Alexis Dispenziere, PT, DPT Alexis is a therapist at our Society Hill clinic location. Read her full profile here: FEATURED PT
How Can A Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist Help? At your initial evaluation, a pelvic floor physical therapist will first discuss your concern and answer any questions in order to try to find out your goals for physical therapy treatment. Patients often have a lot of questions about their bladder, bowel and sexual health. Following the initial discussion, we will perform a physical evaluation, which includes watching you walk, squat, bend over, and breathe – all to observe for any muscle imbalances, mobility deficits, or postural dysfunction. In addition, we may also assess your hip and core strength. Then, we will evaluate the strength, endurance, flexibility, and motor control of the pelvic floor muscles. This will typically involve internal palpation of these muscles via the vaginal or rectal canals. We will then develop a treatment program together to help you achieve your goals. The Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists at Excel Physical Therapy pride ourselves on being open minded, conscientious and calm. We understand the sensitive nature of the pelvic region and will never do anything which makes a patient feel uncomfortable. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy is performed in a private area to be respectful and sensitive to a patient’s needs. We do our best to educate you on what is happening, what we’ll be doing, and what to expect in your plan of care. Our mission is to to help you achieve your recovery goals! Common Diagnoses: *Not a complete list of ALL diagnoses seen by a pelvic floor PT! • Pelvic Pain
1. How did you decide to become a physical therapist and what motivates you to work with patients? In the outpatient clinic setting, I love teaching someone ways to find autonomy over their body and creating customized exercises to improve their motor patterns. I supplement my pelvic floor focus with restoring postural stability and coordination.These techniques cross over with non-pelvic rehab patients, helping prevent injury and improve movement efficiency. The joy my patients express when they come in/leave feeling better is priceless. We also have fun dancing and laughing in the clinic’s back corner. 2. In your words, what makes Excel PhysicalTherapy different from other physical therapy clinics? Excel allows each therapist to treat from their own perspective, supporting new ideas and collaboration.The emphasis on educational growth to benefit the patient is not seen in many PT firms. It is one of the few companies that truly pushes best practices. 3. What was your most memorable patient experience? Prior to accepting pelvic rehab patients, I was treating someone for low back pain. I incorporated breathing techniques and coordination training with pelvic floor recruitment. After two weeks of treatment, this patient expressed that her incontinence had improved after struggling with symptoms for over 5 years! This experience felt like a sign that it was the right move to pursue my therapeutic interest in the pelvis. 4. If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? I would be an owl. They are unassuming but see everything. Flying is a definite perk. 5. If you could describe yourself in one word what would it be and why? My patients have dubbed me the “enthusiastic torturer.” I stand by that. I will present exercises that are complex and seemingly impossible, yet my patients will successfully perform the task as I smile and root them on from the floor right next to them (most of the time squeezing my own butt and abs for moral support). 6. What do you like to do in your off time, outside the clinic? I will be found at the yoga studio or the latest brewery in the city on any given weekend. Vacations usually consist of hiking/camping or exploring another city’s culture. I will always accept suggestions for hiking trails or restaurants (local too!)
• Vulvodynia, Vestibulodynia • Vaginismus, Dyspareunia • Pelvic Organ Prolapse
• Pudendal Neuralgia • Overactive Bladder • Urinary Frequency • Nocturia (urine frequency at night) • Urine or Fecal Incontinence • Interstitial Cystitis • Constipation • Incomplete Evacuation
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (including Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis) • Post-Surgical (abdominal surgeries, prostatectomy, hysterectomy, gender affirmation surgery) If you are experiencing any of the above mentioned conditions, or if you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us and we will connect you with a pelvic floor physical therapist in your area who can provide further assistance! Sources: HerschornS.FemalePelvicFloorAnatomy:ThePelvicFloor,SupportingStructures,andPelvicOrgans.RevUrol.2004;6(5): S2-S10. HungHC,etal.Analternative intervention forurinary incontinence:Retratiningdiaphragmatic,deepabdominalandpelvicfloor muscle coordinated function.ManTher.2010;15:273-279. PhilipPA.PelvicPainandDysfunction:aDifferentialDiagnosisManual. Stuttgart:Thieme;2016. Podschun,L.etal.DifferentialDiagnosisofDeepGlutealPain inaFemaleRunnerwithPelvic Involvement: IntJ SportsPhysTher.ACaseReport.2013;8(4):462-471. PratherH,etal.MusculoskeletalEtiologiesofPelvicPain.Obst&GynecolClinicsof NorthAmer.2014;41(3):433-442. PratherH,etal.RecognizingandTreatingPelvicPainandPelvicFloorDysfunction.PhysMedRehabil ClinNAm.2007;18:477-496.Tu,FF.etal.Physicaltherapyevaluationofpatientswithchronicpelvicpain:acontrolledstudy.GenGynecol. 2008;198:272.e1–272.e7 Vandyken,C.etal.ThePuzzleofPelvicPain:ARehabilitationFrameworkforBalancingTissueDysfunctionand CentralSensitizationII:AReviewofTreatmentConsiderations.ClinicalCommentary–APTASectiononWomen’sHealth.2012;36(1):44-54.
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