Pelvic Floor Therapy in Phoenix

Pelvic floor therapy can be life-changing, helping women overcome debilitating symptoms like bladder leaks and pelvic pain.

But it can be difficult to find a pelvic floor therapist in Phoenix and surrounding areas like Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Peoria, Surprise, Glendale, Goodyear and Queen Creek.

Nationwide, there are not enough pelvic PTs for the one in four American women who suffer from symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, like bladder leaks and pain.

As a result, many pelvic floor physical therapists in Phoenix have wait lists and operate cash-only practices, with an initial evaluation typically priced at $200 to $300.

In this post, we'll explain your options for pelvic floor therapy in Phoenix, covering information like pricing, services provided, how to find the right physical therapist and what to expect at your first appointment.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Alternatives

Vagercise is an online course for pelvic floor exercise and education that offers a complement or alternative to physical therapy.

The course includes more than 12 hours of on-demand video classes taught by pelvic floor physical therapists, using the same exercises and information they share in their clinics—but for the cost of a single PT visit.

Vagercise is also a retailer of FDA-registered products for rehabbing your pelvic floor at home, including tools for pelvic floor strengthening and pelvic pain management.

See a preview of the course in the video below.

What is Pelvic Floor Therapy?

Pelvic floor therapists in Phoenix treat a wide range of conditions affecting the pelvic floor and related muscles, including your abs, hips and low back.

The pelvic floor, a group of muscles that form a hammock at the base of the pelvis, play a critical role in your body that includes:

• Maintaining control of your bladder and bowels
• Supporting your pelvic organs like your bladder, uterus and rectum
• Facilitate sexual function
• Stabilize your pelvis and spine

Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction often begin after pregnancy and childbirth, when the muscles become stretched, weakened and damaged. 

Issues like bladder leaks and pain with sex can worsen through perimenopause and menopause, when hormonal changes cause the vaginal tissues to become thin and dry. But pelvic floor dysfunction can occur at any time, even if you've never had a baby.

Here are the issues that pelvic floor therapists commonly treat.

Urinary Dysfunction

• Stress incontinence, or bladder leaks caused by activities like sneezing, coughing or exercising
• Urge incontinence, or uncontrollable leaks on the way to the bathroom
• Urinary frequency or overactive bladder
• Pain or difficulty emptying the bladder
• Interstitial cystitis, or painful bladder syndrome

Bowel Dysfunction

• Fecal incontinence, or leaks of stool or gas
• Constipation
• Rectal pain
• Irritable bowel syndrome

Pain Conditions

• Pain with penetration during sex, tampon use or vaginal exams
• Pain in the hips, low back or tailbone
• Vaginismus, a condition in which involuntary muscle spasms interfere with vaginal penetration
• Vulvodynia, a condition causing a burning, stinging and throbbing pain in the vulva
• Pudendal neuralgia, a condition causing pain due to nerve entrapment in the pelvic region
• Pelvic girdle pain, a condition causing joint pain in and around the pelvis
• Post-surgical pain

Pregnancy and Postpartum Conditions

• Diastasis recti, a separation of the abdominal muscles
• Pelvic organ prolapse, an issue in which organs like the bladder or uterus descend into the vaginal canal
• Perineal pain or tearing
• C-section scar pain or restrictions

Sexual Dysfunction

• Painful sex
• Vaginal dryness
• Difficulty reaching orgasm

What Does Pelvic Floor Therapy Entail?

Pelvic floor PT consists of a combination of hands-on therapeutic techniques, educational information and a prescription of at-home exercises to improve your symptoms.

Typically, your initial evaluation will be a 60 to 90-minute appointment that includes a review of your medical history and a pelvic exam to evaluate your muscles.

Most PTs will want to see you for at least 6-8 follow-up visits, lasting 30 to 60 minutes each.

At the same time, you'll likely follow a rehabilitation program at home that involves exercises to strengthen or relax your pelvic floor muscles, depending on your symptoms.

Here's what your pelvic PT appointments may entail.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Evaluation

• Internal and external pelvic floor muscle examination
• Assessment of the abdominals, hips and low back
• Postural and gait analysis
• Evaluation of muscle tension, scar tissue and trigger points
• Bladder and bowel habit analysis
• Biofeedback assessment

Pelvic Floor Manual Treatment

• Internal and external trigger point release
• Scar tissue mobilization
• Soft tissue mobilization 
• Joint mobilization
• Dry needling
• Electrical stimulation 

Exercise and Rehabilitation Techniques

• Exercises for pelvic floor and core strengthening
• Pelvic floor relaxation techniques
• Breathing techniques
• Desensitization techniques for pain management

Educational Information

• Strategies for managing incontinence
• Tips on bathroom habits, lifestyle and ergonomic factors
• Strategies to improve sexual experience
• Nutrition guidance for bladder and bowel health 

Every woman could benefit from hands-on treatment and personalized care from a pelvic floor therapist.

But much of your recovery won't take place in an office.

Overcoming pelvic floor dysfunction requires weeks of consistent at-home exercise—and an understanding of the factors that caused your issues in the first place.

That's why Vagercise is an ideal complement or alternative to pelvic PT, empowering you to learn and exercise at home so that you can make the most of your in-person visits.

In the online course, pelvic PTs lead exercise classes for issues like pelvic floor weakness, pelvic floor tension, diastasis recti and more—bringing a group fitness feel to the exercises they commonly prescribe to patients.

