Pelvic Therapy Specialists: What They Do and When To See One
Dr. Maryssa Steffen, Board-Certified Pelvic Health Clinical Specialist, training a participant in abdominal pressure activation and breath support.
Authored by Dr. Maryssa Steffen, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Women’s Health Clinical Specialist
Are You Looking for a Pelvic Therapy Specialist?
Have you seen multiple providers for your symptoms—chiropractors, physical or occupational therapists, medical doctors, urogynecologists, colorectal surgeons, nurse practitioners, acupuncturists, primary care providers—and you still experience pelvic symptoms without fully understanding why?
Do you have multiple symptoms, not just one?
Do you have a history of a complicated intervention, such as surgery, injury, or birth trauma?
Do you have other medical conditions that need to be managed alongside your physical therapy care?
Has your medical doctor referred you to a specific expert clinician?
If so, you may benefit from working with a pelvic health specialist.
How to Know You’re Working With a Pelvic Therapy Specialist
You can be confident you are working with a pelvic therapy specialist if your provider is an American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s/Pelvic Health (WCS).
This certification indicates that a licensed physical therapist has demonstrated advanced clinical knowledge, extensive experience, and specialty-level proficiency beyond entry-level physical therapy, specifically in pelvic and women’s health.
The ABPTS WCS certification recognizes advanced expertise in treating people across the lifespan, including pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and other pelvic and gender-specific health concerns.
What Makes a Pelvic Floor Specialist Different From Other Providers?
The physical therapy profession has changed dramatically over the past 10–20 years. If you were told physical therapy “didn’t help” decades ago, it’s important to know that education, training, and evidence-based practice have evolved significantly.
Since January 2016, all graduates of accredited physical therapy programs in the U.S. earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT). This reflects the complexity of modern patient care and the depth of clinical reasoning required.
After earning a doctorate, passing national licensure exams, and practicing clinically, a physical therapist may pursue advanced specialization in a focused population—such as pelvic health.
To become a pelvic floor specialist, a physical therapist must complete:
At least 2,000 hours of direct pelvic health patient care
A rigorous specialty examination
Ongoing education and reassessment through the Maintenance of Specialty Certification (MOSC) process
Board certification reflects a nationally recognized standard of clinical excellence.
What Does a Pelvic Health Specialist Treat?
A pelvic health specialist evaluates how pelvic floor function interacts with posture, breathing, movement, nervous system resourcing, and daily habits. Common conditions include:
Pelvic organ prolapse
Urinary urgency, frequency, or leakage
Constipation, hemorrhoids, fissures, fistulas, rectal pain, and abdominal bloating
Persistent pelvic, low back, or hip pain lasting longer than six months
Myofascial pelvic pain and trigger points
Tailbone pain that affects sitting, bowel movements, or sexual function
Pain with penetrative sex, including vaginismus and dyspareunia
Vulvodynia and vestibulodynia
Sexual dysfunction related to pelvic floor coordination, arousal, or orgasm
Pelvic nerve symptoms related to birth trauma, surgery, or injury
Pelvic pain is rarely isolated to one structure. A pelvic therapy specialist looks at the whole movement system and the interactions of all of your systems, to understand why symptoms persist.
What to Expect When Working With a Pelvic Floor Specialist
Skilled Manual Therapy
This may include myofascial mobilization, joint mobilization, nerve glides, visceral fascial work, and—when appropriate—internal pelvic floor therapy. All care is consensual, paced to you, and explained thoroughly.
Movement, Breathing, and Intra-Abdominal Pressure Management
Pelvic health specialists assess how you manage intra-abdominal pressure during breathing, posture, lifting, and movement. This is foundational for pelvic organ support, continence, and pain reduction.
Pelvic Floor Coordination (Not Just Strengthening)
Pelvic floor therapy focuses on coordination, relaxation, endurance, and timing, not just squeezing. Biofeedback may be used when helpful.
Individualized Education
Education may include bladder training, bowel strategies, toileting positioning, sustainable movement habits, dilator guidance, lubrication options, and home practices that fit your life.
Many of these services can be provided in person or via Telehealth, depending on your needs.
How a Pelvic Therapy Specialist Fits Into Your Care Team
There are many valid paths toward pelvic health. Chiropractors, physicians, acupuncturists, psychotherapists, surgeons, and body-based practitioners may all play important roles.
A pelvic therapy specialist is uniquely trained to integrate movement, pelvic floor function, and nervous system regulation, and to collaborate with your existing providers to maximize your long term outcomes.
By the end of your first visit, you should understand:
What pelvic factors may be contributing to your symptoms
Why those factors matter for your body
How to begin caring for them safely and effectively
How to Find a Pelvic Health Specialist
You can verify credentials through provider bios or by asking directly.
If you are seeking cash-based pelvic physical therapy and have out-of-network benefits, working with a pelvic floor specialist may be a good fit.
Reference:
https://specialization.apta.org/about-abpts
