Patients are often referred to pelvic health physical therapy weeks to months after birth with urinary incontinence, pelvic pressure, abdominal weakness, and pain with activity that interfere with daily life. Care is commonly delayed until symptoms persist, placing clinicians in the position of managing chronic dysfunction rather than addressing concerns earlier in recovery.

This session examines how postpartum care can be strengthened by changing when rehabilitation begins, where it is delivered, and how clinicians are prepared to provide it. The discussion will begin with the current state of postpartum care in the United States and the gap between symptom onset and access to rehabilitation.Speakers will present coordinated strategies across three areas. Workforce development will focus on women’s health residency training as a pathway to prepare future leaders who can expand postpartum rehabilitation within health systems.

Community engagement will highlight collaboration with doulas and community-based providers to improve access, patient trust, and continuity of support during early recovery. Education models will focus on preparing established clinicians across practice settings to develop and deliver postpartum rehabilitation services.

Continuing education and philanthropic funding will be discussed as mechanisms to expand access and support implementation through quality improvement efforts. The session will conclude with a facilitated panel discussion focused on next steps for expanding postpartum rehabilitation services across systems through collaboration and education. Participants will leave with strategies to intervene earlier, reduce delays in referral, and improve continuity of care.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify current delays in referral to pelvic health physical therapy after birth and their impact on patient presentation in outpatient practice.
2. Examine the role of women’s health residency training, community partnerships, and continuing education in expanding access to postpartum rehabilitation across practice settings.
3. Apply strategies to reduce delays in referral and introduce postpartum rehabilitation earlier in the recovery process.
4. Integrate education, collaboration, and funding considerations to support the development and implementation of postpartum rehab within their own practice settings.

Gender-affirming phalloplasty is a complex, staged reconstructive procedure with high rates of postoperative complications and variable functional outcomes despite advances in surgical technique. Surgical goals are individualized and may include aesthetic reconstruction, tactile and erogenous sensation, standing urination, and the ability to engage in sexual activity. While many individuals achieve some or all these outcomes, recovery is often influenced by impairments such as scar restriction, edema, mobility limitations, neuromuscular dysfunction, and urologic complications.

Current literature emphasizes surgical approaches and outcomes but provides limited guidance on the role of physical and occupational therapy in optimizing postoperative recovery and functional performance across these domains.  Physical and occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to address impairments across all stages of phalloplasty, including donor site morbidity, scar and soft tissue restrictions, edema, mobility limitations, and pelvic floor dysfunction contributing to desired patient outcomes. However, no standardized rehabilitation framework exists to guide clinical decision-making across the continuum of care.

This session presents a stage-based rehabilitation approach aligned with surgical progression, emphasizing physical and occupational therapy interventions tailored to each phase of healing. Attendees will integrate evidence from surgical outcomes, rehabilitation science, and gender-affirming care literature to inform clinical reasoning, differential diagnosis, and intervention selection.  This session addresses a critical gap in gender- affirming post-operative rehabilitation and equips clinicians to optimize functional outcomes and deliver culturally responsive, patient-centered care.

Learning Objectives

1. Develop a psychologically safe clinical environment in gender-affirming care.
2. Differentiate staged surgical components of both radial forearm flap (RFF) phalloplasty and anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) phalloplasty, and with corresponding surgical goals and rehabilitation priorities.
3. Apply stage-specific physical and hand therapy interventions to address postoperative impairments and functional limitations and optimize pelvic health outcomes, including urinary and sexual functions.
4. Navigate the post-operative complications to optimize surgical outcomes.

State and federal legislation directly impacts physical therapy practice, patient access to care, and health equity, yet many physical therapists outside formal leadership roles feel unprepared to engage in advocacy. This session, led by two physical therapists actively involved in state advocacy, bridges the gap between policy and practice through pediatric and pelvic health clinical lenses.

Drawing from advocacy experience and frontline care, presenters will demonstrate how legislation affects vulnerable patient populations, including children with disabilities and individuals from minority backgrounds seeking pelvic health services. In today’s polarized political climate, policies related to access, reimbursement, consent, privacy, and civil protections increasingly influence clinical decision‑making and patient outcomes.

