Success Stories: Real Results from Pelvic Floor Therapy at Renew Health
You're not alone—at least 1 in 4 women experience pelvic floor dysfunction.
Yet, society has normalized these struggles, making women believe it's just part of life:
🗣
"Everyone pees a little after kids!"
🗣
"Just cross your legs when you sneeze—it's normal."
🗣
"Sex hurts after babies. That’s just how it is."
🗣
"Welcome to your 40s—get used to it!"
🚫
But pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t inevitable—it’s treatable. We’re here to help you take back control and avoid missed time with your kiddos, missed time in the gym, and costly surgeries.
✔ Case Study 1: From Chronic Back Pain to Strength Training
Emily, 38, had chronic lower back pain that wouldn’t go away, no matter how much stretching or chiropractic care she tried. She assumed it was just a normal part of aging and the stress of
sitting at a desk all day.“I had no idea my back pain could be related to my pelvic floor. I thought pelvic therapy was just for women who had babies or leaking issues—definitely not for me.”
Read more about Emily's Challenges and Treatment
Symptoms & Challenges:
Constant lower back and SI joint pain that flared up after long workdays.
Struggled with core weakness and posture but assumed it was due to bad habits.
Felt stiff and afraid of certain exercises in case they made the pain worse.
Breakthrough & Treatment Approach:
When Emily finally scheduled a consultation, she was shocked to learn that pelvic floor dysfunction and load sensitivity of her spine were contributing to her back pain. She had always thought that she had a "weak core" and that her "anterior tilt" of her pelvis were the reasons for her pain. Through breath work, activity modifications related to activities that were irritating her back, and finally addressing her pelvic floor tension, she:
✔ Stopped bracing and overusing her back muscles for stability.
✔ Addressed pelvic floor tension and figured out the root cause to why her pelvic floor was remaining tight or hypertonic.
✔ Learned ways to "stop picking the scab" and gave her back the chance to heal.
✔ Addressed hypermobility issues (she initially thought she was stiff when in fact her body had TOO much flexibility, leading to compensation patterns).
Final Results:
✅ Pain-free back after years of discomfort
✅ No longer avoiding exercise out of fear
✅ More energy and confidence in daily activities
✅ Awareness on how to maintain a healthy pelvic floor and low back through education
✔ Case Study 2: "I Didn’t Leak… So I Thought My Pelvic Floor Was Fine (I Was Wrong)"
Sarah, 32, was a dedicated runner and gym-goer. She didn’t have incontinence, so she assumed her
pelvic floor was "strong and functional". But she struggled with hip tightness, deep groin pain, and occasional low back soreness —especially after workouts. After working with an ortho PT, she wanted to dig deeper into her symptoms.
“I always thought pelvic floor therapy was for women who had kids. Since I haven't had kids yet, I never connected my pelvic floor to any of my symptoms."
Read more about Sarah's Challenges and Treatment
Symptoms & Challenges:
Tight hip flexors no matter how much she stretched.
Aches and deep groin pain after running.
Felt like her glutes weren’t activating properly during squats and rarely felt her glutes during glute exercises like bridges or deadlifts.
Breakthrough & Treatment Approach:
After her evaluation, we discovered that Sarah's pelvic floor was actually overactive—and weak. Many of her symptoms were caused by poor breathing strategies with her lifts, mismanagement of intra-abdominal pressure, excessive tension in her pelvic floor and excessive range of motion of her hips. Through pelvic floor downtraining, re-learning breathing and bracing strategies (for both lighter weights and heavier weights), corrective exercises for postural control, and proper core coordination, she:
✔ Finally released chronic hip flexor tension (without any hip flexor stretches).
✔ Improved squat mechanics and running efficiency.
✔ Improved pelvic floor mobility - and we addressed the root cause of the pelvic floor tension (her pelvic floor was the innocent bystander and not the true problem!)
Final Results:
✅ No more nagging hip pain or tightness post-run
✅ Improved running mechanics, including improved stride and using her HAMSTRINGS more optimally during her runs.
✅ Stronger, more efficient movement in the gym - she even hit a PR snatch 🚀.
✅ Better flexibility and mobility without tightness .
