During your first session, your therapist will ask specific questions to get to the root cause of your symptoms. Based on this information, she will recommend the exam she wishes to proceed with. You’ll always be asked for permission to perform any portion of the exam. Your comfort is vital for positive outcomes, and your therapist will always discuss the plan thoroughly beforehand, with all questions welcomed. It is always the intention to incorporate treatment into the first session and spend time together practicing the most appropriate home exercise plan before you leave the office.

An internal exam can be the best way to directly assess pelvic muscle strength and the root cause of any pain you are experiencing; however, an internal exam is never required and will only be completed if you are completely comfortable with it. Your therapist will always discuss the options with you and allow you to select the exam and treatments that you are most comfortable with performing and/or receiving at the time.

Yes! Please do! Physical therapy by nature is centered around the ultimate goal of applying change to muscles so that the outcomes truly stick. This takes consistency and frequency, especially as the start of care. We strongly recommend booking 3-4 follow up sessions (once/week) when you book online and will adjust our frequency of PT visits as needed based on the plan established together during our evaluation. Because we carry a busy schedule, waiting to schedule follow ups until after our first session often leads to large gaps in care. Consistency with PT is so important when it comes to lasting goal achievement!

Absolutely not. It does not matter if you have given birth, do Crossfit, or are post-menopausal- leaking urine or stool is never normal. Pelvic floor PT will address these issues!

No. Actually please don’t! Your symptoms may be the result of pelvic floor muscle weakness, but poor pelvic floor muscle function is often a more complex situation involving coordination issues, fatigue, overactive pelvic floor muscles or other musculoskeletal imbalances stemming anywhere from your foot to your core. Kegels can make your symptoms worse and should never be prescribed without a thorough physical examination by a licensed provider. Your therapist will perform a full exam during your first session and recommend the most appropriate exercises with your targeted needs in mind. 

Certainly not. As a 16 year practicing Doctor of Physical Therapy with a laser focus on pelvic floor therapy for 10 years, Cheryl’s level of experience is unrivaled in Bozeman. She has provided mentorship to many practicing pelvic floor PTs in Gallatin Valley.

Cheryl started this practice with the intention of providing patients of all ages and genders with an unparalleled skill-set, realistic and available scheduling options, and a functional approach to strengthening (beyond Kegels!) She is the only PT in the state with both CAPP-OB (prenatal) and CAPP-Pelvic designations from the American Physical Therapy Association. Cheryl’s personal ethos: every treatment is a reassessment of progress toward your goals, treat every patient like a member of my family, and always exceed expectations.

Montana Pelvic Health- IYKYK.

The answer to this question is “it depends”, but you should expect to see a positive change in symptoms within 5-6 visits or less.

If the idea of checking into your PT appointment at a big, loud, hectic gym space sounds uncomfortable and overstimulating, then you’ve come to the right place. Montana Pelvic Health is a small practice with a single PT provider. The clinic is centrally located in Belgrade, has a pleasant waiting area, and the treatment space has been designed specifically to enhance the experience of patients with pelvic health concerns. Cheryl’s expertise is focused solely on pelvic health and the space reflects that. You will leave the clinic feeling relaxed, intently listened to, and most importantly, better than you did when you walked in.

Yes. Menses does not affect the exam or treatment whatsoever. Your therapist is sensitive to the hormonal fluctuations and cyclical inflammation associated with menstruation, and it can be a great opportunity to observe the changes you experience during this phase to better recommend your plan for self care.

Yes! Partners are always welcome, especially if they have an interest in supporting your care and learning more about your symptoms. Partners can always serve as a chaperone for internal exam/treatment when desired. Kids and babies are always welcome. Consider bringing along a treasured toy, activity and/or snack to keep older kids occupied so that you can focus on your care during your treatment time.

Pelvic floor PT is physical therapy and therefore medical coverage is consistent with that. Montana Pelvic Health is in network with a most insurance payers and the details of your member benefits can easily be obtained by calling your plan before your first PT session. If you plan on using insurance for PT sessions, please fill out the insurance info document (sent via emailed link) at least 24 hours prior to your first session so that your therapist can confirm in-network status.

For more information or further questions/concerns please do not hesitate to call, text or email directly. We will get back to you same day if at all possible! Call or text 406-404-8012 or send an email to Cheryl@montanapelvichealth.com