Hello, I'm Lauren. I'm a physical therapy doctoral student at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos. If you've been in CTS in the last few weeks you've probably seen me treating patients with Elizabeth DeLozier and Elizabeth Leeds.

I just wrapped up my 8-week long clinical internship in pelvic physical therapy at CTS, and wanted to take a minute to share a few things I learned with all of you!

1. The way you sit affects your pelvic floor. Running form affects your pelvic floor. Even the shoes you wear can affect your pelvic floor! Did you just sit up taller in your chair and uncross your legs? Great! Increasing awareness of your posture and alignment throughout the day is a key component to correcting pelvic floor dysfunctions.
 

2. Men do kegels too. When I found out that I had been selected for an internship in Pelvic Physical Therapy at CTS, I predicted that the overwhelming majority of my clients would be women. This couldn't be further from the truth. Pelvic pain, urinary and bowel incontinence, diastasis rectus abdominis, erectile dysfunctions, and changes in sexual function are just a few of the many reasons men come to see a pelvic physical therapist.
 

3. Breathing really is as important as your physical therapist says it is. The way we breathe affects our posture, the motility of our gut, and the stability of our spine. Diaphragmatic breathing, or deep breathing, relaxes our muscles and down regulates our nervous system. Coordinating the activity of our pelvic floor with our abdominals and breath is an important way to combat pelvic dysfunctions. So, take a deep breath. Feel your belly rise and rib cage expand. Elongate through the top of your head to grow an inch taller. Get in touch with your breath, and ask your physical therapist how optimizing your breathing plays into your rehabilitation plan.
 

4. Oral birth control pills can contribute to pelvic pain. Yes, you read that right. The health of pelvic tissues can be compromised when hormones get out of sync at any age. The pill can send our levels out of whack. Blood work can identify whether a hormonal imbalance might be contributing to your condition. Want to learn more? Follow this link: https://sexualmed.org/risk-factors/oral-contraceptives-birth-control-pills/
 

5. Community matters. I've worked inside a dozen physical therapy clinics in the last few years as a student, volunteer, and aide. I can genuinely say that the community and support CTS cultivates is unmatched. Expect to receive empathetic and compassionate care from all of the physical therapists on staff. (For the record, my grade was submitted before writing this post!)

Lauren Seligman, SPT

Imagine going to the doctor with symptoms of depression and she hands you a new prescription: Do two sets of squats, 15 bicep curls, 10 laps around the track and call me in the morning. Though this is not (yet) an accurate picture, experts are starting to recognize that regular exercise is not only good for your mood but may help combat depression, too.

Until physicians and other healthcare providers universally prescribe exercise as an alternative treatment for depression, it's best to turn to a group of professionals who are already in the know: physical therapists. PTs are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health illnesses like depression and understand how the disorder can interfere with a person's ability to enjoy life.

An individualized care plan starts with a thorough assessment and detailed patient history so the PT can capture the limitations of the illness and understand the goals the patient would like to achieve. Each custom treatment plan includes some combination of flexibility, strength, coordination and balance exercises designed to achieve optimal physical function and to help shed the layers of depression.

For patients suffering from depression, it can be stressful and overwhelming to think about incorporating exercise into their lives either for the first time or after a long hiatus. Because the illness' symptoms often include fatigue and loss of interest in activities, it can be difficult for patients to take that first step, both literally and figuratively. But physical therapists excel in motivating patients to perform exercises both safely and effectively.

In fact, another bonus of seeing a physical therapist to get started on a new exercise program, is that he's trained to identify other injuries or illnesses that require a special approach.

You don't have to have depression to reap the benefits of exercise. In fact, the mood-boosting pastime can help anyone who might be temporarily sad or otherwise not themselves. Major life stressors - divorce, loss of a job, and death - are difficult for anyone and regular exercise is a great way to help people through a tough time.

With regular exercise, you're guaranteed to see improvements in the following areas:

• Strength and flexibility
• Sleep
• Memory
• Self-confidence
• Energy
• Mood

Even minimal changes in any of these areas could change your outlook on the day and your ability to participate in activities you once enjoyed. So, what are you waiting for?

Article Courtesy of APTA