✅ A huge win for Sarah, was FINALLY feeling her 🍑 with deadlifts.
✔Case Study 3: "I Just Had a Baby, But I Felt ‘Fine’—Then My Symptoms Crept Up"
Jessica, 29, had what she felt was a smooth pregnancy and birth. Her OB cleared her for exercise at 6 weeks, and she felt fine —so she jumped back into her workouts.
“I didn’t think I needed pelvic floor therapy because I wasn’t in pain. But a few months later, I started having issues, but was totally dismissed by my providers.”
Read more about Jessica's Challenges and Treatment
Symptoms & Challenges:
Noticed weaker core activation during planks and front loading ab exercises.
Felt “heaviness” in her pelvis after long days.
Developed occasional leaking when sneezing or running.
Breakthrough & Treatment Approach:
Jessica’s pelvic floor wasn’t engaging properly—not because of pain, but because it hadn’t fully regained function postpartum. She struggled with coordinating her pelvic floor muscles, with a combination of tension and weakness. She had started kegels - per her provider. However, based on examination, instead of contracting her pelvic floor (aka a kegel), Jessica had been bearing down through her pelvic floor - the opposite of the desired intention. In fact, we put a pause on kegels day 1 because it was making her heaviness more symptomatic.
Through progressive strength training, diaphragmatic breathing, and core rehabilitation, she:
✔ Prevented worsening symptoms before they became a bigger problem.
✔ Restored deep core connection and strength.
✔ Returned to high-impact workouts without fear of prolapse.
Final Results:
✅ Awareness of her pelvic floor - how to manage symptoms of prolapse and live bother-free, not worrying about making her prolapse worse.
✅ Fully functional core with proper activation of pelvic floor, deep abdominals.
✅ Improvement in the lower belly "pooching" she was looking to resolve. She FINALLY could feel her abs for the first time postpartum.
✔Case Study 4: "I had always thought inserting tampons was supposed to be painful."
Brittany, 26, had struggled with pelvic pain for as long as she could remember but never thought much of it.
"I had always thought inserting tampons was supposed to be uncomfortable—and that pain with sex was just something women had to deal with. I never realized my discomfort wasn’t normal, and I definitely didn’t know there was anything I could do about it."
Read more about Brittany's Challenges and Treatment
Symptoms & Challenges:
Always struggled with inserting tampons, believing it was normal.
Pain with sex—she assumed discomfort was "normal" because a lot of her friends struggled with the same thing.
Dreaded gynecological exams, often feeling tense, anxious, and unable to relax.
She was never told that pelvic floor therapy could help—she thought she just had to live with it.
Breakthrough & Treatment Approach:
Brittany’s pelvic floor was overactive and uncoordinated, leading to chronic tightness that made penetration, tampon use, and certain movements uncomfortable. She also reported a history of neck pain, headaches, and jaw discomfort. She noted herself to be more of an anxious person with reports of poor stress management as a student (and working nearly full-time hours). We focused on:
✔ Pelvic Floor Downtraining
✔ Breathwork & Core Coordination
✔ Gradual Exposure & Desensitization Strategies
✔ Manual Therapy & Soft Tissue Release
✔ Functional Movement & Strength Training
Final Results:
✅ Finally able to use tampons comfortably—without pain or hesitation.
✅ No longer fearful of gynecological assessments
✅ Comfortable, enjoyable intimacy—a huge milestone in her relationship.
✅ More body awareness and confidence, knowing how to prevent tension from creeping back in.
✔Case Study 5: "I had seen 2 other pelvic floor PT's and had surgery booked for the end of the year. Since coming to Renew, I cancelled my surgery and I'm back at the gym!"
Julie, 46, came to Renew Health as a last effort before committing to surgery (although her surgery was already booked)! Unlike her previous experiences with PT, we took a whole-body approach to understand how her posture, breathing, and movement patterns were contributing to her prolapse symptoms. After 2 "failed" pelvic floor PT attempts, Julie was able to cancel her surgery and deadlift 100# in clinic without symptoms.
Read more about Julie's Challenges and Treatment
Symptoms & Challenges:
Diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse and scheduled for surgery after trying two other physical therapists with no success.
