Women's Health Physical Therapy in Salt Lake City

Last reviewed and updated: April 2026 by Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT, PYT — McKenzie-certified physical therapist and professional yoga therapist, 14+ years of clinical experience. Founder, Mindful Movement Physical Therapies, Holladay, UT.

Ready to get started? Book your evaluation online or call/text me at (385) 332-4939. No referral needed in Utah.

Women’s Health Physical Therapy: What It Is and Who It’s For

Women’s health physical therapy is a specialized branch of PT that addresses conditions unique to — or disproportionately affecting — women. This includes pelvic floor dysfunction, prenatal and postpartum recovery, diastasis recti, incontinence, pelvic pain, and the musculoskeletal changes that come with pregnancy, childbirth, and hormonal shifts throughout life.

If you’ve been told to “just do Kegels” or that leaking after having kids is “normal” — I’d like to respectfully disagree. These are treatable conditions, and physical therapy is the evidence-based first-line treatment for nearly all of them.

Conditions We Treat

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports your bladder, uterus, and rectum. When these muscles are too tight, too weak, or uncoordinated, you can experience a range of symptoms:

• Urinary incontinence — leaking with coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, or jumping (stress incontinence) or sudden urgency you can’t control (urge incontinence)
• Pelvic pain — pain during intercourse, tampon use, or gynecological exams
• Pelvic organ prolapse — a feeling of heaviness, pressure, or “something falling out”
• Bowel dysfunction — constipation, incomplete emptying, or fecal incontinence

Here’s something that surprises many patients: pelvic floor problems aren’t always about weakness. Many women actually have overactive pelvic floor muscles — meaning the muscles are too tight, not too loose. For these women, doing more Kegels makes the problem worse. A proper assessment identifies which pattern you have so treatment is targeted, not guesswork.

Prenatal Physical Therapy

Pregnancy puts extraordinary demands on your body. Your center of gravity shifts, your ligaments become more lax due to relaxin, and your core and pelvic floor are under increasing load every day. Prenatal PT helps you:

• Manage low back pain, SI joint pain, and sciatica — the most common musculoskeletal complaints during pregnancy
• Maintain safe exercise habits throughout each trimester
• Prepare your pelvic floor for delivery — including perineal stretching, pushing mechanics, and breathing strategies
• Address diastasis recti (abdominal separation) before it becomes a bigger issue postpartum

Postpartum Recovery

The 6-week postpartum clearance from your OB is a starting point, not a finish line. Whether you had a vaginal delivery or C-section, your body needs targeted rehabilitation to fully recover. We help with:

• Diastasis recti assessment and treatment — progressive core restoration that goes far beyond basic crunches (which can actually worsen separation)
• C-section scar mobilization — scar tissue can restrict movement and cause pain months or years later if not addressed
• Return to exercise — a graduated program to safely get back to running, lifting, CrossFit, yoga, or whatever you love
• Pelvic floor retraining — addressing leaking, heaviness, or pain that started during pregnancy or delivery
• Postpartum back and hip pain — often related to core weakness and changed movement patterns from pregnancy

Chronic Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain that persists beyond the expected healing time often involves the nervous system, muscular tension patterns, and psychological factors — not just tissue damage. Conditions we help with include:

• Vulvodynia and vestibulodynia
• Endometriosis-related pain
• Interstitial cystitis / painful bladder syndrome
• Pudendal neuralgia
• Persistent pain after gynecological surgery

Treatment combines pelvic floor muscle retraining, manual therapy, pain neuroscience education, and strategies to calm an overactive nervous system. Many patients have seen multiple specialists before finding relief through PT — often because the muscular component was never addressed.

Our Approach to Women’s Health PT

At Mindful Movement Physical Therapy, we combine evidence-based clinical skills with a whole-person, compassionate approach:

Thorough Assessment

Your first visit is 60 minutes. We take a complete history — not just your symptoms, but your goals, your lifestyle, and what matters to you. If pelvic floor evaluation is indicated, we’ll discuss exactly what’s involved beforehand. Internal assessment is only performed with your full consent and is never a surprise.

