Women's Health - Services - VCU Health System

Physical Therapy for Women's Health Issues

Physical therapy is a health care profession whose focus is to help people restore strength and mobility when recovering from illness, injury or surgery, and to help people maximize function with their daily activities.

Related to women's health issues, this might include helping women maximize their ability to carry out their daily activities or recover from:

Pregnancy related complications
GYN surgery
Pelvic floor dysfunction such as incontinence or prolapse
Pain issues: painful intercourse, painful menstrual periods, vaginal, rectal or other types of pelvic pain
Other predominant women's health issues such as osteoporosis and fibromyalgia

To begin a physical therapy program, the therapist will first do an evaluation. This includes documenting your history, current and past. The therapist will also evaluate the following, as appropriate for your needs.

Posture
Strength
Range of motion and flexibitily
Balance
Movement patterns / coordination
Function with daily activities (like how you might pick up something off the floor, move from sit to stand, etc.)
Scar mobility
Areas of muscle and tissue tenderness
Other special tests

Treatment options include:

Therapeutic exercise to improve strength, mobility, and endurance
Muscle re-education to help improve patterns of movement and body awareness such as postural alignment
Self care strategies to provide education and understanding about your health problems and what you can do to help yourself for the present and the future
Manual therapy to improve joint and soft tissue mobility and flexibility
Therapeutic activities to problem solve difficult daily activities
Modalities such as heat/ice, massage, electrical stimulation

Physical therapy programs vary in length depending on the extent and nature of your problem. Usually they begin at 1-2 times per week and range anywhere from 1-2 visits to multiple visits. The program is completed when you reach your goals and you follow through with your program at home independently.