Exploring Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy w/ Special Guest Dr. Amanda Olson

On today’s episode of the Period Chats Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Amanda Olson! Amanda is a dedicated physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor disorders including pelvic pain, incontinence and pregnancy related issues, as well as the cofounder of the Intimate Rose product line. Amanda finished her doctorate degree in physical therapy and then found herself severely injured from a bad cliff jumping incident. With injuries on her pelvic floor, hips, back and more, she experienced relief from PT, and now she’s been focusing on pelvic floor PT for 14 years and counting. One in three vagina owners will struggle with pelvic floor issues, so it’s very common. And people with penises can experience pelvic floor dysfunction as well, because certain cancers, traumas or injuries can effect the muscular structure. So what exactly is the pelvic floor? It’s a group of muscles that support certain organs, for example someone’s bladder, uterus, vagina and rectum. These muscles form a sling at the very base of your pelvis, and also include tendons, nerves, blood vessels and fascia. When they’re functioning well, they relax at appropriate times, and close and contract at other times. This complex group of muscles needs to be strong, but also well-coordinated and flexible. Unfortunately, life can sometimes throw this coordination off. For example: giving birth, trauma, stress, injuries, accidents, and disease processes like that of endometriosis. And when the coordination is thrown off, occupational therapy can really help retrain this muscle group and alleviate a myriad of issues. Amanda and I talk about common misconceptions about pelvic floor therapy, what healthy goals might look like for someone who is experiencing pelvic floor pain, what health insurance plans typically do for this type of treatment, and a pretty huge list of conditions it can help. Amanda also gives us some examples of what sessions at her clinic often look like, which may put some of us who are considering it at ease. I was so grateful to have this conversation with Amanda and hear about more ways that our community can take care of ourselves, and nurture health and healing in our bodies. Make sure you give Amanda a follow on Insta: @AaolsonDPT And check out her company here: www.IntimateRose.com Facebook, Instagram and TikTok: Intimate Rose