What is pelvic floor physical therapy?
Wondering if pelvic floor therapy could help you? Pelvic floor therapy focuses on helping people connect to their pelvic floor, along with the rest of their body, in order to diminish symptoms and improve quality of life. Symptoms or diagnoses of those who may be helped by pelvic floor physical therapy include:
- Pregnancy or postpartum concerns including returning to running or exercise
- Leaking urine, stool, or gas with activity such as coughing, sneezing, or laughing
- Urinary or fecal urgency - the feeling of needing to rush to the bathroom
- Low back, hip, SI, tailbone, or pelvic pain including interstitial cystitis and endometriosis
- Pelvic organ prolapse - the feeling of heaviness or pressure in the pelvis
- Painful intercourse
- Recovery from pelvic surgery including prostate surgery
What to expect from your initial visit:
A Conversation: We understand that everyone’s story is unique. At Peak, we take the time to listen to your concerns and will continue to do so throughout your treatment. Every session is an hour long with dedicated one-on-one time with your physical therapist.
A thorough exam: Your pelvic floor does not work in isolation so we make sure to assess how it interacts with other important parts of your body including your abdominals, hips, and breathing mechanics.
An explanation of your options: Just as every story is unique, so is every person’s choice about how to proceed with their care. We want to ensure you have the information you need to make an informed decision about how you want to work towards improving your health and well-being.
A recommended course of treatment: But don’t worry, you won’t be left to make the decisions alone. Your Doctor of Physical Therapy will be beside you to help you navigate your course of treatment. And every session will be dedicated to one-on-one time between you and your therapist so you can continue to progress over the course of your therapy.
Types of treatment offered:
We pride ourselves on integrating the whole body into our treatment approach. So at Peak, you won’t find yourself lying on a mat, hooked up to a machine, doing endless kegels. Instead, we’ll help you build a solid foundation on which to build your desired movement goals.This can include:
- Therapeutic exercise incorporating techniques from pilates, weight-lifting, yoga, and more
- Manual therapy
- Dry needling
- Breathing techniques
- Biofeedback
- Education, so you can understand how to you can help yourself in a variety of situations beyond therapy
Meet our therapists:
Elizabeth Swafford PT, DPT
Elizabeth Swafford is a licensed physical therapist who earned her Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and her Bachelor of Science in Social Entrepreneurship from Belmont University. While at Belmont, Elizabeth was a Division I scholarship student-athlete with the women’s soccer program and experienced physical therapy firsthand while rehabbing from an ACL and meniscus tear. This, coupled with her love of helping and teaching people, led her to pursue PT as a profession.
While training for her doctorate, and then as she continued in her career path, Elizabeth became more and more interested in pelvic floor rehab, particularly with pre- and post-natal women. She has continued pursuing this through coursework with the American Physical Therapy Association, Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute, the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, and received her Pre and Post-Natal Coaching Certification from the Coaching and Training Women Academy.
Elizabeth enjoys treating people in order to help them return to the activities they love. She looks at the body as a whole, instead of focusing on only the symptomatic area, in an attempt to treat and correct the driver of pain or dysfunction. Elizabeth is thrilled to be a part of the team at Peak where patient care comes first. Come see the difference in our one-on-one, hour long treatment sessions, where we evaluate you individually and create a unique plan of care specific to you.
Allison Stowers PT, DPT, SCS
Allison Youngblood Stowers is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy who earned her clinical doctorate in physical therapy from Georgia State University. She is Certified in Dry Needling as well as a Certified Running Gait Analyst. A love of rock climbing and a dedication to its outdoor community brought Allison and her husband to Chattanooga, TN. That same love of climbing and the rehabilitation of common injuries seen among climbers are what ultimately lead Allison down her professional path.
Along her journey, she was intrigued by the common issue of pelvic pain and urinary incontinence among high-level athletes and women in general. Thus, her further educational pursuit into pelvic floor rehab through the Herman and Wallace pelvic rehabilitation institute. As a mom herself, she loves to help keep women moving during pregnancy and beyond.
At Peak Fitness and Physical Therapy, she provides one on one guidance for climbers, runners, & other outdoor athletes in the Chattanooga community and offers virtual consultations via Zoom for those beyond. Allison teaches free workshops for climbers in her community and has presented at national conferences for physical therapists. She serves as an area rep for the Southeastern Climbing Coalition and is a Wilderness First Responder.
Tyler Johnson, PT, DPT
Tyler was educated at University of North Georgia where he received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy. After his formal education he has pursued additional specialty training in pelvic floor PT through Herman and Wallace Institute. His work experience includes SNF, Acute Care, Outpatient Neuro and Ortho rehab, and Balance and Vestibular Rehab. Throughout the many settings, he has repeatedly seen individuals with a huge gap in care related to pelvic health, from pain and incontinence to more personal sexual dysfunctions, people are in need, and pelvic PT is the missing link in care. He is seeking to create a space tailored to addressing these issues and filling the gap he sees. More specifically,Tyler desires to create a space for men to seek help with conditions most practitioners are limited or unwilling to address; there are currently many excellent practitioners focused on women’s health but very few who have focused on understanding and treating the issues men experience.
Patient testimonials:
A few love notes from the amazing patients we have helped:
- “I started back running 4 weeks ago and doing a beginner’s program. Taking it slow. So far it’s going great and I am continuing strengthening exercises! You saved my life! You helped me so much!”
- “I am hopeful for the first time in a long time that I may be able to live one day without debilitating pain, fear of carrying my daughter, or dreading being intimate with my husband.”
- “Highly recommend pelvic floor PT to help heal and strengthen your core after birthing a human."