PT Center for Women

More than a cosmetic concern, obesity is a medical issue that raises the risk for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S.   The statistics on rising obesity rates are staggering.  Various health conditions arise directly as a result of obesity, namely: Type II diabetes Cardiovascular disease Osteoarthritis Many forms of cancer The list goes on and on . . . Why does this matter to us at Women’s Care of Wisconsin/PT Center for Women? Two critical reasons: infertility rates rise with obesity pregnancy is generally riskier in the overweight population An important study found a missing link from obesity to infertility, clarifying the relationship between being overweight and the inability to conceive. A second study looked at the relationship between exercise both before and during pregnancy, and the onset of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. The rationale behind the study was the fact that obesity and inactivity are related, and that obesity...

Do you remember the words …“Sit up straight … pull your shoulders back … and for crying out loud, DON’T SLOUCH!” Imagine your mother watching you doing any one of the following: Sitting in front of a computer monitor. Snuggling up with a favorite book. Playing video games. Sitting on the floor, in a chair, on bleachers, at church, or in a theatre. Standing in place. Waiting in line. Watching TV. Fishing. Driving a car.  Or…doing anything during your normal day that requires you to be in one place for a period of time. Worse yet, imagine me watching you doing these things! As a physical therapist, I talk about the importance of good posture as a way of maintaining good musculoskeletal health. This blog entry is to educate you on the relationship between good posture and good musculoskeletal health (I didn’t make this up; they are honestly interrelated). Everything in our bodies is connected somehow, and, at least philosophically speaking, one thing can have an effect on ev...

So congratulations! You’ve had your baby, and now you’re excited to get back into those favorite clothes that you haven’t worn in quite awhile. You feel like they should fit, because after all, your baby is five weeks old already. But, your jeans are still two sizes too small So, what do you do? You promptly jump onto the treadmill, turn up the incline, and start jogging. Fast. For like, two minutes. And then something happens. You notice that you’re wet. Not wet with sweat, just wet. In the saddle region, and at that moment you realize that your body is not quite like it used to be prior to that beautiful baby you now have. The very next thing you do is call your girlfriend, mom, sister, or all three and shout, “DID THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!?”  It’s true, and it happens all the time. Women have a baby, and then they want to pick up their life where it left off prior to pregnancy. The little story I just told you about is only one of several potential hiccups that new moms experience whe...

As many of my patients are aware, I have recently suffered a herniated disc in my neck. It was for no reason at all. I just woke up with it. Here’s a little background on me professionally: Before switching my practice to pelvic health, I did spine care for over a decade. Because of my training and experience, I immediately recognized my symptoms; I have witnessed my patients go through the same thing for many years. I didn’t waste any time, and I called my doctor for help. And help me she did! She prescribed me steroids right away, and she ordered an MRI of my neck. The MRI confirmed my suspicion that I had a herniated disc. (I hope you don’t mind me nerding out for a moment: First of all I was correct. Secondly, I was off one spinal level, as I had guessed it was at C6-7, when it was in fact at C5-6). Six weeks have gone by since my initial diagnosis, and I have seen the physiatrist. A physiatrist is a doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation, which is a fan...

So, let’s talk about constipation. Oooh. Is that a conversation inhibitor? Shouldn’t be, as the importance of bowel movements is undeniable. So let’s discuss what’s normal, what’s not normal, and the causes of constipation. There are many causes of constipation. One could be a musculoskeletal problem where the muscles are tight in the pelvic floor region and it is not allowing the stool to pass. The second cause may be that the guts just aren’t pushing the food through the digestive tract and it’s not getting to where it needs to go to be eliminated. Another cause of constipation can be diet, as many foods slow the digestive tract (cheese and dairy products). There can be emotional causes as well. The whole purpose of a bowel movement is to eliminate all of the by-products from our foods that are not used in our digestive system. If left in too long, they just don’t feel good. They don’t become toxic, but it does affect our other systems. With eating food, it goes from our mouth ...

“Find a job you love and you never have to work a day in your life.”    This quote seems incredibly appropriate for my time at PT Center for Women. For those of you who haven’t heard, I will be moving to Tennessee at the end of December. While my husband and I are excited for our next adventure, I will definitely miss my job, my co-workers and the patients with whom  I have had the pleasure of working.   I started at PT Center for Women about a week before we knew what COVID was, so it has been an interesting two and a half years. I have truly enjoyed my time working here, treating and educating women in all stages of life and helping them to reach their goals in life but also in fitness. This clinic is unique and gave me opportunities to collaborate and learn from other physical therapists, doctors, and fitness professionals.   One of my favorite patient populations I have had the pleasure of treating has been post-partum women. This treatment can inc...

Pelvic floor dysfunction affects many women who will see multiple providers before they are diagnosed. Often, women are left to feel that the problems they are experiencing are normal and should just be endured. The simple truth is that pain is not normal. Women dealing with symptoms that can include urinary incontinence, constipation, pelvic or low back pain, discomfort during sexual intercourse, muscle spasms or pressure in the pelvic region can look to physical therapy to find relief. And in finding the right physical therapist to meet your needs, you might see certifications listed to which you might give a cursory glance, but these often missed abbreviations are very meaningful to your search. Physical therapists that specialize in pelvic pain have one or both of the following: Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic Pain (CAPP) Biofeedback Certification Institute of America – Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback (BCB-PMD) The Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic Health ...