A picture of a mother doing pelvic floor exercises while holding her toddler.

Ask the Expert: Pelvic Floor Therapy

with Judy Sass-Senter, DPT, CLT/MLD, ACSM

If you’re experiencing pain, discomfort or incontinence, Ashe Memorial Hospital’s Rehabilitation Services Department is here to help. Through pelvic floor physical therapy, we can help treat patients with dysfunction in the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor muscles may become weak, tight or spastic because of disuse, surgery or trauma, among other causes.

“Our pelvic floor health is essential to our quality of life,” says Dr. Judy Saas-Senter, a physical therapist and certified pelvic floor specialist for Ashe Memorial Hospital. “We treat each person individually and as a whole person. Let’s move forward together.”

What do pelvic floor therapists treat?

You might be surprised to find out that we treat pelvic and/or low abdominal pain. We treat urinary incontinence (urine leakage). We treat pelvic prolapse (when some of the organs pushed back by your pelvic floor start to lower into the pelvic vaginal cavity). We treat symptoms related to pregnancy and birth. Some pelvic floor therapists treat men and women while others only treat one gender. Give us a call, and we can refer you to the appropriate therapist.

What should I know about a pelvic floor evaluation?

We do internal exams similar to an OBGYN when appropriate, but we don't always need to do an internal exam. Rarely do we do an internal exam on day one unless you ask for that. Our occupational and physical therapists have taken extra class work specific to the pelvic floor for treatment and exams to provide this care for you.

Do I need treatment if I only pee or leak urine every once in a while?

Getting a pelvic floor physical therapist or occupational therapist to do an evaluation and several treatments can prevent future more intense urinary leakage later. You could have exercises that are specific to your body given to you by a therapist who has measured your movements. We can also give you information that can help prevent future issues if that is right for you. Call to make an appointment with a therapist with or without a provider referral. We can help guide you from there.

Do I need treatment if I just wake up one time a night to pee?

Yes. This is often the first sign of pelvic floor disfunctions and the last symptom to clear up. Treating this symptom early can prevent other urinary issues later.

What would you like people to know about pelvic floor issues?

"You're not alone," Saas-Senter says. "Many people are not talking about it, but pelvic floor issues and pelvic floor treatment is common. The therapists at Ashe Memorial Hospital are passionate about taking away this stigma. Pelvic floor issues affect every part of your life and just because you were pregnant or not pregnant doesn't mean you have to just deal with it."

Pelvic Floor Therapy Indicators:

• Pelvic floor prolapse (grade I-III)
• Urinary frequency
• Functional incontinence
• Urge incontinence
• Nocturia
• Diastasis
• Pregnancy
• Postpartum Care
• Pelvic floor pain
• Analgesia
• Non-relaxing pelvic floor
• Low back pain
• Hip pain

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call our Rehabilitation Services department at 336-846-0833.

About Judy Saas-Senter, DPT, CLT/MLD, ACSM



Judy Saas-Senter moved to the mountains in 2013 and is married to Ashe County native Travis Senter. She and her husband currently reside in Ashe County with their daughter. She enjoys staying active and is passionate about family, yoga, light running, golf and aquatic activities. You can often find her in the gym or yoga studio, playing with her daughter, hiking, on the river, gardening, cooking or skiing. Judy loves being a part of the community whether it's going to the farmers market, showing up at a local 5k, volunteering with a race, attending community events or volunteering at Heart of the Husky. She believes in a well-balanced lifestyle and hopes to help patients find a balance that works for them. In doing so, she tries to stay current with the latest research and takes a variety of continuing education courses in hopes of providing her community with a well-rounded treatment that they would receive at a larger hospital system.

Education:
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
-Bachelor of Sciences in Exercise Sports Science and Dietary, 2005.
• Elon University
-Doctorate of Physical Therapy, 2011

Clinical Interest/Specialties:
• CVA
• Vestibular rehab
• Balance
• Geriatrics
• Pediatrics
• Acute Care/Inpatient
• Return to Sport
• Orthopedic Injuries
• Lymphedema
• Women's Health (Pelvic Floor Level 1)
• Whole body awareness