Pelvic floor physical therapy exercises are all over the internet.  Every blogger, influencer, specialist, whoever can give you a list of 5-10 exercises.  They almost always include some version of a kegel, bridging, and clams.  But are those really the best?

Well . .  . likely not . .  and here it comes: But Karen, pelvic floor physical therapy takes time and money, and in a city like Houston, the traffic is the worst! I get it, believe me- I do.  But what if you are doing the generic exercises someone gave you and you are doing them wrong? Or worse, they aren’t going to help you, and even worse, make you worse?!  Hard cringe there. 

So what pelvic floor exercise can I do at home that are safe?!

Okay first, you need to at least get an initial assessment at the very least!  It is like a baking a cake.  You have a million ingredients ( exercises), but no recipe (guidance) to pick which ones are effective and will bake you that yummy moist cake. 

Your pelvic floor physical therapist will perform a detailed examination and explain to you what muscles need to be lengthened/ stretched and which ones need to be stronger.  Also, likely give you postural corrections along with a multitude of other things.

At Empower Yourself PT  pelvic floor physical therapy we always give a detailed written home program of exercises for you to do after each and every visit.  You always understand the plan, what we are doing and where we are going. 

For a variety of reasons, patients may not come weekly, that is okay- we educate you on how to progress yourself and work with you.  A lot of our people are expected to do their exercises at home because news flash they are important, see here how we maximize their value .  Then they come in for manual work that helps lengthen the muscles, restore balance, and educate your body on what is normal and healthy- we have found this pairing and hands on approach really optimizes patients’ recovery!

Some things we suggest for our patients:

1. Self release of pelvic trigger points- whether this is with your hands, a pelvic wand, or we teach your partner/ friend to help you!  For people with muscle tightness this can be life changing- we are literally teaching you how to fish, not just providing the fish!

2. Functional movement that strengthens- bridges and clams are great, but how exactly does that help you lift your child from the floor without your bladder falling out?  We will always ask you what are the tasks you need to be able to do and think to ourselves ‘how do this exercise help this person meet their goals?’

3. Exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles in written format, that is emailed, with pictures and videos- you cannot get it wrong, a dog or child won’t eat it.

In Home Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Houston

Finally, if for whatever reason you cannot get to our offices in Bellaire and Spring, we can do a home visit and come to you! How easy is that?! These appointments are also one hour, and provided in the comfort of your home, no need to provide anything, we bring the office to you!

Have questions?  Great, email us at info@empoweryourselfpt.com.