A central focus of this session is professional self‑advocacy as a mechanism for better patient advocacy. Attendees will learn how to recognize when legislation impacts care delivery, communicate effectively within organizations and with policymakers, and leverage their professional role to advocate for inclusive, ethical, and accessible care, without holding formal leadership positions. Through real‑world examples from pelvic health and pediatric settings, as well as first-hand experience and information from APTA’s State Affairs Manager, this session will empower clinicians to engage in advocacy that supports their patients, protects clinical practice, and strengthens the profession as a whole.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain how current state and federal legislation impacts pelvic health and pediatric physical therapy practice.
2. Apply self‑advocacy strategies to support patients with disabilities and minority backgrounds
3. Identify advocacy actions physical therapy professionals can take outside of formal leadership roles.
4. Navigate APTA resources that describe current state-based initiatives that students and professionals can get involved with.

Pelvic health physical therapists are well-versed in tissue-based and biopsychosocial models of pain, with increasing recognition of the influence of sociocultural and religious factors on pelvic pain and sexual health. However, these factors are often not directly addressed due to uncertainty around how to engage in respectful discussion or a lack of practical tools and language. Emerging evidence suggests that varying religious practices across cultures, particularly those emphasizing sexual restriction, shame, or limited bodily and sexual education, are associated with increased pain, decreased sexual satisfaction, and delayed care-seeking behaviors.

This session presents a clinically relevant framework that organizes these influences into four paradigms: shame, decreased medical and sexual literacy, fear, and lack of bodily autonomy. Participants will examine how these paradigms contribute to negative cognitive-affective patterns, relational dynamics, and behavioral responses that reinforce pain and sexual dissatisfaction across the lifespan. Through an interprofessional lens, this session emphasizes learning from mental health providers to better understand the psychological and relational context shaping patient experiences. Case-based discussions (young adult, postpartum, and menopausal populations) will illustrate how these factors present clinically and influence treatment engagement and outcomes. Practical application will integrate trauma-informed and religiously sensitive communication strategies, implementing assessment tools, identifying when interdisciplinary referral is indicated, and collaborating with mental health professionals to address fear, shame, and relational barriers.

Participants will also explore how to support patient autonomy and self-advocacy within healthcare systems. This session equips clinicians to address cultural context underlying pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction, improving patient-centered outcomes.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify sociocultural and religious influences on pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction using a four-paradigm framework (shame, decreased literacy, fear, and lack of autonomy), and explain their impact on biopsychosocial function.
2. Analyze the interaction between psychological, physical, and relational factors contributing to pelvic pain across the lifespan, and differentiate how these mechanisms present in young adult, postpartum, and menopausal populations.
3. Apply trauma-informed and religiously sensitive communication strategies within the physical therapy setting to support patient education, therapeutic alliance, and engagement in care.
4. Implement interprofessional strategies; screening, referral, mental health collaboration, and self-advocacy coaching to reduce fear, enhance autonomy, and optimize outcomes.

Lymphedema remains a common and often progressive complication of cancer treatment, yet care is frequently delayed and fragmented. This session introduces Total Lymphatic Care, an integrated model that aligns oncology rehabilitation and microlymphatic surgery to improve timing, coordination, and patient outcomes.

A certified lymphedema therapist and microsurgeon will use a case-based, interactive approach to examine gaps in current practice, including late referrals, siloed care, and misconceptions about surgical options. Attendees will review disease progression and the critical role of prospective surveillance, early detection, and risk stratification in oncology populations.

The session will highlight how physical therapists serve as key providers in prehabilitation, early intervention, and long-term management, while also identifying when surgical consultation may be appropriate. Practical guidance will be provided on integrating therapy with procedures such as immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) with lymphovenous bypass (LVB), vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT), suction-assisted protein lipectomy (SAPL), and peripheral lymphovenous bypass (LVB).

Participants will leave with a clear, oncology-specific care pathway, including referral triggers, collaborative strategies, and actionable tools to support coordinated, patient-centered care across the cancer continuum.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the progression of cancer-related lymphedema and identify current gaps in care delivery, including delayed referral and fragmented management models.
2. Explain the roles of physical therapists and microsurgeons in a Total Lymphatic Care model, including principles of prospective surveillance, risk stratification, and timing of intervention.
3. Differentiate indications, benefits, and limitations of non-surgical management and microlymphatic surgical options (e.g., ILR with LVB, VLNT, SAPL, Peripheral LVB) across stages of lymphedema.
4. Apply an interdisciplinary care pathway to case scenarios in order to determine appropriate referral timing, intervention strategies, and collaborative management across the oncology continuum.

