Search Our Site
Popular Topics
Meet Our Team
About Heather Jeffcoat, DPT | Los Angeles Pelvic Floor Doctor
About Laureen McVicker, PT, CLT
About Kasia Gondek, PT, DPT, CLT, CSCS
About Debbie Dy, PT, DPT
About Anna Larson, DPT
About Sarah Bellon, PT, DPT, CLT
About Sarina Karwande PT, DPT, CAFS
About Stephany Tritt, PT, DPT
About Judielle
About Iris
About Callaghan
About Hannah
About Mary P. Shriver, CMT
About Christina Lindeman
About Mary Beth Kedzior, CMP
Popular Blog Posts
- Yoga Therapy to Ease Prostatitis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Staff 2018-07-23
- Pediatrics and Pelvic Health: Encoporesis, Skid Marks, Poop Accidents, and Constipation Staff 2020-09-24
- Healthy Aging Month: Enjoying Sex With a Bad Back and Hips Staff 2020-09-08
- All About: Tarlov Cyst Staff 2021-08-05
- Finding The Right Personal Lubricant For You Staff 2019-10-30
- How Mindfulness Can Help with Erectile Dysfunction Staff 2021-02-11
- Pediatric Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Staff 2018-08-06
- Nonbacterial Prostatitis: Chronic Pelvic Pain in Men Staff 2018-07-05
- Why You Should STOP Doing Kegels NOW Heather Jeffcoat, DPT 2014-09-29
- Why do my testicles hurt? Staff 2019-07-02
- Evidence-Based Recommendations for Managing Prostatitis Related Pain: Healthy Sex and Lifestyle Habits Staff 2018-07-27
- Histamines and Chronic Pelvic Pain, Chronic Prostatitis - the Connection Staff 2021-01-29
- What are Kegels? Heather Jeffcoat, DPT 2014-09-04
- Pelvic Floor Therapy for Pubic Symphysis Pain Staff 2020-02-29
- Male Pelvic Pain: What You Should Do If You Have a "Headache in Your Pelvis" Staff 2020-09-17
- Why you should be doing Kegels RIGHT NOW! Heather Jeffcoat, DPT 2014-09-08
- Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for Hemorrhoids and Anal Fissures - How it Can Help Sarina Karwande PT, DPT, CAFS 2023-08-28
- Evidence-Based Recommendations for Managing Prostatitis Related Pelvic Pain Staff 2018-07-19
- Male Dysorgasmia: When Sex Hurts Kasia Gondek, PT, DPT, CSCS 2022-03-01
- What’s Up Down There, Doc? Heather Jeffcoat, DPT 2015-05-10
Media Appearances by Heather Jeffcoat, DPT on Physical Therapy's Role in Pelvic Floor Health, Chronic Pain and General Conditioning
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT has been a featured writer in a number of print publications, and her increasing recognition as a leading expert in her field has resulted in appearances on "Loveline with Mike and Dr. Drew", Popsugar, Health, Cosmo, ABC and more. The demand for her expertise is on the rise as more and more folks seek to remedy the issues that Heather and her team regularly deal with.
For media inquiries, please use our secure contact form here.
Featured At:
- Details
- Webmaster
- 533
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
How do you know when it's wise to go running after having a baby?
As an expert in the field of all facets of postpartum care, I believe that a measured approach to exercise is vitally important to achieve optimum pelvic health without complications, and Daniella so graciously states in the opening paragraph of her article:
- Details
- Debbie Dy, PT, DPT
- 1190
Debbie Dy, DPT
Looking for Tips for Creating a Morning Stretch Routine? Read On.
It's part of our nature as mammals to feel the urge to stretch when first waking up. Lions, bears, and squirrels all do it too! It gets the blood flowing and helps erase the cobwebs that seem to gather when we're in a deep slumber. So it only makes sense to follow what our bodies are telling us by making a good stretching regimen part of waking up each day.
And as the article says,
Flowing through some gentle movements at the start of your day will not only help to prepare your body for movement — of any kind — but it may also help improve flexibility over time."
