By Melissa Hines, DPT It seems like all of our patients recently have been telling us about their constipation, bloating, hemorrhoids etc so I wanted to take this opportunity to educate us all about the pelvic floor and its role in constipation. In fact, constipation and the pelvic floor is such a hot topic that we created a video on YouTube that has 17k views!  50% of people with constipation have a form of pelvic floor dysfunction. There are a few pelvic floor muscles that wrap around the rectum and when they are tight, they prevent the rectum from opening up fully to allow stool ..read more

We recently hosted a webinar with Nicole Farnsworth of ,,Laura Moretti Nutrition. Nicole is a sports dietitian and mother of two. We absolutely loved collaborating with her! We chatted all about what to eat during pregnancy and postpartum. If you missed the webinar, you can ,,watch it here! This webinar is specially designed for active expectant and new mothers who are looking to understand the role of nutrition in fueling their training and competition during this life stage. Nicole, with her extensive experience and expertise in sports nutrition, will guide you through the essential nutriti ..read more

By Dr. Sarah Ellison, PT Having constipation, bloating, or diarrhea symptoms can be incredibly frustrating. While there are often many factors (diet, GI conditions, etc) that can affect these symptoms, there are also many simple and empowering steps that a person can take to address the muscular contributors to these symptoms.  Yes, our musculoskeletal system can be impacting our bowels! Simply put, increased pelvic floor muscle tension can lead to difficulty completing a bowel movement. Abdominal tension can impact abdominal bloating.  Muscle weakness and coordinatio ..read more

by Sarah Ellison, DPT We are glad you asked (and you are definitely not alone if this is a question you’ve had)! Hopefully, this quick description will provide some insight and help you figure out if pelvic floor therapy is the missing piece to the puzzle you’ve been looking for in your care. In short, pelvic health specialists are different healthcare providers that bring their area of expertise to helping the pelvic floor muscles work optimally for symptom relief! The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that form the underside of the torso. These muscles work to support the inner struct ..read more

by Kristin Kennedy, DPT Are you “double-jointed”? Did you ever wonder if there was a connection between having too much mobility in your pelvis and pelvic floor muscle tension? Well, you guessed it!  Your pelvis has joints! There are 4 major joints in the pelvis - two on either side of your sacrum (SI joints), one connecting your tailbone to your sacrum, and one in the middle of your pubic bone in the front.  Why does this matter? Because if there is too much movement between any of those joints, the muscles in the surrounding area - in the hips, abdomen, low back and pelvic floor ..read more

Wellest is the only interdisciplinary premier pelvic health clinic in Boston - and we are proud of it! But what does interdisciplinary mean?? Interdisciplinary care is the integration of different healthcare disciplines to provide comprehensive care. Translation: multiple professionals with various backgrounds and trainings, working together to provide care for their patients. At Wellest, the collaboration between our pelvic floor therapists and our nurse practitioner plays a crucial role in providing the best care to our patients. Having an NP on our staff is critical for our patients who ha ..read more

We are thrilled to announce our new offerings this month! Our incredible nurse practitioner, Kathy, will soon be offering pelvic floor botox and trigger point injections in our office. We know, you're thinking, "Why on Earth would people need Botox THERE?!" Botox is most commonly known for it's ability to smooth frown lines and other facial wrinkles. On your face, Botox works by preventing the muscles from contracting, therefore reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Botox has other medical benefits, too! Many people who suffer from migraines find relief with Botox injections, which can block t ..read more

Dr. Melissa was recently interviewed on the kozēkozē podcast! On this episode she shares her wisdom on the pelvic floor for women pre and post baby. From vaginal moisturizing to sex considerations, to when you should see a pelvic floor physical therapist, this episode covers it all! Click below to give it a listen! ,,kozēkozē is a female-founded company creating innovative, mess-free, non-toxic products. Our favorite: ,nip gloss! This balm is great for breastfeeding mamas. Use code WELLESTHEALTH for 15% off ..read more

Do you have pelvic pain? Do you experience pain when inserting a tampon, during pelvic exams, or during sexual intercourse? Dilators might help! Keep reading to learn what dilators are and how they can help you. What are dilators? Dilators are tools that are used to gently stretch your pelvic floor muscles. We LOVE the ,Intimate Rose dilators* because they are made of medical grade silicone, are flexible, and are therefore more realistic - compared to plastic or glass dilators, which we rarely recommend! Why are dilators helpful? Your pelvic floor muscles can be hard to reach; you can't ..read more

By Dr. Sarah Ellison, PT What is constipation? Are you wondering if what you are experiencing is considered constipation? The definition of constipation can be vague when it is simply described as “having difficulty emptying bowels.” To help break it down, constipation can be defined in several different ways: Frequency: Normal bowel frequency is typically considered less than 3 times a day and more than 3 times a week. However, each individual has their own normal frequency which should be used as a point of comparison (ie-if a person typically goes daily but has not had a bowel movement in ..read more