Postpartum return to exercise has traditionally begun following medical clearance at the six-week mark by an obstetrical provider. Pelvic physical therapists are important members of the postpartum care team. Often, pelvic floor physical therapists wait until six weeks before initiating care. However, to date, no evidence has expressed the benefit of waiting six weeks to initiate movement, and arguments can be made that six weeks of relative deconditioning can prolong the postpartum recovery process.

Newer data is suggesting taking a personalized, individualized approach to return to movement. Many active women are hoping to initiate exercise early, and those with limited maternity leave may be returning to active jobs at or before the six-week mark, requiring work hardening. Case studies will be utilized to demonstrate how this approach can be used for both the highly active and the deconditioned female.

This session is going to outline the new 2025 Canadian postpartum return to exercise guideline and the current best evidence on the impact of early return to physical activity (prior to six weeks). This session will provide a framework for pelvic floor physical therapists to help their postpartum moms return to exercise early.

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze our current evidence on return to early postpartum exercise (<6 weeks postpartum).
2. Understand the framework for early return to rehabilitation, starting with the two-week visit and creating a bridge to early return to physical activity.
3. Acknowledge the risks vs benefits of early return to physical activity and how to approach progression depending on mode of delivery, postpartum complications, and pelvic floor symptoms early postpartum.
4. Apply the proposed framework to different case studies to progress a patient through the appropriate phases of postpartum exercise.

Reactive focused recovery is shifting to a proactive rehab approach for those with pelvic cancer. The incidence of gynecologic cancers is rising, colorectal cancer is occurring at younger ages, and prostate cancer remains the most common cancer for males. As pelvic cancer diagnoses and survival rates rise, so does the need for managing treatment-related side effects early on. People living with and beyond cancer (PLWBC) may experience bowel and bladder dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, psychosocial issues, and changes in body composition that impact quality of life and activity participation. Changes in cardiovascular fitness, balance, energy levels, and sensation may also occur, impacting safety and functional mobility.

Prehab interventions for this population allow clinicians to play a proactive role in recovery by better preparing patients and mitigating side effects. By enacting rehab services prior to treatment, baseline measurements are collected, deficits are screened, interventions are initiated, and education is provided to better equip PLWBC for recovery. Multi-modal prehab interventions have been shown to reduce complications post-operatively, decrease length of hospital stay, improve functional outcomes, and are safe and feasible for this patient population. However, these interventions are still underutilized among PLWBC with a pelvic cancer history.

This session aims to highlight the role of prehab in this population, implementation of therapeutic prehab interventions, strategies to address challenges, and how to advocate for these services. By meeting patients where they are, utilizing screening strategies, and optimizing function prior to treatment, rehab professionals can help PLWBC feel prepared and not scared for what’s ahead.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand prehab and its role within the prospective surveillance model.
2. Describe pelvic cancer prehab physical activity and pelvic floor exercise recommendations.
3. Explain key components to include within a pelvic cancer prehab program.
4. Identify implementation challenges in pelvic cancer prehabilitation and practical strategies to overcome them in clinical practice.

More than one million women enter menopause each year in the United States, yet physical therapists remain underprepared to address the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and urogenital changes that define this transition.

Menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, urogenital symptoms, and musculoskeletal pain, are treatable barriers to physical activity (PA). Despite the overwhelming benefits of PA in menopausal females, only 17.6% of females ages 50 – 64 are meeting PA Guidelines for Americans for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. Pelvic health and musculoskeletal considerations, including urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pain conditions, remain underrecognized and under-addressed in this population, which may present as barriers to PA.

Physical therapists are vital in helping menopausal women stay active through education and evidence-based strategies. However, many physical therapists report being under-equipped to manage the physiological and musculoskeletal changes involved. Because menopause impacts movement, recovery, and overall health, it is a critical area of knowledge for all therapists, not just pelvic health specialists. Participants will leave with evidence-informed, immediately applicable strategies to confidently support menopausal females in clinical practice, including symptom screening, patient education, exercise programming, and interdisciplinary referral.