- Details
- Kasia Gondek, PT, DPT, CSCS
- 2648
Kasia Gondek, PT, DPT, CSCS Discussing Underrated Exercises You're Probably Not Doing
By K.M. Langevin/Jan. 21, 2021 10:12 am EST
There's no denying that exercise provides lifelong benefits. Studies have confirmed exercise increases longevity and staves off illness (via Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine). And while many likely have a regular exercise habit, others of you might be trying to form a new habit and make exercise a part of your healthy lifestyle.
Either way, incorporating exercise into your life might feel like a relatively easy decision, but determining what underrated exercises you should do might pose questions. This may be especially true if you grew up doing sit-ups or pushups (complete with poor form) in gym class or started working out on Nautilus machines when you first joined a gym.
Just as there are some seriously overrated exercises, there are some exercises that are underrated — many of which can help us address modern-day challenges. While one may help you minimize stress, another can relieve muscular tension. "[We] can combat pain found in the body by easily exercising certain muscles we typically wouldn't think to," Nate Ho, fitness director of the UFC GYM in Mililani, Hawaii told Health Digest. Here's a look at some of the best and seriously underrated exercises to try.
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 1855
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
The Roll Recovery R1 Packs a Mighty Punch in a Small Package
Massage guns have been around for a few years now, and they just keep improving in design and capabilities. The Roll Recovery R1 massage gun is a great example because of its relatively small size that still packs enough power to be quite effective for most purposes. As Ashley states in the opening paragraph:
If pummelling your muscles with a percussive device doesn’t sound relaxing, you haven’t tried the Roll Recovery R1 massage gun yet. A smaller version of these popular handheld tools, which are now ubiquitous in gyms, boutique studios, physical therapy offices and, of course, social media, it puts the ability for an on-the-go massage right in your own hands.
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 3221
Heather Jeffcoat
There are a number of reasons why you might want to include the classic wall sit into your exercise routine
But did you know that there are variations that can really target certain muscle groups to strengthen your hips and pelvic floor?
Here are some of the facts and science that can really help you maximize the effectiveness of this simple exercise.
1. It Can Train Your Pelvic Floor
The article begins by highlighting some reasons why adding a resistance band into your routine can help:
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 1438
Heather Jeffcoat on Constipation Tips From a Pelvic Floor Therapist
(Because They Know A Lot About How You Poop)
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
Constipation tips that can help when you, and your colon, are in a pinch
Your pelvic floor is integral to staying regular. In case you’re unfamiliar, the pelvic floor is a hammock-like group of muscles that sit in your pelvis and support the bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. These muscles are responsible for a number of bodily functions, not only controlling when you pee and poop, but also for pleasure during sex. Furthermore, your pelvic floor can be both the cause and solution to constipation.
- Details
- Kasia Gondek, PT, DPT, CSCS
- 1909
Applying the Principle of Specificity for Exercise Can Reap Huge Benefits
Whether you’re looking to improve athletic performance, increase skill level, or boost overall fitness, applying the principle of specificity can help you get the results you need in a timely manner.
While specificity is only one training principle, it is a critical component of any comprehensive athletic program or fitness routine. Here, we take a closer look at the principle of specificity, how it’s applied, its pros and cons, and how it compares to cross-training.
- Details
- Staff
- 1503
Beware of Chronically Sucking In Your Tummy
Many people are probably familiar with sucking in their stomach, either to get into a tight pair of pants or to contort their stomach to appear smaller. The truth is that there's nothing wrong with having a stomach of any shape, and when it comes to chronically sucking your tum in, your anatomy isn't really into the action.
"Chronically sucking in your tummy means continuously activating your upper abdominal muscles to make your stomach look flatter," says Chelsea Waldkirch, PT, DPT, a pelvic floor therapist at the New Jersey-based Renew Physical Therapy. "Gripping or squeezing your upper ab muscles changes the function of your core, pelvic floor, and breathing strategies."
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 917
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
If Your Large Chest Causes Back Pain, Here Are Some Tips
Physical therapist-approved, including from our own Heather Jeffcoat
For most women with large breasts, the relationship between cup size, back pain, and posture problems is unsurprising. You might often have neck and shoulder aches to prove it. However, it might be validating to know you’re not alone (because you’re totally not).
