If you've been evaluated before at SPH, you know that we're pretty thorough. We like to screen movement and look at the way the spine, hips, shoulders and feet move. We often assess breathing, evaluate the ribcage and abdomen, look at how the body transmits force through it, assess the soft tissues and muscles around the pelvis, and frequently, we recommend a specific examination of the pelvic floor muscles. This can include an external assessment or may include an internal assessment of the muscles.  With so many pelvic health conditions--> from bladder leakage, to prolapse, to pelvic ..read more

This week, I was so honored to be featured on "Bold Journey" to discuss my journey as a clinician and a small business owner! We chatted about self-care- why it matters and my own journey finding the path for me after babies, why I became a pelvic health PT and why I opened Southern Pelvic Health, the 3 qualities that were most important to me in my business journey, and more!  I hope you enjoy the article as you get a little more insight into our journey with SPH. As always, we are grateful for all of you for being a part of our community!  Check Out Bold Journey's Interview Warmly ..read more

As physical therapists, we are movement specialists-- we love movement. And for excellent reasons. Regular movement helps us with all aspects of our health-- from our cardiovascular function, to inflammation, to bowel health, to musculoskeletal health.   For many people, however, getting regular movement can be challenging! They may be working jobs that require long periods of sitting. Perhaps they're taking care of children and exhausted by the end of the day. Or perhaps, they deal with persistent pain difficulties and worry that movement may worsen their symptoms. Life can get in t ..read more

Today, I'm thrilled to share our first video topic deep dive with you! In this video, I'll be joined by Dr. Heather Quaile of the SHOW center. Heather is an incredible nurse practitioner specializing in women's health, sexual health, and vulvar conditions. We'll be discussing vulvar skin conditions, hormones and how this contributes to painful sex (and vulvar pain in general! Check out the video and let me know what you think!  Vulvar Skin, Hormones & Pain During Sexual Intimacy Don’t Follow Us On Youtube? Check Out Our Growing Channel of Pelvic Health Tips Weekly Tips Pelvic Health T ..read more

Sleep is critically important to many bodily functions. 7-9 hours of sleep each night is recommended for adults to optimize their overall health and well-being. Inadequate or poor sleep has been associated in the research with negative physical and psychological health outcomes. It also can lead to impairments in cognition, memory, and attention. Sleep has also been connected with chronic pain. In this 2014 study, they explored sleep in individuals with chronic low back pain. They found that high quality sleep was often associated with less pain in the next day-- but low quality sleep often le ..read more

Confession: I am a huge anatomy and physiology nerd. I fell in love with studying anatomy and physiology in college, and it still brings me so much joy. Knowledge is power– and the more we understand the body, the better we can understand how to help when it doesn't seem to be working the way we want it to. Today, let's dive in to one of my favorite areas to study: Digestion.  The Down Low On Digestion Many of us think of digestion in a simplified way– we eat, food is processed, nutrients pulled out, and then the colon helps us eliminate the waste. But the reality is that digestion is com ..read more

Today's tip is more of a public service announcement. This past week, after a post on instagram, I received several comments implying that pelvic floor rehabilitation was only for "women" or for "birth-related" needs. This was surprising to me, as honestly, I thought this myth had been busted in the general public years ago. Yet, this confirmed for me that there is still so much misunderstanding around pelvic health. I'm here to clear that up.  Get to know your pelvic floor Muscles First- understand that the pelvic floor muscles are integral muscles in the human body. They are present in ..read more

Did you know that drinking water can be incredibly powerful? When it comes to pelvic health problems and optimizing pelvic health, drinking adequate fluid can be a key component.   Why does water matter that much? Adequate hydration is incredibly important for our bodies. It helps us prevent infection, deliver nutrients to cells throughout our body, optimize organ function, regulate body temperature and control electrolyte balance. For the bladder, adequate hydration allows us to have a dilute urine-- This can ease symptoms of urinary urgency and reduce bladder leakage.  F ..read more

Happy New  Year!!!  I love the New Year. I know not everyone is a fan of resolutions, but for me, the New Year allows a time to pause, reflect, and refocus. Each year, Andrew and I try to dedicate time to reflect on what went well the prior year-- what habits we've developed, what we're proud of-- and then also, what isn't going the way we want. Then, we create our vision for the new year-- what we want it to be like, who we want to be, what we want for our families- for SPH - for our community.  Visualizing Goals We started making "vision boards" on New Year's Eve (Yes, w ..read more

This past weekend, Andrew and I raced the Kiawah Island Half Marathon. This race meant a lot to me, as it was the first race I have completed since my daughters were born… and my oldest is 7. The truth is, it’s not the first time I have tried. When Mary was around 18 months old, we signed up for a 5K. We borrowed a friend’s double jogging stroller so we could bring Emma and Mary with us. I was probably on my 5th or 6th attempt at restarting running and trying to find an exercise routine within the craziness of toddler life. Then, we got to the race, and it started to rain– freezing, icing, Jan ..read more