Felt constant pelvic heaviness and pressure, especially after standing for long periods or lifting her kids.
Told by previous providers that pelvic floor therapy “might not be enough” and that surgery was her only option.
Avoided exercise, running, and lifting out of fear of worsening her prolapse.
Frustrated, hopeless, and fearful that her body was failing her despite doing “all the right things.”
Breakthrough & Treatment Approach:
Julie came to Renew Health as a last effort before committing to surgery. Unlike her previous experiences with PT, we took a whole-body approach to understand how her posture, breathing, and movement patterns were contributing to her prolapse symptoms.
We focused on:
✔ Postural & Breathing Retraining – Addressing poor intra-abdominal pressure management, which was making her prolapse symptoms feel worse.
✔ Pelvic Floor & Core Coordination – Strengthening her deep core & pelvic floor without over-gripping or excessive tension.
✔ Strength & Load Progressions – Rebuilding confidence in movement, allowing her to lift and exercise safely.
✔ Pelvic Organ Support Strategies – Teaching positional modifications, pressure management, and symptom control techniques to reduce prolapse discomfort.
✔ Nervous System Regulation – Helping her understand the connection between stress, pelvic tension, and symptom flare-ups.
✔ Functional Movement & Strength Training
Final Results:
✅ Cancelled her prolapse surgery—no longer felt the need for it after understanding how to manage her symptoms.
✅ Significant reduction in heaviness & pressure, allowing her to stand and run with her dogs.
✅ Returned to strength training without fear of worsening her prolapse and without symptoms.
✅ More confident in her body’s ability to heal, after years of feeling like she had no options.
Real Clients, Real Results: See Why Our Clients Trust Renew Health
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I worked with Dr. Alyssa Almeida regarding my Pelvic Floor issues and I cant recommend her enough. She is very knowledgeable, spends time understanding your needs and issues as a patient and provides treatment that works right for you. I never felt rushed or unable to get answers while I was getting treatment at this facility. I am glad that I found her. It’s the right step I took towards getting my health back with her help.
Moreover, the place is very welcoming, all staff members are polite and friendly. You will not regret it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Highly recommend working with renew health. I decided on pelvic floor therapy when I was pregnant. Thanks to Alyssa and Bree I had a successful delivery with no tearing and a positive recovery. Looking forward to finishing out my postpartum care with them to get back into the gym.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am so thankful for Dr. Alyssa! She helped educate me and gave me the tools to have a successful vaginal birth and to get back to Crossfit postpartum safely and successfully as well. All of the pelvic floor therapists at Renew Health are truly passionate about what they do and you can tell by the way they conduct their practice which is unfortuantely hard to find. The practice is also very clean and well taken care of!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This place is the BEST (and trust me, I've been everywhere else). After having 2 kids I had been to 5 other physical therapist offices over 7ish years , unable to kick chronic pain in various parts of my body and unable to make much progress. Once I found Renew Health Alyssa was able to explain EVERYTHING and get me on the road to fixing it. I've gained knowledge, strength, confidence, and finally feel like myself again. I can't say enough good things about Renew Health, they will treat you like a human, not kick you out in 15 minutes, and you can tell they truly want to help. You won't regret starting your care here!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
All 3 doctors are so knowledgeable, empathetic, caring, compassionate and passionate about what they do. I have been working with Dr. Ekmalian. mostly and she has taught me so much. We are half way through our sessions now and my confidence is returning. A traumatic birth experience is what brought me here and I can’t believe I waited so long to invest in myself.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They are amazing! I worked with Alyssa from 6 weeks to about 6 months postpartum and really feel she’s helped me tremendously. I feel stronger and more aware of my body and feel equipped with the tools to keep progressing towards my goals. They truly treat the individual and you can tell they are passionate about their work. I always felt so safe and welcome. They are awesome people, too!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Alyssa at Renew Health has helped me so much on my journey and I can’t thank her enough for everything she’s helped me with. I felt hopeless and lost at first with my pelvic floor dysfunction, but after 3 months with Alyssa I am stronger, healed, and more confident in my body. Everyone at Renew Health is very knowledgeable and passionate about what they do and I can’t recommend them enough. I have never felt more seen and cared for by a healthcare provider! Thank you for the life-changing work you guys do!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dr. Bree is a rock star! I was initially seeking help solely for pelvic pain related to pregnancy, but decided to work with Dr. Bree in all things labor prep and I am so happy I did! Dr. Bree gave me the tools needed, not only to prepare for labor, but also additional tips to use during labor that were incredibly helpful. Highly recommend!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I cannot recommend enough how important it is to invest in your body and overall wellbeing by working with Renew Health. It took me 10 years to finally do this (after a birth via cesarean and a vaginal birth of a good sized baby), and I am so grateful for the skill set, extensive training and wisdom of this amazing group of pelvic health physical therapists, Dr. Alyssa, Dr. Bree and Dr. Sara.
