How To Find A Pelvic Floor PT or OT
In my mind, finding a pelvic floor therapist is a bit like finding a mental health therapist. It’s so important that you have the right fit; that you feel comfortable being vulnerable and discussing topics you don’t discuss with just anyone. Personalities, background, experience and training all play a role in the vibe you get from your therapist. Your healing and progress is going to go so much more smoothly if you trust them.
Who Can Be A Pelvic Floor OT vs PT
When it comes to pelvic health, you are searching for an occupational therapist or physical therapist. We’re both rehab professionals with extra training to specialize in treating pelvic floor dysfunction. There is not one certification that pelvic health therapists need to practice. Instead, there are countless continuing education courses that OTs and PTs take to specialize in certain areas. What makes us unique is our educational background (PT or OT) and the courses we’ve chosen to guide our expertise.
Physical therapists are trained to look at the body; to treat physical dysfunction. Occupational therapists are trained to help people participate in their daily activities by assessing the whole person, their environment, and their routines. I’ve never been to PT school, so I can’t tell you exactly what they learn. But I can tell you what OTs learn!
Occupational Therapists (OTs)
As specialists in activities of daily living, we are the experts when it comes to peeing, pooping, sex, and how your body moves throughout each part of your day. It doesn’t sound flattering, but it means we’re a perfect fit for anyone struggling with birth injuries, incontinence, urgency, painful sex, difficulty orgasming, etc.
We’re trained in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and biomechanics. Those are fancy words for assessing your physical body in a functional way. What is causing the pain, imbalance, or problem in the context of how you move throughout your day?
We also have a background in mental health and trauma informed training. This is invaluable when you consider the statistics of sexual assault and birth trauma.
We break down tasks and help you achieve them in a more manageable and pain-free way.
We collaborate to build your exercises into your daily routine. YOU lead the plan of care.
At our foundation, we’re educators. We teach you about pelvic health and help you get in tune with your body. We’re never going to “fix you”. (I’d call it a red flag if any provider claims they will).
Our job description is literally to help you participate in meaningful activities and improve your quality of life.
How To Find A Pelvic Floor PT or OT
Google tends to be everyone’s first choice to find just about anything they’re looking for. And it’s a great option, but we also recommend personal references from friends, family members, and other providers you trust. There are also a few sites you can use to find pelvic health providers: motherfigure , pelvicrehab, and pelvicguru to name a few.
As a side note, we’ve worked with a lot of clients who have seen other pelvic floor therapists and didn’t meet their goals. There’s nothing wrong with the previous therapists - it likely just wasn’t a good fit. Or those therapists were practicing in a large healthcare organization that was driven by insurance and productivity. When practitioners see 10+ clients a day for 30 minutes each, it’s really hard to provide the individualized treatment and time necessary for each person to get better. We know this because we’ve been there. Keep this in mind if you’re booking with a large practice.
Do You Need A Referral?
Referral requirements depend on your state. Every state has its own practice act for licensed occupational therapists and physical therapists which determines whether or not you need a referral from your doctor. In Colorado, you do not need a referral. This means that you can book an appointment with an OT or PT and see them as you see fit. However, some insurance companies require a referral in order to cover services in network or to reimburse you for services out of network. This is always a great question to ask your insurance company before booking. Working with a therapist that takes your insurance vs. an out of network therapist is a topic for another day, so stay tuned.
Questions To Ask On A Discovery Call
Just like we recommend shopping around for the right birth provider, we recommend shopping around for the right pelvic floor therapist. First, it’s a good idea to ask them if they have experience working with your diagnosis or concern. If they do, you can ask what treatment tends to look like and what they will do to help you achieve your goals. You can also ask how many sessions they typically work with clients with your diagnosis before they start to see improvement or meet their goals. How long are their sessions? Are they in or out of network with your insurance?
Finding the Right Professional for Pelvic Floor Therapy
Every therapist has their own approach based on their educational background, continuing education courses, personal experience, personality and preferred specialty. As OTs, we like to say that our “special sauce” includes a comprehensive perspective of our clients as whole people. We’re not just looking at your physical body. We’ll ask about your daily habits and routines, your birth experiences, your stress and anxiety level, your sleep and nutrition, your goals and dreams. There are PTs who do this as well.
So, the question isn’t OT vs PT. The question is which therapist is going to help you meet your goals based on your background and goals and their training and approach. At the very least, we recommend you book a discovery call before you choose your therapist so you have an idea of what to expect at your pelvic therapy appointment. You can both decide if it’s a good fit! If you’re local to Denver, you can book a discovery call with us.
Written by: Dr. Courtney Trocinski