Through case-based learning, interactive polling, and guided clinical reasoning activities, participants will develop practical skills in patient education, lifestyle intervention, referral, and rehabilitation planning. The session will integrate perspectives from orthopaedic, sports, and pelvic health physical therapy to support comprehensive, lifespan-informed care for patients across all physical therapy practice settings.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the musculoskeletal, genitourinary, and cardiometabolic implications of menopause and their influence on physical activity participation.
2. Apply physical therapy considerations for menopausal females, including symptom screening and patient education to support physical activity participation in a case scenario.
3. Describe evidence-informed strategies to address barriers to physical activity and support exercise participation in menopausal females.

This session will present current research and perspectives applicable to pelvic health. This session may present both scientific and/or clinically oriented topics to promote physical therapy practice and ongoing research initiatives.

Vestibulodynia is a complex, multifactorial condition that can significantly impact a patient’s physical, psychological, and sexual well-being. Given its complexity, effective treatment requires a coordinated, interdisciplinary approach.

In this session, attendees will identify key members of the interdisciplinary team that will include pelvic health and orthopedic physical therapists, OB-GYNs, physiatrists, orthopedists, urogynecologists, and anesthesiologists. Attendees will review evidence-based interventions used by OB-GYNs specializing in sexual medicine and determine how to appropriately integrate physical therapy interventions in their course of treatment to optimize outcomes.

The session will also identify important orthopedic connections to vestibulodynia, including conditions such as femoral acetabular impingement. Participants will develop skills in selecting appropriate special tests and measures to assess orthopedic impairments and corresponding interventions to use in their plan of care.

After this session, attendees will have the tools to build an interdisciplinary team, apply integrated interventions to their clinical practice, and make appropriate referrals to optimize patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives

1. Integrate appropriate interdisciplinary team members into care plans targeting impairments and functional limitations associated with vestibulodynia.
2. Identify current and evidence-based treatment approaches used by OB-GYNs and when to optimally integrate physical therapy interventions in the plan of care.
3. Evaluate patient presentations using differential diagnostic reasoning to make appropriate referral decisions.
4. Apply individualized physical therapy interventions for patients presenting with vestibulodynia to optimize clinical outcomes and resource utilization.

Endometriosis is a complex condition in which symptoms, disease stage, lesion location, pain mechanisms, and functional limitations do not always align. It is also a condition where multiple diagnoses and conditions overlap, making differential diagnosis difficult from both surgical and rehabilitation perspectives. Contemporary guidelines now place ultrasound imaging at the forefront of diagnostic workup and presurgical planning, while also recognizing the need for multidisciplinary management of persistent pain and dysfunction.

This session will explore how ultrasound imaging is improving clinical reasoning across both surgical and pelvic physical therapy disciplines, and how multidisciplinary care can support recovery before and after medical and/or surgical care. Using a collaborative physician–physical therapist model, presenters will demonstrate how structured ultrasound findings can identify disease distribution, inform differential diagnosis, clarify referral urgency, and guide rehabilitation priorities and prescription. Attendees will learn how imaging findings intersect with pelvic floor overactivity, abdominal wall dysfunction, dyspareunia, mobility restriction, sensitization, fatigue, and return to meaningful activity. Using this multi-disciplinary approach can improve pain and quality of life in people with endometriosis, particularly when integrated into a broader medical management model.

This session is designed for clinicians seeking practical tools to better recognize endometriosis-related dysfunction, communicate with imaging and surgical colleagues, and deliver more precise rehabilitation across the continuum of care.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the clinical utility of structured ultrasound imaging for mapping endometriosis and informing interdisciplinary care.
2. Differentiate common endometriosis presentations from overlapping pelvic pain generators requiring alternate or concurrent referral.
3. Apply ultrasound-informed clinical reasoning to pelvic physical therapy examination, prognosis, and plan of care.
4. Design rehabilitation strategies for patients recovering from endometriosis-related pain and/or surgery within a multidisciplinary model.

This session will present current research and perspectives applicable to pelvic health. This session may present both scientific and/or clinically oriented topics to promote physical therapy practice and ongoing research initiatives.

Postpartum gastrointestinal dysfunction is common yet frequently underrecognized in pelvic health practice. Painful conditions such as constipation, bloating, IBS symptoms, sphincter injury, hemorrhoids, fissures, and prolapse risk often coexist within the complex physiological, hormonal, neurological, and biomechanical shifts of the postpartum period. This session provides an integrated, systems-based framework for the practical application of interventions for postpartum bowel management.