Beyond their education, they are an incredible group of women with an awesome bedside manner - you can tell them anything! I promise you, this method of care is so much more than you would get anywhere else. It is truly personalized for you (there are many different pelvic floor "conditions") and this is not what the internet has told you about pelvic health (i.e. "just so some kegels").
I highly recommend this practice!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Therapy here is top notch. They are so informative, welcoming, flexible and just all around amazing. They are so educated and passionate about pelvic floor therapy. If anyone is considering pelvic floor therapy, this is the place 100%.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dr. Brianna Almeida has absolutely changed my life. I went in for a simple prolapse issue postpartum, and while she was comprehensive and thorough in her evaluation and treatment plan and the issue resolved, she did so much more than just that! She addressed and provided education on how the multiple areas in my body function and work together and how a seemingly unrelated issue with how I use my feet, or have been perpetually sucking my stomach in since the age of 12 (any other 90s gals can relate?) is impacting my pelvic floor.
Long story short, not only do I no longer have the prolapse issue, but thanks to the way Dr. Bri asks thoughtful questions, listens, and treats the whole body I now have significantly decreased lower back pain, and I’m having pain-free sex for the first time in over ten years! I feel like myself in my own body again and I was treated with so much respect and empowerment in the process. If there was an option for more stars I’d give them all :).
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am extremely grateful to have found Renew Health and to have developed an amazing, trusting relationship with Alyssa throughout my time with her.
I lead a very active lifestyle in and outside of work and outside of work my passion for fitness and running is something that continues to grow; however , hip pain along with other symptoms that come with “ increased load” got in the way.
The environment at Renew Health is very welcoming. The one on one care during my appointments allowed us to focus on our plan, the explications and allowed me to work through everything with complete comfort and understanding of the work.
To this day, I’ve had complete resolution of my symptoms and also noticed an improvement in my ability to perform with running and lifting without pain etc.
Thank you Alyssa and the team at Renew health for all you do!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I cannot thank Renew Health enough for the help I received from them. I saw Dr. Brianna who was absolutely amazing as is everyone who works there! As someone who does not enjoy going to the Doctors I was immediately comfortable from the very first second I walked in there. I received help after being cleared by my ob 8&1/2 months postpartum. It was a long 8&1/2 months and I wasn’t sure what I needed to do to feel like myself again. Lucky for me I was recommended to renew health where I received personalized care for my issues to target my problems and get me back to exercise and normal living! The attention and care to detail really makes you feel heard and seen and the progress you notice is such a good feeling. Help with pelvic floor tension, back problems, and even painful periods. Since I started pelvic floor therapy my periods are barely a disturbance when prior to pregnancy I was getting sick from cramps and having to use a tens machine for relief. I can’t express my gratitude enough for all the help I received, prenatal, postpartum, or just in general pelvic floor therapy is important for everyone, I’m just sad I didn’t know about it before pregnancy!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It is always an incredible experience working with Alyssa and Brianna. They are so knowledgeable not only with pelvic floor health but with the body as a whole. I went to them after following prior advice I’d receive on how to fix an injury, that was getting me no where. They assessed my body as a whole & were able to get to the root of my problem! I finally feel like I’m making progress in the right direction by already reducing my pain & discomfort. So grateful for their compassion & experience. They provide a well rounded approach to physical therapy that is realistic & attainable for their clients. A service you will not be disappointed with!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I cannot say enough great things about them! Alyssa is the PT I worked with. I had been thinking about pelvic floor PT since my pregnancy in 2021. Then, when my daughter turned 2, I finally decided to go for it. I wish I had gone sooner! Each visit I felt better and stronger. They’re so good at communicating and educating you to understand the pelvic floor and the care is so individualized. You feel truly seen/understood and not just a number. I dealt with stress incontinence, sciatica, and back pain, and it’s literally gone now. I can easily jump on a trampoline, lift, cough, sneeze, etc with no leakage. They were so flexible with my schedule and it made going each week stress free. I always looked forward to it. I just finished my treatment in July and I now have the tools to maintain my pelvic floor health. They’re the best.