One-on-one pelvic floor physical therapy for women and men in Chicago, for leaking, urgency, pelvic pain, bowel problems, sexual dysfunction, and the core and hip issues that standard rehab can miss.
Pelvic floor symptoms are common, but they are not something you have to live with. At Free Body Physical Therapy, every pelvic floor visit is a full 45 minutes, one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and pelvic floor care is available at both of our Chicago locations. In Illinois, most patients can book an evaluation without a physician referral.
What Is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of the pelvis. It supports the bladder and bowel, helps control continence, plays a role in sexual function, and works with your deep core and hips every time you move. Like any muscle group, it can become weak, overly tight, or poorly coordinated.
Pelvic floor physical therapy identifies which of those problems is driving your symptoms and treats it directly. That distinction matters, because the right plan for a tight pelvic floor looks very different from the right plan for a weak one. Generic advice like “just do Kegels” often misses the actual problem.
Signs Pelvic Floor PT Could Help
Pelvic floor problems do not always look like pelvic floor problems. These are some of the most common reasons patients come to us:
Leaking
Urine leaking with a cough, sneeze, laugh, lift, or workout, or after prostate surgery.
Urgency and Frequency
A constant need to go, or trouble making it to the bathroom in time.
Pelvic Pain
Pain in the pelvis, perineum, or genitals, with sitting, with intercourse, or with no clear trigger.
Bowel Problems
Constipation, straining, incomplete emptying, bowel accidents, or pain with bowel movements.
Sexual Dysfunction
Painful sex, erectile dysfunction, or ejaculatory problems.
Pressure or Heaviness
A feeling of pelvic pressure or heaviness, often worse at the end of the day.
Tailbone Pain
Pain when sitting or leaning back in a chair, or when moving from sitting to standing.
Lingering Back or Hip Pain
Low back, hip, or SI joint pain and core weakness that never fully resolved with standard rehab.
Pelvic Floor Care for Women and Men
Women’s Pelvic Health
Dr. Marissa Nemec’s women’s pelvic floor physical therapy covers leaking, prolapse, painful sex, postpartum recovery, and the pelvic changes of perimenopause and menopause, at our Division Street clinic.
Men’s Pelvic Health
Dr. Tyler Uttech and Dr. Michal Czesny provide men’s pelvic floor physical therapy for erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory disorders, prostatectomy care, bowel problems, and pelvic pain, at both of our locations.
When Pelvic Floor Is Hiding Inside an Orthopedic Problem
If you have done physical therapy for low back pain, hip pain, SI joint dysfunction, or persistent core instability and you still don’t feel right, your pelvic floor may be part of the story.
Every clinician at Free Body screens for this during orthopedic evaluations. When it shows up, we refer you internally to one of our pelvic health physical therapists instead of sending you to start over at a new clinic.
What to Expect
45 Minutes, One-on-One
Every visit is a full 45 minutes with your physical therapist, never an aide or a technician.
A Clear Plan
Your first visit includes a detailed history, a movement and strength assessment, and hands-on treatment when appropriate. You leave with a working diagnosis and a clear plan.
Where to Find Us
Women’s pelvic floor appointments are at our Division Street clinic. Men’s pelvic health appointments are available at both locations.
Pelvic Floor PT FAQs
Do I need a referral?
Most patients do not need a referral to book an evaluation. Illinois is a direct access state, which means patients with commercial insurance plans like Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna, as well as cash-pay patients, can schedule directly. Medicare has specific requirements for physician involvement in your care, so if you have Medicare, please call us, and we will walk you through what is needed for your visits to be covered.
What does it cost?
We are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Medicare. Call either location, and we will verify your benefits before your first visit. Every visit is a full 45 minutes, one-on-one with your physical therapist.
Is an internal exam required?
In women’s pelvic care, an internal exam is sometimes the most useful assessment, but it is never required. Many conditions can be treated effectively through external work alone. Dr. Nemec will explain what an internal exam would add to your care, and the choice is always yours.
How do I know if my symptoms are pelvic floor related?
Leaking, urgency, pelvic pain, bowel changes, sexual dysfunction, and back or hip pain that has not responded to standard rehab can all involve the pelvic floor. An evaluation is the most reliable way to find out, and every Free Body clinician screens for pelvic floor involvement during orthopedic evaluations.
Book a Pelvic Floor Evaluation
One-on-one, 45-minute care at Division Street or Belmont Avenue. Most patients can schedule directly, and we will verify your insurance before your first visit.