What to Expect From a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Session
It’s completely normal to have a lot of questions before working with one of our Houston pelvic floor physical therapists. A lot of patients want to know things like, “What exactly are you going to do to me?! Will it hurt? Do I have to undress?” If you have these questions, then keep reading to learn more about what to expect at your first (and subsequent) pelvic floor PT appointments.
Pelvic floor physical therapy? What the heck is that anyway?!
Getting Started With Pelvic Floor PT
Your appointment will typically take place in our Houston pelvic floor PT office at your convenience. The benefit of concierge pelvic floor physical therapy is comfort and convenience. For those that live in town, we do offer in-home pelvic floor PT visits. The goal is to meet your needs! Here’s what to expect at your first appointment:
1
Explore your medical history
During our first visit together, we will start by getting a very detailed history, from the beginning. From the beginning can be 1 month ago, but can also mean when you were going through puberty- that is unique to every person.
2
Discuss your goals for pelvic floor PT
From there, we will talk about goals- what do YOU want to achieve? Not what we think you should achieve. We’ll explore where you are now compared to the goals you want to achieve and start to make a plan to help you get there.
3
Create a custom PT treatment plan.
After our discussion, we will establish a care plan and at-home program that is reasonable for you. How much time can you devote to this process? 5 minutes or 5 hours? There is no wrong answer, the right answer is the one that works for you.
Your home program will always be written out for you - either by paper, electronic, or through our online software. I am a big fan of using your smartphone to take pictures and videos so that you have something to reference back to you the next day. We’ll work together during our sessions and at home to help you reach your PT goals.
"I am so thankful that I found my pelvic floor physical therapist, Leslie. It has been a really long road to recovery and from the beginning, I knew things would be different."
— COURTNEY B.
Common Questions About Your First Visit
Do I have to get undressed at my appointment?
Well first, you DO NOT have to undress. Everything we do together is with your CONSENT, PERMISSION, AND COMFORT. If you say yes, but your body language says no- then that means no. And that is 100% okay.
How do you assess pelvic floor function at my first appointment?
We can absolutely do an external pelvic floor exam, even with your clothes on. At our first visit, we will not just be assessing your pelvic floor, but also your posture, how you move, how you breathe, how you sit, your abdominals, back, hip, and more.
Will it impact my care if I don’t want an internal pelvic floor exam?
It is true, we will get more specific information from an internal exam, but it isn’t vital for day 1. Deferring till you are comfortable is not a big deal. At your appointment, we can discuss your comfort level, your concerns, and how to move forward with your care plan even without doing an internal exam.