I'm excited to be here to talk about something that can feel like a big mystery for a lot of people, and that is what actually happens in your first pelvic floor physical therapy evaluation session. You might be feeling nervous or curious or maybe a little bit of both, and I'm here to guide you through what to expect so that you can feel confident walking into that first session.
I want to start by saying this, every evaluation is completely tailored to you. Our goal is to create a safe, supportive space where we can work together to get you back to doing the things you love, whether that's playing sports, caring for your kids, or just enjoying your life without worrying about your symptoms all the time. The first part of the evaluation is a conversation, and let me tell you, this part is just as important, if not more important, than the physical exam.
I like to think about it as detective work, where together we're gathering clues to figure out what's actually going on, what is the driver for what you're experiencing. So we'll talk about things like how long you've been experiencing your symptoms, what makes them better or worse, how they're affecting your daily life, and whether that is related to your work or your exercise routine or sleep or anything else that your symptoms might be holding you back from.Â
We also ask about areas that might not seem as directly related to your symptoms. For example, we ask a lot of questions about your digestion, your stress levels, whether you're getting enough sleep. And while these questions might not seem connected, they often give us a valuable insight into how your body is functioning as a whole. If you're feeling like a little hesitant about that, you're sitting there thinking, I don't really want to share certain details, that's also totally okay.
You are in charge, we will go at your pace, and our job is to listen without judgment and to ask thoughtful questions and make you feel heard in this portion of the exam. Once we have talked through your history and through your story, we will move on to the physical part of the exam. This part is the part that can sometimes feel intimidating for people, so I want to take a moment to explain what kinds of things it might involve.
I want to reassure you as a pelvic PT that our evaluation is not just a pelvic floor exam. Your body is an interconnected system and we are taking your whole body into account. So we're looking at things like your posture, how you're breathing, how you're moving through space, how your muscles and joints are moving.
A lot of times pelvic floor issues are connected to things like hip issues or back pain or difficulty with foot mobility and other things in the body that are outside of the pelvis that we really want to make sure we're aware of as we move forward with your treatment plan. If it is relevant to your treatment plan, we might do an internal pelvic floor evaluation that can give us some valuable information about strength, coordination, muscle tension, or even just symptom provocation in the pelvic floor. But the most important thing to remember is that that part of the exam is optional.
If you're not feeling comfortable with an internal exam at the evaluation or even throughout your entire treatment, we won't do it. There are a lot of ways that we can address your symptoms without touch if that is what feels best for you. And same goes for touch in other parts of the body.
We can learn a lot just by watching you move and we can get a lot done just by giving you ways to change some of those movement patterns. I want to answer a few questions that I hear a lot as somebody who is talking to people who might be getting ready to do their first pelvic PT session. And one of the most common ones that I get is, is pelvic PT going to hurt? The short answer is no, it should not hurt.
Our goal is never to push you into pain, but to work with your body at a pace that feels safe and comfortable. And if something feels uncomfortable, we can stop and adjust. Pain is not the goal. Our goal is always to be collaborating with and listening to you and to your body. Another question I get a lot is what if I don't want to be touched at all? And that's also completely okay. If you prefer a hands-off approach, we can focus on other things like guided exercises and education, and we can teach you strategies that you can practice at home. You are always in control. You should always feel in control of the session.
There's also no one size fits all approach to pelvic PT. Another, and the last question I'll address that I get all the time is, am I going to be sore afterwards? The answer is it's possible, but not necessarily from an internal exam. More like if we do a lot of movement or lifting exercises or things that feel like a deeper stretch, you might feel some muscle soreness, like after a good workout, but we will talk with you about what to expect based on what we're doing in the session.
If soreness is something you're worried about, we can plan accordingly in terms of you feel good leaving and also make sure you understand what to expect following the session so it doesn't catch you off guard. To wrap it up at the end of the evaluation, we will come up with a plan together and leave you with a clear understanding of what's going on, why it's happening, and what steps we are planning to take with you so that we can help you feel better. I know that starting pelvic PT can feel like a huge step, but trust me, you are not doing this alone.
We're here to guide you and listen to you and work with you every step of the way. That's very much how we approach the whole episode of care. So if you're thinking about starting pelvic PT and you still have questions, please, please, please feel free to reach out or leave a comment below or send us an email or a DM.
This process is all about empowering you and helping you get back to the things that matter most in your life. Until next time, take care of yourself and remember your whole body matters, not just your pelvic floor.
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