I recently chatted with Lori O’Neill of Vitality Physical Therapy in Chapel Hill, and in between show and tell of all our various teaching materials involving pelvises, my son jumping on the call to say Hi, and a few technical hiccups, we had a great conversation!
I am consistently in awe of how amazing and dedicated those who work in women’s health are to their professionals and to their clients. This is field of work where the lines between work and personal time is blurry because the old saying, if you love what you do, you never work a day in life, is personified each and every day.
And well, Dr. Lori, is a perfect example of someone who loves her work, loves her clients, and loves women’s health. After the amazing conversation we had, we knew we need to a) talk more and b) reach out to our clients!
So, because of that, we will be hosting a Zoom session on October 8th at 10am! Please RSVP here and we will send you the link for the Zoom session! Furthermore, follow along on the Facebook event to learn more about the event and what you can expect during the zoom session!
And now, for our Provider Spotlight:
What led you to become a Pelvic Physical Therapist?
Long before I became a mother of 3 daughters, I was a middle sister with a profound curiosity about women’s health. As I went through PT school 25 years ago, I wondered why there was minimal discussion on the muscles of the pelvis - both male and female. As my PT career progressed, it became apparent that there was a particular knowledge deficit in female physical adaptations with pregnancy, birth and postpartum that leads to “common” but not normal complications such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and perineal birth trauma to name a few. Early in my PT career, I also became a labor doula to better appreciate the challenges of birth and ways to better prepare for birthing in the US. Spending years inside the birth room has given me a really special PT perspective. While much has improved over the decades, there is still work to do! Being a Pelvic PT is more about knowing the complexities of the pelvis in relation to the rest of the body systems. It is not focusing on the pelvic floor muscle group in isolation.
How does your practice uniquely meet the needs of the birthing community?
Vitality Physical Therapy, LLC was established with the sole purpose of improving pelvic PT access and accommodating the comprehensive needs of all birthing individuals. Since we are intentionally out-of-network with insurance providers, we are free to see new patients for 90 minutes which allows a FULL multi-system assessment, FULL treatment, FULL home program development and FULL self-progression strategy review. That would typically require multiple visits with co-pays for standard PT. Birthing people often do not have the time, energy or financial resources to commit to weekly programs and appreciate the direct online access to their PT for quick questions. Babies are also welcome to attend with their mothers and are perfectly integrated into the treatments.
I loved in our conversation how we talked about the importance of a prenatal appointment with a Pelvic PT. Can you explain what aspects you are assessing in that appointment?
As long as there are no vaginal penetration restrictions, it is perfectly safe and optimal to perform internal pelvic soft tissue assessments at 36+ wks gestation. It is important to note that not all Pelvic PTs are trained and skilled with internal pelvic assessment during pregnancy. Knowing the strength and coordination status of your pelvic floor muscles, abdominal wall and diaphragm is vital to labor progression. Other critical areas to screen include visceral organ strain (ie. pelvic organ prolapse; digestive issues), general bony alignment/mobility of pelvic, hip, spine and all surrounding soft tissue pelvic restrictions. Extensive patient education on the birth positioning best for their bodies, birth injury prevention and immediate postpartum healing is included to promote proactive birthing.
What piece of advice do you wish every client had to prepare for birth and the impact that it will have on their pelvic floor?
Seeking Pelvic PT during pregnancy, birth and postpartum should not be considered optional or reserved for when a problem or pain arises. In fact, ACOG recommends PT as a standard part of 4th Trimester Care. There are a lot more controllable factors than you would expect during a birth that can absolutely prevent or minimize short and long term injury. Pelvic PTs with advanced training in working with the pregnancy population are uniquely qualified to provide input on dynamic internal structures essential to childbirth.
When you are not working with clients, where can we find you?
Like most people these days, I have kept it close to home and on the trails in Chapel Hill with my family since March 2020. My office is located in the same building as Women’s Birth & Wellness Center also in Chapel Hill. I have been working on a great presentation for the 2021 Combined Sections Meeting for the American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Pelvic Health on postpartum pelvic patterns -so interesting! I can’t wait to get back to teaching free local classes and collaborating more with local birth organizations.
She’s pretty great, right? Feel free to contact her directly with any questions!
