Women’s Health Services
Did you know that in Europe and Canada, pelvic floor physical therapy is considered so important to women’s health that it’s deemed a routine part of annual gynecological care?
Pelvic floor issues that happen after pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, or as the result of high-intensity sports, are very common – but are not normal or inevitable. Our goal is to help restore your pelvic floor strength for optimal urinary, bowel, and sexual functioning.
Rachelle Bojer of Lotus Physical Therapy believes all women can benefit from a consultation with a pelvic floor physical therapist. You don’t have to be pregnant, have had children, or be an athlete to experience noticeable benefits from pelvic floor therapy.
Our women’s health services include:
Teens and Female Athletes
With more teens and women participating in sports and fitness programs like CrossFit, Barre fitness, and HIIT classes, pelvic floor dysfunction is becoming more prevalent in this population, even before having children. Rachelle can evaluate your core and pelvic floor and assess your form during your activity to ensure that you do not develop pelvic floor dysfunction later on.
Pregnancy-Related Issues
At Lotus Physical Therapy, we offer a whole host of prenatal and postpartum services for women.
Prenatal and postpartum consultations include education on identifying signs of a pelvic floor disorder – and how to prevent it, when possible.
Prenatal consults with physical therapist Rachelle Bojer will address issues common in pregnancy, such as:
- Diastasis recti
- Low back pain
- Pelvic pain
- Pubic symphysis dysfunction
- Sciatica
Postpartum consults may include:
- Pelvic floor strengthening
- Abdominal strengthening to address diastasis recti, incontinence, painful intercourse, and painful scars after an episiotomy or C-section.
We can help breastfeeding mothers with clogged milk ducts. Through ultrasound and gentle manual massage, we can unclog ducts, relieve your breast pain, and help you avoid mastitis.
Diastasis recti is common in all pregnancies, especially for those carrying multiples. It typically occurs during the second or third trimesters in women carrying one baby – or earlier during pregnancy in women having multiple babies. It can also occur in men as well as women who have never been pregnant.
It involves the separation of the outer layer of abdominal muscles due to stretching of the connective tissue between these two muscles during pregnancy or heavy lifting. When this abdominal muscle separation occurs, it creates a belly bulge that is sometimes called an abdominal “pooch.”
Your abdominal muscles are the main support – the core muscles – for your low back, internal organs, and pelvic floor. When diastasis recti occurs, this critical support system is weakened, making it more difficult to perform basic daily activities like getting into and out of bed, lifting, carrying, sitting, standing, and getting up off the floor. You are also more prone to injuries, pain, urinary issues, hernias, and organ prolapse in the pelvis.
Diastasis recti should be resolved as soon as possible to maintain the support that your body needs for everyday activities. Physical therapist Rachelle Bojer’s Core Connection program can teach you safe and effective techniques to prevent and heal diastasis recti, including:
Prenatal Exercises
- Biomechanics necessary to prevent diastasis recti
- Pelvic floor and core-strengthening exercises
- Abdominal exercises and instruction on more effective pushing during labor
Postpartum Exercise
- Exercises to regain core and pelvic floor strength
- Exercises that foster bonding with your baby
- Exercises to help improve posture
At Lotus Physical Therapy, we have experience helping women navigate all the consequences of losing a baby, whether by late-term miscarriage or stillbirth. Ask Rachelle Bojer about the team of experts she relies on in these cases.
Breast Cancer Rehabilitation
If you’re recovering from breast cancer surgery, you know how much of a toll treatment can take on the body. At Lotus Physical Therapy, we understand this – and can help you heal. Physical therapy is a prime component of any breast cancer rehab program to ensure proper healing and recovery.
The benefits of post-surgical breast cancer rehabilitation include:
- Re-educating muscles to restore pain-free range of movement
- Reducing the risk of common side effects like lymphedema (lymphatic obstruction and swelling) and cording (scarring that can develop under the arm after removal of lymph nodes)
- Restoring sensation
- Alleviating joint stiffness
If you’re in need of a physical therapist with a passion for women’s health and wellness, contact us for a consultation. Therapist Rachelle Bojer at Lotus Physical Therapy has extensive experience treating a variety of pelvic floor, pregnancy issues, and other women’s health concerns.
Women's Health Physical Therapy Merrick, Farmingdale, Huntington, Babylon, Yaphank, Riverhead, Roslyn and Southold, NY
Schedule your consultation by calling Lotus Physical Therapy at (631) 629-5507 or request your appointment now. We look forward to serving you at any of our eight locations.
