Women's Health Physical Therapy
What To Expect on Your First Visit: Your first visit will consist of a consultation and evaluation. For the first part of the hour you will sit and chat with the therapist regarding your symptoms and past medical history. The evaluation may consist of a minimally invasive internal pelvic exam looking at your muscle tone, strength, endurance and nerve response. There are no stirrups or speculum and the exam is generally less than 5 minutes. After the exam you will be given a treatment program that is specific to you, based on the exam findings. At any time, you can ask questions or express concerns.
About Your Therapist: Katie Modafferi, PT, DPT has her doctorate in physical therapy and has experience in treating women’s health issues since 2008. She specializes in pelvic floor rehabilitation and pregnancy and post-partum related musculoskeletal pain issues and has taken many extensive courses in this specific area.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. How long do sessions take?
A. The first session (the evaluation) is about 60 minutes and follow-up visits will be between 30-60 minutes, depending on your specific issue. You will be told what to expect on your first visit.
Q. Will I be in the gym working out or talking about my symptoms, like normal physical therapy?
A. No, all evaluations and treatments take place in a private room, behind a solid door.
Q. How long does it take to get better?
A. Every patient is different, of course, but most patients with bladder dysfunction get better in 4-8 weeks with once a week visits. Pelvic pain patients usually need 6-12 weeks of 1-2 visits per week. Again, it completely depends on the specific problem, exam findings and patient participation.
Q. Will I have to take my clothes off?
A. For the evaluation and most treatments you will need to remove your pants and underwear only. You will leave your top on. Many women find it comfortable to wear a dress or skirt and just pull it up; that is perfectly fine. Whatever you decide to wear, you will always be given a sheet to cover up with.
Q. Can I come to my evaluation or treatments if I am on my period?
A. Yes. It does not affect the treatment in any way.
Q. I have urinary incontinence, what if I have to go to the bathroom during the exam or treatment?
A. There is a restroom nearby and patients are always asked prior to examination or treatment if they need to use the restroom. If the need arises, we can always stop at any time for a bathroom break.
Q. What will I be doing in therapy?
A. Treatments for urinary dysfunction consist mainly of pelvic floor muscle training using biofeedback technology as well as some core training and education. Treatments for pelvic pain consist mainly of pelvic floor muscle training, core training, manual therapy and/or soft tissue mobilization.
Q. What is biofeedback?
A. A non-invasive procedure that measures the activity of your muscles. An external sensor will be placed over your pelvic floor muscles (outside the body) and attached via a wire to a computer. You and the therapist will be able to watch on the computer and see your muscle activity every time you squeeze or relax your muscles. This is not only a measurement tool for the therapist but a learning tool for you.
Q. I am pregnant, is this safe?
A. Yes. No internal exam will be completed if you are currently pregnant (please be sure to tell the therapist if you are pregnant). Biofeedback is 100% safe during pregnancy and treatments will be modified to accommodate your pregnancy.
Q. Will I need to exercise at home?
A. Yes, you will be given a core exercise program as well as a pelvic floor training program. These exercises are not strenuous and should not take more than 10 minutes total, 3 times per day. Most exercises can be done anywhere, and can be fit into even the busiest schedule.
Q. How is pelvic floor training different from doing Kegels at home?
A. Pelvic floor training is similar to doing Kegels. The motion is the same but there is a specific hold time, rest time and repetition number, for each person and each condition that will lead to optimal results. Also, many people do Kegels incorrectly and pelvic floor training ensures that you are doing them right and achieving max benefit. By learning the correct form and training program you will recover much faster then only doing Kegels at home.
Q. What if my issue is embarrassing and hard to talk about?
A. Your therapist is a professional and has only your 100% recovery in mind. While it is sometimes challenging to talk about your symptoms, it is very important to tell her everything that you are experiencing so she can help you as best as she can. Keep in mind that she is another female and has seen, heard or experienced most of the issues that come through her office.
Q. What if I have a question that wasn’t on here?
A. Feel free to email Katie with any other questions or concerns you have at [email protected]
