Before we delve in to what exactly a Women’s Health Physical Therapist does, let’s get the basis of what a physical therapist is.  A physical therapist (PT) is a board certified and licensed health care practitioner that are experts in the musculoskeletal system and how it moves.  A PT aims to improve the quality of life of their patients through exercise, hands on treatment interventions, and education by completing a patient specific evaluation, assessment, and creating an individualized treatment plan.  PTs treat a wide range of patients, from newborns to those at the end of life, as well as people with a variety of injuries, disabilities, or health conditions that are limiting their quality of life.

A women’s health physical therapist is just that- a therapist that specializes in the unique differences that come with being a woman throughout the span of their life, including adolescence through menopause.  The female body undergoes vast changes through a lifetime and with those changes come a multitude of issues that can arise such as musculoskeletal pain, pelvic pain, and incontinence, among others. 

Pregnancy and post partum bring a whole new aspect to women’s health due to the rise and fall of hormones over the childbearing year.  Because of this, musculoskeletal pain is experienced by nearly 80% of all pregnant women and unfortunately, traditional treatment methods cannot be used.  Depending on the method of delivery, vaginal or cesarean section, the post partum period can bring a whole set of changes including pelvic pain, bowel/bladder incontinence, nerve entrapments, and painful sex.  This is where women’s health physical therapy can come in! A women’s health physical therapist is in tune with the hormonal changes and complex makeup of the women’s body and helps guide women on taking charge of their wellness through all phases of life. 

If you feel you are in need of a women’s health physical therapist, it is as simple as reaching out to your doctor for a referral to get the help you need! Depending on the state you live in, you may be able to go directly to the PT without a referral, simply call the clinic and ask!

Yours in health,

NB