Transgender Physical Therapy

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Gender-Affirming Care

Pelvic floor therapy provides a space where you can talk openly about your concerns without judgment. Your pelvic floor muscles and how they function are greatly influenced by your nervous system. The muscles can hold a lot of tension, particularly if someone has experienced a lot of stress, dysphoria, or had a difficult relationship with their body. To address the pelvic floor, treatment can include: education about your anatomy, relaxation techniques, coordination training, and hands-on manual work when appropriate. Our goal is gender affirming pelvic care: meeting you where you are and working toward the goals that matter to you.

You do not need to be having surgery to benefit from pelvic floor therapy. Your pelvic floor health is part of your overall health; taking care of it can be part of taking care of yourself during your transition. Every patient deserves pelvic health care that is knowledgeable and affirming. Whether you are working through pelvic pain, navigating a recovery, or preparing for a surgery, pelvic floor therapy can be a valuable resource to your care and overall pelvic health.

Pelvic floor therapy: before and after bottom surgery

If you are preparing for gender affirming bottom surgery, pelvic floor therapy can be a helpful resource. Prior to surgery, we help to set expectations for surgery and post-operatively and prepare the pelvic floor. Afterward, we aid in recovery, with recommendations depending on the type of surgery and the surgeon’s post-op instructions.

Prior to surgery, therapy focuses on teaching you how your pelvic floor works, how to contract it, but more importantly, how to relax it. During this time, we will also address existing pelvic pain, bowel, bladder, or sexual function issues.

Postoperatively, pelvic therapy helps you to gradually return to comfortable movement and function while adhering to your surgical precautions and allowing your body to heal. Treatment includes addressing scar mobility, pelvic floor coordination training, pelvic pain, returning optimal bowel and bladder function, and tips for gradually returning to sexual activity. For vaginoplasty, we work on dilator training, with a slow progression through the healing process. For a phalloplasty, treatment focuses on addressing pelvic pain, bowel/ bladder function, and sexual function as appropriate

“From the first phone call to every therapy experience I have been treated with great respect, my questions answered quickly and accurately and with discretion. My complicated medical situation is improving after only 4 sessions. Highly recommend the clinic in NYC.”