Pelvic Organ Prolapse & Pelvic Health
Empower Your Pelvic Health Through Movement and Support
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) happens when pelvic organs shift due to weakened support structures, often leading to symptoms like pressure, heaviness, or changes in bladder or bowel function.
At Connect NW Physical Therapy & Wellness, we use a whole-body approach to help you improve pelvic floor function, movement, and pressure regulation. With targeted strengthening, movement training, and guidance on other factors impacting your symptoms, we can help you feel strong, supported and confident in your daily life.
Move smarter, feel stronger: Guiding you to better function, balance, and resilience.
Managing POP isn’t just about focusing on the pelvic floor—it’s about supporting your whole body. We work with you to improve total body strength and movement patterns that enhance pelvic health:
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Helping your pelvic floor work together with your hips, core, and posture so your body can better support your organs, improve bladder and bowel control, and move more comfortably in daily life.
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Teaching strategies to manage intra-abdominal pressure, reducing strain during activities like lifting, exercise, or even coughing.
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Educating you on proper movement techniques to reduce unnecessary pressure on your pelvic floor and help you move more comfortably.
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Using breathwork to enhance core stability and support pelvic health.
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Focusing on strengthening the muscles that surround and support the pelvic region, including the core, hips, and lower back. This holistic approach helps reduce overall strain on the pelvic floor and supports long-term function.
What is a Pessary and How Can it Help?
A pessary is a soft, flexible device that is inserted into the vagina to support the pelvic organs, particularly for those experiencing prolapse. It helps by providing external support to the organs, reducing symptoms like pelvic pressure, vaginal bulging, and incontinence.
While physical therapy focuses on strengthening and training your body to manage prolapse long-term, a pessary offers immediate relief by providing structural support. It can be particularly helpful if you need extra assistance with daily activities or are not ready for surgery.
Pessaries come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and we offer pessary fittings at the clinic as part of your treatment plan. This can be a useful adjunct to physical therapy, allowing you to manage symptoms while you work on strengthening your pelvic floor and improving overall function.
Pessary Fittings with a Physical Therapist
While pessaries are typically fitted by gynecologists or urologists, pelvic health physical therapists are increasingly trained in providing pessary fittings. In our clinic, we take the time to assess your pelvic floor function, movement patterns, and pressure management. We try different pessary sizes and shapes while you move and exercise using common gym equipment—like weights and treadmills—to simulate real-life activities. This helps ensure your pessary and pelvic floor are working together to support the demands of your daily life and exercise routine, so you feel confident and comfortable.
The fitting process includes:
We don’t just fit the pessary and send you on your way. We test the pessary with exercise in the gym, including activities like running and lifting, to ensure it provides the proper support during real-life movements. This ensures that you feel secure and supported during both everyday tasks and more strenuous physical activities.
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You’ll meet with one of our trained therapists to discuss your symptoms and goals, including your daily activities and any movement concerns.
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We will assess your pelvic floor and the degree of prolapse, ensuring we choose the most effective pessary for your body.
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Your therapist will insert the pessary, adjusting it for comfort and effectiveness. You’ll also be taught how to place, remove, and care for the device.
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We schedule follow-up appointments to ensure the pessary continues to provide relief and make any necessary adjustments as you progress in physical therapy.
Why Choose Physical Therapy for POP?
Physical therapy helps you move with confidence, regain pelvic support, and reduce symptoms of prolapse. By combining total body strengthening with pelvic health strategies and pessary support when needed, we help you feel empowered in your body and restore your quality of life.