By Selena Levine

If you’ve never been to a physiotherapist before, you’ll likely have some questions about how to best prepare for your appointment. Even if you’ve been to a physiotherapist before, you may never have seen a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist. So I am here to walk you through the process of a PhysioExcellence assessment, and help you through any apprehension you may have. 

To begin with, as the patient coordinator, I will send you some forms to collect relevant personal information about you and your medical history. Along with this, please bring any reports from special investigations or testing such as urodynamic or MRI reports. Don’t worry if you don’t have these documents handy—we can always request them from your MD at a later time. You may also want to bring with you a change of clothes like a tank top and shorts if your main concerns are hips, back or shoulder.

Your initial assessment is one-on-one in a private room. It will be approximately 60 minutes with your Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist. Follow up visits will be determined during your assessment, as they are catered to your particular needs. Generally, follow up sessions range between 30 to 40 minutes per session. We highly recommend booking your appointments ahead of time to ensure your preferred time.

Depending on your injury, your assessment may also include an internal pelvic assessment. An internal pelvic assessment is the best way to properly assess what is happening with the muscles, organs and connective tissue in the pelvis. The Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist can assess tone and strength, prolapse and function. This exam may be highly recommended for your particular problem. However, if you are uncomfortable with this type of assessment, speak with your Physiotherapist about the pros and cons for you. Together you can decide if it is something that can wait, something that really should be done sooner, or if you can be successfully treated with the many external treatment options we have available. You can always grant or remove consent at any time during your treatments.

There isn’t much to prepare for the internal assessment:  you will be asked to undress from the waist down, but we provide gowns for you to change into if you so choose. Many women opt to just wear their skirts. Your comfort is of the utmost importance to us, so you will always be draped to your comfort level.

And finally, are you concerned about childcare while at your appointment? Don’t be! PhysioExcellence welcomes you to bring your baby with you for your appointment, and you can even nurse during certain treatment techniques.

Our goal at PhysioExcellence is to make you feel comfortable, while providing you with the best possible care. If you still have concerns about your assessment, please be sure to contact our office with any questions, or refer to our FAQ page. 

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