Women's Physical Therapy Physical therapy can be the answer for certain health problems. WVU Cheat Lake Physicians offers this service to provide relief for chronic pain. All visits to this service are made by physician referral. Physical Therapy Hours Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Our physical therapist, Krystal Thomas, can help you learn about your condition. And she can create a physical therapy treatment plan designed for your individual needs. Your doctor may schedule your consultation, or you may call and schedule an appointment with a written physician referral. We recommend you contact your insurance provider before starting treatment. In some cases, you may need to obtain a pre-certification. Most insurance companies cover at least part of treatment costs; however, they may require a co-pay. Medicare and private-pay patients are also accepted. Conditions that physical therapy can relieve include: Osteoporosis/Osteopenia Normal bone is constantly being built and broken down. But when not enough bone is built, or too much is broken down, bones that were once strong can become brittle and break more easily. Cheat Lake Physicians offers a simple, painless procedure known as a digital bone density scan, an easy and accurate way to measure your bones' strength. If you have osteoporosis, we can teach you how to perform everyday activities like getting out of bed or in and out of a chair, vacuuming, loading the dishwasher, etc. We can show you exercises to strengthen leg, hip, and back muscles to improve posture, balance, and walking. Use of electrical stimulation, moist heat, massage, or cold for back pain may also be recommended, and we can fit your back for a brace or orthotic, if needed. Problems Associated with Pregnancy Pregnancy is a time of tremendous musculoskeletal and physical changes. It may be difficult to know what is normal and what is abnormal, especially with your first pregnancy. More than half of all pregnant women suffer from pain due to changes in posture, weight, or hormonal factors. Many also suffer from swelling in their legs, limiting their ability to perform daily activities. WVU Cheat Lake Physicians’ physical therapist can create a therapy plan for your individual needs. We will develop exercises designed to: improve your posture strengthen the muscles needed in labor and delivery improve your awareness of the pelvic floor muscles We’ll provide instructions in proper body mechanics—how to sit, stand, lift, transition from one position to another—as well as arm and shoulder strengthening to prepare for the demands of infant care. We also can teach you leg exercises to help promote circulation and reduce cramping, and we can measure and fit you for support stockings to control swelling. We can instruct you in relaxation techniques, positions to promote labor and delivery, and massage to speed postpartum recovery. Other areas in which we can help include treatments for post-mastectomy care, post-cesarean and hysterectomy surgeries, and post-cancer surgery. Chronic Pelvic Pain Chronic pelvic pain generally refers to non-cyclic pain in the abdominal and/or pelvic area, present for six months or longer. The pain can interfere with daily activities such as sitting, standing, walking, household chores, and overall quality of life. Our physical therapist can help with chronic pelvic pain. Your treatment plan may include: modifications to your posture and body mechanics support to minimize discomfort biofeedback and/or electrical stimulation to increase pelvic awareness pain management options trigger point therapy therapeutic exercise Physical Therapy Services for Urinary Incontinence Women of all ages may experience an uncontrolled loss of urine, known as urinary incontinence. Symptoms vary but commonly diagnosed types of incontinence include: stress incontinence due to abdominal pressure when coughing, sneezing, laughing, etc. urge incontinence or a sense of urgency to get to the bathroom overflow incontinence when the bladder is overfilled because of a decreased ability to empty properly functional incontinence related to the physical inability to get to the bathroom and remove clothing or decreased awareness of the need to go to the bathroom Education about the bladder, pelvic floor muscles, and emptying techniques may be part of your therapy plan. We can show you special exercises designed to prevent, decrease, or stop the leakage by strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. Other techniques may include: lifestyle changes to help the bladder be less irritable bladder retraining and timed schedules for urinating biofeedback and/or electrical stimulation