PT Center for Women

  Even if you’re crushing your workouts and hitting personal bests, it’s still important that you rest and recharge. And that means embracing the glorious, sometimes guilt-inducing, recovery day. Think of your body like a finely tuned machine. You wouldn't run your car at full throttle 24/7 without expecting some serious wear and tear, right? The same goes for your muscles, joints, and even your mental game. Pushing yourself relentlessly without scheduled breaks might feel productive in the short term, but it’s a surefire recipe for burnout, injury, and ultimately, plateauing in your progress. Recovery days aren't about being lazy; they're about being strategic. They're an active part of your training plan, allowing your body to repair and rebuild the tiny tears in your muscle fibers that occur during exercise. This repair process is crucial for getting stronger, faster, and more resilient. Skipping recovery is like trying to build a house without letting the founda...

  Frequently I get the following question from my pregnant patients: “I’ve never really exercised before, but I need to. Is it okay to start now?” Let’s look at the risks of exercise during pregnancy. “Risks!” you say, “What risks?” Now, before you stop reading this and come to the conclusion that you should not exercise during your pregnancy, I urge you to look at this through my eyes.  As a physical therapist, I am specially trained in exercise prescription. In other words, I teach people how to exercise. Sometimes that involves rehabilitative exercise in order to heal from an injury or surgery, occasionally it includes performance coaching for seasoned athletes, and sometimes it involves teaching someone who has never exercised before how to start. If you fall into the third category of people, this blog is for you!  First of all, let me state the few reasons why women would absolutely not be allowed to exercise during a pregnancy. These are set by the American Co...

“I grew up doing PT,” she said. “My dad was a physical therapist. And I was an accident-prone kid.” Meet Sarah Dahl, DPT, our newest provider at PT Center for Women! Sarah earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2017 from Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa and her undergrad from UW-Platteville. She has treated women’s pelvic health issues for the entirety of her career. With a seemingly innate ability to connect, communicate and educate, Sarah begins by talking about her favorite subject: her patients. “My favorite part of PT is getting to know my patients,” she said. “I get to learn about their hopes, goals, and what’s important in their lives. And they get to know that my goal is to get them back to what they love doing, and a big part of that is teaching them how to fix themselves.” Specializing in women's pelvic health, Sarah treats a wide range of pelvic floor conditions including incontinence, prolapse, pregnancy/postpartum complications, and painful interco...

At PT Center for Women, we empower women by involving them in all of their health care decisions. We strive to know our patients well, helping them achieve their personal goals and live their best lives. The care provided by our physical therapists is as unique as every woman, a personalized approach that helps improve function and lessen pain. These treatments can be life-changing. Recently we provided the opportunity for the OB/GYN providers at Women's Care of Wisconsin to discuss their views of patient care and how they relate to the organization's "Circle of Care" philosophy, one that meets both the physical and emotional needs of patients throughout every phase of life. As an integral part of the Women's Care of Wisconsin team, our five amazing therapists weigh in with their thoughts.  We add their voices to the conversation; their words are both powerful and empowering. Sarah Dahl  PT “ Everything starts with getting to know you. I get to learn about your ho...

Pelvic pain is a common problem faced by women. Here's information to better understand your pain and get you on the path to healing. There are two types of pelvic pain: acute and chronic. Acute pelvic pain: Starts over a short period of time, anywhere from a few minutes to a few days Many times is experienced after surgery or with soft tissue injury Is often short-lived but may be severe Is often a warning sign that something else is wrong and should be evaluated promptly Chronic pelvic pain: Severe and steady pain, dull aching or sharp pains with cramping, pressure or heaviness with the pelvis Pain with intercourse, having a bowel movement or sitting Persists for a period of three months or longer May be intermittent or constant; intermittent chronic pain will usually have a cause while constant pelvic pain may be the result of more than one problem Pelvic pain can be caused by endometriosis, pelvic adhesions, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), interstitial cystitis (IC)...

Short and sweet, many people don't know about the breadth of treatments offered by a physical therapy practice that specializes in pelvic pain and pelvic muscle dysfunction.  And it goes way beyond that. "Of course we treat the pelvis," said Connie Strey, a physical therapist at PT Center for Women in Appleton, "but we also treat fibromyalgia, pregnancy, osteoporosis, lymphedema, and cancer as well." Strey has been practicing physical therapy for more than 35 years and has specialized in women's health since 1993. A passionate provider who speaks really, really fast, went right to her role with your pelvis. "If you've ever been to a physical therapist (PT), you know we're about restoring function: good range of motion, good strength, get you to where you can do the things you want to do," said Strey. "But the pelvic floor, those fast and slow muscles, they're in a private area, a lot of taboo with incontinence and pain with interco...

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 w...