A 2020 study published in Women’s Health London surveyed 269 women with varying bra band and cup sizes. They found that participants were more likely to report breast-related back pain with every increased cup size. This means that as they climbed from A to B to DD and beyond, respondents were 13 percent more likely to experience pain.
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 1028
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
If You Are Tired of Waking Up to Pee at Night, We've Got Some Answers
Getting up to pee during the night can be super disorienting. It turns out that it can give you some insight into your health. To be clear: Getting up to go to pee every once in a while is perfectly fine, according to Heather Jeffcoat, DPT , Fusion Wellness & Femina Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, California. But if you're waking up to pee (and you're not on medication like a diuretic) it might help to examine what's going on.
People can develop nocturia for a whole host of reasons. Some of the reasons, according to Dr. Jeffcoat, are mechanical or based on the literal musculature function of the bladder and pelvic floor.
- Details
- Kasia Gondek, PT, DPT, CSCS
- 830
Want to Know More About Biodegradable Yoga Mats? Read On.
During a powerful flow, your yoga mat does more than merely protect you from slipping and absorb your perspiration. According to Vinita Laroia, a 300 RYT-certified yoga and meditation instructor with over 20 years of experience, “unrolling and stepping upon it sends a signal to our brain and body that it’s time to calm down.” When you consider that you will be touching your yoga mat every time you practise, make an informed decision. Comfort and balance are influenced by materials, durability, thickness, non-slip grip, and other small design changes amongst mats.
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 2092
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
Insider Reveals 8 Conditions That Could be Causing You Pelvic Pain
And how to treat each one
Many people live with pelvic pain, which affects the lowest part of the abdomen between the belly button and the groin. The pain can range from mild to severe, and its intensity might fluctuate over time.
You can often treat minor pelvic pain at home with a heating pad, warm bath, or OTC medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 1993
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
Foam Roller Exercises to Improve Mobility
Reduce inflammation and improve flexibility with these 8 exercises for women.
If you’ve never invested in a foam roller — commonly found at sporting goods stores for 20 to 40 bucks — you’re doing your muscles a major disservice. Regularly using a foam roller offers many of the same benefits as a sports massage, including reduced inflammation, scar tissue and joint stress, as well as improved circulation and improved flexibility.
Foam rolling helps with increasing muscle flexibility and joint range of motion, especially when used in conjunction with an active warm-up routine,”
says Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, certified facial stretch therapist and owner of Los Angeles–based Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy.
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 1102
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
Experts Chime in on 7 Golden Rules for a Healthier Pee
They say another year older, another year wiser.
But when it comes to how to pee correctly, it seems we're all perpetual students of Water Closet 101. (Case in point: Every public bathroom, ever.) Over the years at Well+Good, we've collected an endless stream of tips for achieving what some call "the perfect pee"—and (you're welcome) we've finally collected them all in once place.
Below, you'll find the hottest advice from urologists and pelvic floor therapists nationwide about being number one at going (I hate myself) number one. You'll learn why you should stop power peeing, whether or not it's actually necessary to squat in public restrooms, and the truth about relieving yourself in the shower. Mentally prepare yourself, because there's sure to be some reality-shaking realizations ahead.
- Details
- Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
- 1126
Here is a brief synopsis of the article, along with a link to the full article below.
Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
Take a look at these essential items for working from anywhere
What to pack so you can work—without a hitch—from anywhere in the world
With more employers embracing fully remote and hybrid operations, people now are freer than ever to choose where they log their hours. Some are even giving working from anywhere a try for the first time.
That’s something I have plenty of experience with. I was a digital nomad for more than a year before the pandemic, and in the last several years I’ve done my fair share of working from planes, trains, cars, Airbnbs, and hotels—from the far-flung mountains of Otavalo, Ecuador, to the shores of mid-coastal Maine.
No matter your destination, if you’re considering taking your work-from-home office on the road, here are the top 14 essential items for working from anywhere you should pack.