By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in America, and for good reason. It’s social, fun, accessible, and provides an excellent workout. But for many women, there is one frustrating side effect that often goes unspoken: Leaking urine during play. If you’ve ever leaked while sprinting for a...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS The Ironic Reality of Injury As a physical therapist, I help people move better, recover from injuries, and return to doing what they love. But despite my knowledge and training, I’ve dealt with a long history of injuries myself. It’s a humbling reminder: no one is immune to the...
What is the pelvic floor doing while I climb? Should I do kegels? Can I climb while pregnant? “In the end, climbing was one of the only things my body felt good doing for the entirety of my pregnancy, and I climbed throughout, enjoying my final pregnant climbing session just 12 hours before going into...
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the descent or tissue laxity of the front (bladder), back (rectum), or top (cervical) aspect of the vaginal wall. With less support from connective tissue and muscles of the pelvis, the bladder, uterus, or rectum can press on the vaginal wall contributing to increased pelvic pressure or bulge sensation. The...
By: Chelsey Vasquez, PT, DPT, PRPC When it comes to pelvic health, misinformation is everywhere. Whether it’s a social media post encouraging everyone to do Kegels or outdated advice to just “deal with” pelvic pain, these myths can prevent people from seeking the care they need. Pelvic floor dysfunction can affect people of all genders,...
Yes men, you do have a pelvic floor. In fact, aside from different genitalia, all genders have the same pelvic floor muscle and nerve make up. Even in the absence of delivering babies, the male pelvic floor and surrounding area can be susceptible to dysfunction. The following diagnoses/presentations/symptoms can all be indicative of a pelvic...
If you’ve just given birth and noticed vaginal bleeding or discharge that doesn’t quite look like a regular period, you’re likely experiencing lochia. It’s completely normal, and understanding what each stage looks like — and how your body responds to physical activity during recovery — is one of the most practical things you can know in the postpartum period.
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS If you’ve ever been told to “strengthen your core” but still struggle with abdominal pressure, bloating, pelvic heaviness, or urinary leakage, it’s possible that traditional core exercises are missing the mark. That’s because one of the most important muscles in your core is one you can’t see, but when...
The sacroiliac (SI) joint gets blamed for a lot of pain it probably isn’t causing. It’s not that clinicians are acting in bad faith. It’s that once you’re trained to look for something, confirmation bias makes it easy to keep finding it, even when the evidence says it’s uncommon. A Joint Built Not to Move...
By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT Myofascial pain can mean a lot of things, but in essence it is the painful condition that results from alterations in the muscle and fascial system of the body. Any area of the body can be affected, and it can manifest as muscle pain, referred pain, stiffness, and...
