: urinary leakage, pubic pain, SIJ pain, tailbone pain, hip pain, back pain, vaginal or rectal pain, constipation, pain with sex, round ligament pain, and rib pain. Symptoms like these, should not be chalked up to “being pregnant” (even if your provider has told you this). and we frequently fix them before the end of pregnancy! Learn more about pelvic therapy during pregnancy here.

Yessssss! Pregnancy and childbirth, while commonplace and physiologically normal, change your body immensely. Investing in recovery (even just a couple visits) can benefit your immediate recovery and improve your life years down the road. Learn more about postpartum recovery here.

Absolutely! We just ask that if your child needs entertainment, bring it with you, though we do have a small selection of toys for little ones. For safety reasons, any children must stay in the treatment room with us. It might be helpful to know, that the treatment room is fairly small, so typically babies still in the “immobile stage” are usually easier than crawlers, walkers, and older!

The point of a home visit is to provide extremely accessible care. We bring our treatment table, linens, bolsters, and any tool we would use in clinic. Sam will arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment time for set up and take 15 minutes after to pack up (so plan for a bit longer than an hour when scheduling a home visit). Beyond that, we can do any assessment or treatment that you would get in clinic. We just ask that you have a cleared, safe space to work. Home visits are great for anyone who wants them, but especially for brand new moms who want support without leaving their babe or the comfort of home!

We do not. However, pelvic floor dysfunction runs rampant amongst men (and they are often misdiagnosed and mismanaged). If you are a male struggling with pelvic health issues, please reach out to us via email or our contact form. We are happy to give you a list of referrals in the area who can help!

We do not, as this requires even more specialized training that Sam does not have. However, there are pediatric pelvic specialists in our community. If you are searching for a pediatric pelvic health PT for your child, contact us and we’ll send you some referrals!