Participants will review foundational gastrointestinal changes after childbirth, learn to assess and treat the anal sphincter complex and implications of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS), and explore the role of nervous system regulation and pressure management in prolapse prevention and bowel restoration.

Attendees will leave with practical, evidence-informed strategies to assess and treat postpartum bowel dysfunction across the domains of tissue integrity, neuromuscular control, and foundational health.

Learning Objectives

1. Integrate the physiological, neurological, and hormonal contributors to postpartum gastrointestinal dysfunction with foundational pelvic health and lifestyle interventions to optimize bowel function and gut health.
2. Implement evidence-based nervous system regulation techniques and prolapse-prevention strategies within a comprehensive clinical framework to restore postpartum bowel function and protect pelvic organ support structures.
3. Understand the risk factors of postpartum anal sphincter dysfunctions and integrate assessment and treatment of the anal sphincter complex.

Fibromyalgia remains one of the most challenging diagnoses in physical therapy, often avoided due to uncertainty and complexity. This session reframes fibromyalgia using modern pain science to provide actionable, confidence‑building strategies that physical therapists can apply immediately.

Fibromyalgia affects millions and is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, cognitive symptoms, and sensitivity—driven by altered neuro‑immune interactions and nervous system sensitization. Current evidence emphasizes calming the nervous system while supporting immune function through lifestyle‑informed rehabilitation. Attendees will explore integrative strategies, including pain education, pacing, graded activity, sleep hygiene, stress reduction, nutrition considerations, and movement prescription. Emphasis is placed on realistic dosing, patient empowerment, and long‑term sustainability.

This session updates clinicians on evolving evidence while reinforcing physical therapy’s central role in managing complex, persistent pain conditions. Designed for clinicians across all settings, this session replaces fear and avoidance with structure and clarity.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain modern mechanisms underlying fibromyalgia
2. Design pacing and activity strategies
3. Apply graded exposure safely
4. Evaluate patient tolerance and response

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second-leading cause of cancer death among men. There are several interventional approaches used to treat prostate cancer. For definitive surgical management, Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy (RALP) is frequently performed for its curative intent. However, surgical management of prostate cancer is not without risk of long-term side effects, including urinary incontinence.

Pelvic health physical therapists play a critical role in preparing patients for prostate cancer surgery and facilitating their surgical recovery, including regaining their urinary continence. As imaging in the field of physical therapy continues to grow, there is a unique opportunity for pelvic health physical therapists to incorporate imaging in the treatment of their prostate cancer patients.

The purpose of this lecture is to discuss how a clinician can implement transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound imaging in the management of pre-operative and post-operative prostate cancer patients.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain radical prostatectomy and describe how the surgical changes affect an individual’s continence.
2. Describe the role a pelvic health clinician can play before and after radical prostatectomy and how ultrasound imaging can assist in fulfilling that role.
3. Differentiate between transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound imaging and when to appropriately use each technique for patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.
4. Identify the equipment and training needed to perform ultrasound imaging for patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.

Many adolescents experience anxiety, uncertainty, and a lack of preparedness regarding tampon use due to limited education and minimal practice opportunities. Traditional resources treat tampon use as purely informational; however, from a motor learning perspective, it is a fine-motor, procedural skill that requires sensory feedback and coordination.

This session introduces the Tampon Training Workshop (TTW), a novel educational intervention designed to bridge the gap between declarative knowledge and physical readiness. Grounded in Fitts and Posner’s stages of motor learning, the TTW uses anatomical visuals and hands-on psychomotor practice with a simulated "water wiggle" model to help learners progress from the cognitive to the associative stage of learning.

Attendees will participate in the workshop, including structured education, hands-on simulation, and peer-supported discussion. Participants will review the workshop's research findings, which demonstrated a statistically significant increase in motivation and confidence among adolescents (ages 10–13) following the intervention. Attendees will learn how to implement this scalable, socially supportive model to reduce menstrual stigma, address procedural anxiety, and foster reproductive health literacy in community and clinical settings.

Learning Objectives

1. Differentiate between declarative knowledge and psychomotor skill acquisition in the context of adolescent menstrual health and tampon use.
2. Apply the three stages of motor learning (cognitive, associative, and autonomous) to the pelvic health educational interventions.
3. Analyze the role of social learning theory and peer support in reducing anxiety and normalizing tampon use among adolescents.
4. Identify key components of a structured "practice without pressure" toolkit for use in pediatric or pelvic health clinical practice.

