Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth offers a comprehensive treatment approach to women's health — including urinary incontinence, pre- and post-pregnancy musculoskeletal disorders, pelvic pain, osteoporosis, post mastectomy care, and lymphedema management.

Our program provides individualized treatment options for each patient. Through specialized training in women's health physical therapy, our therapists have achieved high levels of clinical expertise and are committed to providing quality, research-based treatments to help you achieve your therapy goals.

Incontinence

• "Coughing, sneezing or just standing up causes me to have an accident."
• "I get up and go to the bathroom three or four times a night."

Urinary incontinence is characterized by an involuntary loss of urine. The problem may become more severe with age, but it is not considered a normal part of aging. The causes vary and may include:

• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Pelvic muscle weakness
• Menopause

Symptoms include urine leakage with coughing, sneezing or laughing, urgency to urinate whether or not the bladder is full, multiple trips to the bathroom day or night and fear of not being able to control the bladder. Physical therapy treatment may include pelvic floor exercise, biofeedback training, body mechanics education and relaxation techniques.

Pre- and Post-Pregnancy

• "'I'm having a hard time standing or sitting very long because my back hurts."
• "My abdomen feels weak and my posture has changed since having my baby."

Weight gain during pregnancy can create changes in the spinal curves, resulting in increased strain on joints. It can also increase stress on the pelvic muscles that support the bladder.

Symptoms include back pain, postural changes, pelvic weakness (including urinary incontinence) and swollen legs. Physical therapy treatment may include exercise, stretching, body mechanics training, and evaluation for a back support or compression stockings.

Pelvic Pain

• "I have a painful episiotomy scar after delivering my baby."
• "I have difficulty emptying my bladder and have constipation due to painful spasms."

Pelvic pain is characterized by pain in the abdomen, low back, female genitalia, and bladder.

Symptoms include painful urination or bowel movements, pain during physical activity or sexual intercourse and tender bladder or soft tissues. Physical therapy treatment may include biofeedback, scar tissue massage, relaxation techniques and exercise.

Osteoporosis

• "I feel like my back is becoming stooped when I look in the mirror."
• "I am not sure how to exercise safely with osteoporosis."

Osteoporosis is characterized by a decrease in bone density. Bones become fragile and prone to fractures. Fractures commonly occur in the spine, hip, wrist and ribs.

Symptoms include recurrent back or neck pain, stooped posture with rounded shoulders, loss of height and inability to lie flat. Physical therapy treatment may include postural education, body mechanics training, exercise, stretching and safe exercise guidelines.

Post Mastectomy

• "I can't reach my head to comb my hair since my mastectomy."
• "I can't reach into the cupboard to get a cup without pain in my scar."

Mastectomy surgery can lead to scarring along the chest wall. Radiation treatment can result in further tightness and restriction in the chest area.

Symptoms include painful scarring in chest and under arm and limited arm strength or mobility. Physical therapy treatment may include scar tissue massage, stretching and exercise.

Lymphedema

• "The swelling in my arm following breast cancer treatment has not gone away."
• "My legs are painfully swollen and it's hard to wear shoes all day."

Lymphedema is a chronic disorder characterized by persistent swelling in the arms or legs. Lymphedema is commonly associated with breast cancer following mastectomy or radiation treatment. It can occur shortly after breast cancer treatment or many years later.

Therapy treatment may include compression bandaging, manual lymphatic drainage, skin care, exercise and compression garment fitting.

For more information about our women's health physical therapy services, call 817-433-1600.

Patient Satisfaction and Confidentiality
Surveys let us know how well our programs are received, what can be done to improve them, and whether patients are achieving significant results. We also maintain a high level of respect for your confidentiality. We understand the sensitivity of many women's health conditions and respect your right to privacy.