McKenzie Method + Pelvic Floor Expertise

Dr. Emily Warren is one of the few therapists in Salt Lake City who combines McKenzie certification (the gold standard for spine treatment) with pelvic floor specialization. This matters because pelvic floor problems and spinal conditions frequently coexist — back pain during pregnancy, SI joint dysfunction contributing to pelvic floor tension, or disc issues that also cause pelvic symptoms. You need a therapist who can treat the whole picture.

Yoga Therapy Integration

As a certified professional yoga therapist (PYT), Dr. Warren integrates therapeutic yoga into treatment plans when appropriate. This is especially valuable for:

• Breath work and pelvic floor coordination
• Stress management — the connection between stress and pelvic floor tension is well-documented
• Gentle movement progressions during prenatal and postpartum recovery
• Mind-body reconnection for patients with chronic pain

Education and Self-Management

We don’t want you coming to PT forever. Our goal is to teach you to understand your body and manage your condition independently. Every patient leaves with a home program, clear benchmarks, and the confidence to maintain their progress long-term.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

1. Comprehensive intake — we’ll discuss your symptoms, medical history, pregnancy/birth history if relevant, and your goals
2. Movement assessment — observing how you move, identifying compensations and areas of dysfunction
3. Pelvic floor screening (if indicated) — always with full explanation and consent. External assessment first; internal assessment only when clinically appropriate and agreed upon
4. Treatment plan — you’ll leave your first visit with a clear understanding of what’s happening, why, and what we’re going to do about it
5. Home exercises — specific exercises to start immediately, not generic handouts

Frequently Asked Questions

Is leaking urine during exercise normal?

Common? Yes. Normal? No. Urinary leaking during running, jumping, sneezing, or lifting affects up to 1 in 3 women — but it’s a treatable condition, not something you should accept. Pelvic floor physical therapy resolves stress incontinence in the majority of cases without surgery.

How soon after giving birth can I start PT?

You can — and often should — start sooner than 6 weeks postpartum. Early postpartum PT focuses on gentle pelvic floor reconnection, breathing, and basic core activation. We can see you as early as 1-2 weeks post-delivery for gentle guidance. More active rehabilitation typically begins after your OB clearance.

Do I need an internal pelvic floor exam?

Not always — and never without your explicit consent. Internal assessment provides the most detailed information about pelvic floor muscle function, but external assessment and functional testing can also guide treatment. We’ll discuss the pros and cons and you decide what you’re comfortable with.

I’m pregnant — is physical therapy safe?

Absolutely. Prenatal PT is specifically designed for pregnancy and is safe throughout all trimesters. In fact, research shows that women who do targeted exercise during pregnancy have shorter labors, fewer complications, and faster postpartum recovery.

I had my baby years ago. Is it too late for PT?

It’s never too late. We regularly treat women who are 5, 10, even 20+ years postpartum. The pelvic floor and core can be retrained at any point. Many women don’t realize their chronic back pain, hip pain, or incontinence is related to an unrehabilitated postpartum body.

Does insurance cover women’s health PT?

Most insurance plans cover physical therapy, including pelvic floor therapy, when it’s medically indicated. We recommend contacting your insurance provider with the CPT codes we can provide to verify your specific coverage.

Why Women in Salt Lake City Choose Mindful Movement

• Specialized expertise — McKenzie-certified + pelvic floor + yoga therapy is a rare combination
• Private, comfortable clinic — one-on-one sessions in Holladay and Salt Lake City locations
• Results-focused — most patients see significant improvement within 4-8 visits
• No referral needed — Utah allows direct access to physical therapy
• Telehealth available — online sessions for patients who can’t make it in person
• Compassionate care — we understand these topics can feel vulnerable. You’ll be heard, respected, and never rushed.

Take the First Step

Whether you’re dealing with pelvic floor issues, recovering from pregnancy, or managing pain that’s been dismissed by other providers — you deserve expert care from someone who specializes in women’s health.

Book your evaluation online — most patients can be seen within a few days.

Have questions first? Call or text Dr. Emily directly at (385) 332-4939. She’s happy to chat about whether PT is right for your situation.

Not sure what’s going on with your body? Try our free self-triage tool for a quick assessment, or just reach out — no commitment required.