Endometriosis is often described as a gynecologic condition, but for many patients the experience is far more complex. People frequently spend years navigating symptoms before receiving a diagnosis, often questioning their own perceptions along the way. This talk explores endometriosis as a chronic, multisystem inflammatory disease and examines the physical therapist’s role in helping patients make informed decisions about their care.

The goal is to ensure patients have access to clear, relevant, and evidence-based information provided by clinicians without assumptions about what a patient wants or can manage.

In the advanced treatment and care of the patient with endometriosis, physical therapy care often requires building a collaborative network of providers across disciplines by “assembling the Avengers”. The session also highlights the unique privilege many rehabilitation professionals have: time. With that time comes the opportunity to educate, clarify complex medical information, and support patients in understanding their bodies and options so they can participate meaningfully in their care.

In this session, physical therapists will learn ways to promote health literacy for their patients and allow them to be informed agents in their own care.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify common multisystem presentations and comorbidities associated with endometriosis, including psychological, musculoskeletal, neurological, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and cardiovascular factors.
2. Apply a systems-based clinical framework to prioritize interventions based on patient relevance and presentation.
3. Differentiate the roles of various healthcare providers and formulate an interdisciplinary care team to support complex endometriosis cases.
4. Integrate strategies to promote health literacy and shared decision-making, supporting patients as informed participants in their care.

Clinical practice and research related to exercise during pregnancy have evolved rapidly over the past two decades, leaving many clinicians feeling underprepared to confidently apply current best practices. While exercise during pregnancy is generally recommended, in the presence of pregnancy-related complications, activity restriction is often prescribed without appropriate evidence for its effectiveness.

Newer data is showing the potential harm in restricting activity even in the presence of “risky” complications of pregnancy. Is it time to put bed rest to bed? This session will provide physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and other health care professionals with a practical, evidence-based framework for prescribing and modifying exercise during pregnancy across varying activity levels in the presence of complications. The session will cover contraindications and relative precautions with an emphasis on enabling clinicians to make appropriate, individualized recommendations while maximizing the positive benefits of exercise and physical activity.

This course will also discuss factors that influence exercise recommendations, such as trimester-specific physiological changes, pre-existing medical conditions, high-risk pregnancy, and baseline fitness levels. Clinical decision-making regarding modification while preserving the positive benefits of exercise will be discussed and implemented through clinical case analysis. Cases will emphasize recommendations for athletes as well as sedentary individuals and will emphasize empowering pregnant patients and clients.

Learning Objectives

1. Apply knowledge of absolute contraindications and relative precautions to guide exercise participation during pregnancy.
2. Understand the best available evidence on the benefits of exercise in the presence of pregnancy complications (hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, shortened cervix, premature rupture of membranes, etc).
3. Understand the underlying mechanisms of hypertensive and other cardiovascular considerations during pregnancy and the role of exercise to improve the pathophysiology of these complications.
4. Develop tailored, individualized exercise programs that account for physiological changes, symptom presentation, and risk status throughout pregnancy and support continuation, modification, or initiation of activity across varying baseline fitness levels

Children and adolescents with pelvic health needs are not simply “small adults.” The majority of pelvic health therapists developed their clinical lens through adult training and practice. While PTs may be competent with their adult skills, they may feel underprepared to assess or treat pediatric bowel, bladder, or pelvic pain concerns. This educational session is designed to help bridge the gap between adult pelvic health PT and the growing need for pediatric pelvic health PT.

Using an ICF model, participants will learn how pediatric pelvic health presentations differ from adult patterns in body functions and structures, activity, participation, and contextual factors. Attendees will gain an understanding of common pediatric diagnoses seen by pelvic health PTs, including bladder bowel dysfunction, dysfunctional voiding, constipation, urinary and fecal incontinence, and adolescent pelvic pain. Emphasis will be placed on how adult-trained therapists can modify their approach to assessment and treatment to address the needs of pediatric and adolescent patients. Considerations for trauma-informed and family-centered communication will be emphasized.