How Much Does Pelvic Floor Therapy Cost in Phoenix?

Pelvic floor therapists in Phoenix typically charge:

• $200 to $300 for an initial evaluation
• $150 to $200 for each follow-up visit

Pelvic floor PTs typically recommend weekly appointments for at least 6 to 8 weeks, depending on your symptoms and progress.

An estimated 80 percent of pelvic floor PTs are out-of-network for patients, as many practices are cash-only and don't accept insurance as a form of payment, even if your plan covers your treatment.

Most patients in Phoenix can expect to pay a total of $1,000 to $2,000 out of pocket on pelvic floor therapy appointments.

Is Pelvic Floor Therapy Covered By Insurance?

Pelvic floor physical therapy is often covered by major insurance providers.

Some insurers also require proof of medical necessity from a doctor's order to provide coverage, which means you may incur additional costs and appointments to obtain a diagnosis.

If you have coverage for pelvic floor therapy, you can expect a co-pay for each visit after you've met your plan's annual deductible.

But even if your insurance covers pelvic floor therapy, many pelvic PTs in Phoenix won't accept it, as they are owner-operators that only accept cash for their services.

Because of the high demand for pelvic floor therapy in Phoenix, PT offices that do accept insurance often have limited availability. You may be on a waitlist for 3 to 6 months before your first appointment.

That's one reason that pelvic floor therapists recommend Vagercise: You can start learning and resolving your symptoms at home today while you wait for the opportunity for individualized care.

Finding the Right Pelvic Floor Therapist in Phoenix

Going to a pelvic floor therapist can be difficult—emotionally, financially and logistically—so it's important to find a provider you can trust.

To find the best pelvic floor therapist for you, consider these factors.

Credentials

Pelvic floor therapists can be either physical therapists or occupational therapists who have undergone additional training on pelvic floor dysfunction.

The American Physical Therapy Association and the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute are the main providers of pelvic health education for therapists.

Pelvic floor therapists have differing levels of pelvic health education. For example, it takes three days of training to complete the Herman and Wallace Level 1 class and more than 2,000 hours of direct pelvic patient care to earn the organization's certification.

The top certifications to look for are:

• Women's Health Clinical Specialist (WCS), a board certification from APTA
• Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification (PRPC), a certification from Herman and Wallace

Sign up for our list of pelvic floor therapists in Phoenix for information on local therapists with these certifications.

Appointment Lengths

One advantage of cash-pay practices: Providers aren't restricted by insurer limitations on appointment lengths.

A therapist who accepts insurance may be able to spend only 30 minutes during your follow-up visits, while appointments at cash-pay practices may be twice that length.

Internal and External Treatment

Treating the pelvic floor isn't only about the pelvic floor muscles.

A good pelvic therapist should be able to look at pelvic floor issues within the context of your entire body, studying how connected areas like your hips, abs and core may contribute to your symptoms. Ideally, your therapist should also have a background in orthopedics.

And while not all therapy has to involve a pelvic exam, your therapist should be well-versed in the pelvic floor musculature to properly diagnose your issues.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Exercises

Your pelvic floor therapist will likely create a home exercise program to complete on your own at least a few days per week.

Your exercises will differ depending on whether your issues stem from weakness or tension in your pelvic floor muscles.

Women with issues caused by pelvic floor weakness, like bladder leaks or pelvic organ prolapse, will likely do Kegels and other strengthening exercises for the pelvic floor, abs and hips.

Those with tight pelvic floor muscles, which causes issues like pain with sex or urinary urgency, may do the opposite—focusing instead on relaxing the pelvic floor with yoga, stretches, breathing exercises and meditation.

One of the greatest obstacles to pelvic floor recovery is staying consistent with an exercise program that can be tedious and boring, especially when exercising alone at home.

Using the same exercises recommended by pelvic PTs, the Vagercise course offers a Peloton-like fitness app experience that makes exercise more fun and motivating. 

The course offers achievable workouts, with class lengths no longer than 30 minutes, taught by a pelvic PT who leads and motivates you through each move. Vagercise offers more than 65 classes specific to your needs, with series of classes for Pelvic Floor Strength, Core Strength, Pelvic Floor Yoga and Relaxation, and more.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Tools

In addition to your therapy in-clinic, your pelvic floor therapist may recommend tools to continue your treatment at home, particularly if you have pelvic floor pain or tension.

Pelvic wands are like internal foam rollers for your pelvic floor, helping you release trigger points and tension in hard-to-reach places.

For pain with penetration, your therapist might recommend vaginal dilators that gradually stretch tight muscles, as well as other sexual health products to improve lubrication and make sex more comfortable.

Tools can help you stay motivated and consistent with pelvic floor strengthening, too. Kegel trainers allow you to gamify your exercises by watching your squeezes appear on screen as targets in a video game.

Start Your Pelvic Floor Recovery Today

Pelvic floor issues like bladder leaks and pain are common, but that doesn't mean you have to accept them as a normal part of being a woman.

You can restore your pelvic floor and reclaim your body with the right information, exercises and motivation to improve your health.

Sign up to receive a list of pelvic floor therapists in Phoenix that includes information on pricing, locations and credentials.

Start your recovery today with Vagercise for the same price as your first PT visit. If your symptoms don't improve after six weeks of consistent use, we'll give you your money back to ensure you're on the right path to recovery.