Episode 20: Pelvic Floor In-Depth with Stephanie Prendergast, MPT

In this episode, Sarah interviews Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist Stephanie Predergast, co-founder of the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center, about everything and anything pelvic floor related. Stephanie also answers your questions from Instagram! Here’s what we cover:

Understanding the mechanics and function of the pelvic floor and how it’s different than other muscles in the body
Why strengthening your pelvic floor is not always the goal and how it might make your incontinence symptoms worse
The difference between stress incontinence and urge incontinence
Why dyspurnia (painful sex) and vulvodynia (vulvar pain) are treatable but might get misdiagnosed as an ‘incurable disease’
When pelvic floor muscular dysfunction gets misdiagnosed as a UTI, depending on which kind of practitioner you see
The efficacy and safety of hormone therapy for menopause symptoms according to NAMS (North American Menopause Society)
What is GSM (Genitourinary Symptoms of Menopause) and how is it treatable
Pelvic floor concerns for people with male genitalia, a chronically underserved population
Why people with low back or hip pain very often have an underlying pelvic floor issue
What are some signs that a movement teacher can look out for with their clients to indicate they may need to see a pelvic floor specialist (and a screening questionnaire included below)
What is the female pelvic triad and how teenage athletes may need help