Learners will leave with practical strategies they can immediately apply in clinical practice, including red flag recognition, pediatric-specific coaching language, family-centered home program design, and interdisciplinary referral considerations. This session is designed for clinicians who want a clear, clinically relevant introduction to pediatric pelvic health through the familiar lens of pelvic floor therapy.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe major differences between adult and pediatric anatomy and physiology related to pelvic health conditions.
2. Apply ethical principles of consent and assent when evaluating pediatric and adolescent patients.
3. Design age-appropriate intervention strategies for pediatric bowel and bladder dysfunction.
4. Identify resources for additional learning and clinical support.

Emerging evidence suggests a complex connection between temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), autonomic nervous system regulation, and pelvic floor dysfunction. Impairments across these systems may contribute to persistent pain, autonomic dysregulation, and altered motor control. This session will examine the neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and myofascial connections linking the craniofacial region, autonomic nervous system, and lumbopelvic complex.

Current evidence will be synthesized to support a systems-based framework for regional interdependence. Emphasis will be placed on physical therapy assessment, evaluation, and intervention strategies targeting the craniofacial region, autonomic regulation, diaphragmatic function, pelvic floor coordination, and postural control. Participants will explore how autonomic dysregulation, myofascial pain, breathing mechanics, and cervical or mandibular impairments influence pelvic floor function, including pelvic pain, urinary or bowel dysfunction, and core instability.

Case-based discussion will facilitate differential diagnosis, clinical reasoning, and application of evidence-informed interventions, including manual therapy, neuromodulation strategies, trigger point dry needling, and integration of breathwork with movement retraining. This session integrates foundational neuroscience with pelvic health practice to enhance clinical decision-making and optimize patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the myofascial, neurological, and autonomic connections linking the TMJ, vagus nerve, and pelvic floor.
2. Design evidence-informed differential diagnosis and evaluation strategies to identify signs of autonomic dysregulation, TMJ disorders, and pelvic floor dysfunction.
3. Integrate evidence-based physical therapy interventions, including manual therapy and neuromodulation strategies.
4. Apply advanced clinical reasoning to evaluate craniofacial and vagus nerve influence on pelvic floor function, including pelvic pain, myofascial dysfunction, and postural stability.

Despite improved survival in oncology, breast cancer treatment leaves 60–90% of patients with musculoskeletal consequences that drive pain, limit function, and reduce quality of life long after treatment ends, yet only 2–9% of patients receive cancer rehabilitation. Even when available, access remains inconsistent, relying on an opt-in referral model and brief care episodes that fail to align with the long arc of cancer treatment.

This session provides rehabilitation professionals with actionable strategies to transform breast cancer rehabilitation from a referral-based service into an integrated standard of care in your cancer program. Participants will learn how to implement a scalable stepped-care model combining standardized follow-up, digital pathways, remote monitoring, and PROM-based surveillance to identify MSK decline earlier and intervene at the right time. A real-world case study from Aurora Health Care's initiative to redesign breast cancer rehabilitation across its Wisconsin-based hospitals and cancer centers will demonstrate impact in action.

Attendees will learn how tools like the QuickDASH support proactive triage and digital touch points, and extend oversight beyond the clinic. Attendees will learn how to develop strategies to build physician awareness, trust, and advocacy, positioning physical therapy as an expected, integral component of multidisciplinary breast cancer care.

The session will outline key approaches to overcoming common barriers to embedding rehabilitation into institutional culture. Clinicians and rehab leaders will leave with a practical implementation framework for making physical therapy a standard, sustainable component of breast cancer care across the full continuum of treatment and survivorship.

Learning Objectives

1. Distinguish how the structural barriers of the traditional "opt-in" referral model contribute to the under-identification of long-term MSK sequelae and delayed access across the cancer continuum.
2. Build the evidence and rationale needed to categorize the essential components of an integrated breast cancer rehabilitation program, including early screening, triage, and standardized referral pathways, and advance rehabilitation from a sporadic, referral-dependent model to a consistent standard of care.
3. Apply a longitudinal digital pathway framework to monitor breast cancer patients using MSK-specific PROMs such as the QuickDASH, while implementing strategies to position rehabilitation as a trusted, essential member of the oncology team through physician awareness, trust, and advocacy.
4. Plan an automated longitudinal surveillance strategy to retain patients in the rehab pathway and ensure timely intervention for late-onset orthopedic complications, embedding rehabilitation into oncology workflows as a consistent standard of care from diagnosis through survivorship.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States. Advances in surgical, radiation, and systemic therapies have improved survival; however, treatment-related sequelae frequently affect urinary, sexual, and musculoskeletal function, significantly impacting quality of life.

Radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy are commonly associated with urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction, while androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and chemotherapy contribute to proximal muscle weakness, reduced bone density, fatigue, and increased fall risk. This interactive session will provide an integrated review of oncologic management strategies for prostate cancer, including surgical, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapies.

Participants will learn about the pelvic floor and musculoskeletal consequences of treatment and learn evidence-based assessment and intervention strategies to collaboratively address urinary dysfunction, sexual health concerns, and ADT-related impairments.

Case studies and polling questions will be used to reinforce clinical decision-making and support holistic, comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for individuals undergoing and recovering from prostate cancer treatment.

Learning Objectives

1. Define oncologic treatment approaches in the management of prostate cancer.
2. Explain the assessment for pelvic floor and musculoskeletal sequelae of prostate cancer treatment
3. Describe an evidence-based approach to providing comprehensive interventions for prostate cancer treatment side effects throughout the cancer care continuum

One in three female athletes experiences pelvic floor dysfunction, yet clinical care often remains siloed between medical diagnostics and movement-based rehabilitation. This session, co-presented by a Board-Certified Urogynecologist and an Advanced Practice Pelvic Health Physical Therapist, is designed for experienced clinicians ready to move beyond foundational concepts into high-level interdisciplinary literacy.

We will provide a deep dive into demystifying POP-Q staging coordinates and urodynamic testing (UDS). Participants will learn to interpret these objective medical findings to refine their PT diagnosis and return-to-sport programming. By understanding the specific anatomical "points of failure" in a POP-Q or the "leak point pressures" in UDS, PTs can calibrate eccentric loading protocols and dynamic breathing mechanics to meet the rigorous demands of high-impact sport.

The session will demonstrate clinical reasoning for determining personalized treatment plans—integrating surgery, "sports orthotics" (including pessary selection), and/or physical therapy—while utilizing medical data to foster patient agency. Through case studies, we will illustrate an advanced MD-PT workflow that aligns clinical language, reduces "broken" narratives, and ensures athletes remain safely connected to their athletic identities across their lifespan.

Learning Objectives

1. Interpret Advanced Diagnostics: Analyze POP-Q coordinates and Urodynamic pressure tracings to identify specific mechanical drivers of pelvic floor symptoms in the athlete.
2. Clinical Correlation: Map urogynecological findings to functional movement screens, specifically correlating anatomical support deficits with failures in eccentric control during impact.
3. Advanced Pessary Integration: Determine candidacy and functional goals for different pessary types based on the athlete’s specific sport-related loading patterns.
4. Professional Communication: Execute high-level interdisciplinary communication using shared medical and biomechanical terminology to optimize the urogynecology-rehab care continuum.

“You have an aggressive form of uterine cancer, and you need surgery. You will need to undergo chemo and radiation.” Imagine hearing those words. What is a woman supposed to do with that information? Where does physical therapy fit in? Finding answers is not easy, and patients are often given limited resources. Just ask the patient, she’s in the building. Kristin is a cancer survivor, and she wants the world to hear what she has to say.

As a nutritionist and former dietitian by trade, she is here to share her lived experience with uterine cancer, talk about her desire to stay healthy and strong, teach everyone about nutrition guidelines needed for surgery or recovery, and, together with her favorite physical therapist, show everyone the simple, yet crucial, exercises and activities created specifically to preserve her mental health and optimize her post-surgical recovery. Stories from both speakers (patient and PT) will be shared with the group. Learn how tears, fears, grit, and a hug led two professionals down a path of innovation and collaboration.

The final product? An interdisciplinary resource bank for cancer survivors filled with 10 open-access documents, log sheets, and resources that bridge gaps between nutrition, exercise, and physical therapy.

Come for the stories. Stay for the resources. Leave with the power to make a difference.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand potential barriers and emotions women may encounter after being diagnosed with uterine cancer.
2. Recognize the role physical therapy has to change and impact the quality of life for someone diagnosed with uterine cancer or a survivor of uterine cancer.
3. Develop informed clinical strategies to help integrate patients’ lived experiences into the treatment model and create specialized care.
4. Analyze the supplemental materials and assess their merit for immediate patient-centered clinical applications.