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Alyssa & Brianna are outstanding! Highly recommend! They are caring, professional and genuinely care for their patients. They make you feel extremely comfortable as soon as you walk in the door! Renew Health is 10/10!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I started seeing Bree when I was 3 months postpartum with my first. I had (incorrectly) assumed that since I had been an avid lifter that I would have no pelvic floor issues. In my case, due to improper bracing and breathing, I actually had a tight and weak pelvic floor. Bree helped me regain normal function, and maintain it through my second pregnancy and postpartum period. I am now 5 month PP and have been able to successfully return to most activities that I love, and have strategies in place to work toward the ones I'm not quite able to do symptom free yet. This review is long overdue, and I cannot recommend them enough! It's been amazing to watch you all grow your company, and get to see first hand how much you care about your clients. I'm so grateful for you all!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have nothing but positive things to say about Renew Health and the care I received throughout my early postpartum journey. My issues were met with understanding and more importantly, immense knowledge on how to work on improving those issues. Brianna and Alyssa take pride in their work and it really shows. They care about their patients and want them to succeed and do a great job at making that happen. I highly recommend checking them out for any pelvic floor related issues!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Renew Health is the best! Brianna and Alyssa are the dream team. They are experts in the field of pelvic health and really know their stuff. I recommend to anyone struggling with their pelvic health.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Excellent care!! I worked with Dr. Brianna Almeida during my pregnancy and postpartum. She helped me prepare for birth, avoid birth related injury (tearing) and guided my recovery journey after my labor and delivery. She's kind and laid back and willing to educate her patients. The office is clean and the administration (billing, scheduling, ect.) is top notch!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Renew Health literally changed my life!
I found Renew Health after a year of having debilitating back/hip pain despite never having an injury. I saw 6 different doctors who all told me I would just have to live with this pain but couldn’t tell me what was causing it. Within 5 minutes of talking to Alyssa on my discovery call she helped me understand how all my symptoms were actually super common and easily explainable. Further she assured me they were 100 % fixable and I shouldn’t have to live with pain or give up on my athletic goals! When I went in for my first session I went from barely being able to sit down or bend over to walking and being able to touch my toes. Now after 4 months of seeing Alyssa I’m able to lift weights, walk, and even run again! If any of these symptoms sound like you it’s really worth it to give them a call because pelvic floor health is so under represented in medicine and often times doctors won’t tell you when your symptoms are describing pelvic floor dysfunction, despite it being SO COMMON. Before seeing them I never knew how important the pelvic floor is to athletic function and pelvic floor PT is as much a sports medicine as any other PT!! I felt so cared for and listened to throughout the whole process and I know if I ever needed anything in the future I would still have that support. Being in pain is really scary and confusing and I’m just incredibly thankful to have found this practice. They’re educated, professional, caring, and honest and because of them I get to have my life back!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The personalized 1:1 care I received was like no other! Brianna worked with me and my personal needs/goals and created an individualized program for my recovery from childbirth. During our sessions she was attentive and supportive of my needs. When something wasn’t working for me, she made attainable modifications all while being supportive of my progress thus far. I’d recommend Brianna or Alyssa at Renew Health to anyone (male, female, pregnant, post-partum!)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I started seeing Bri around 7 months pregnant for some sciatica and pelvic pain. I posted in a local forum asking for some references and Bri commented and messaged me directly. Their specialization in the pelvic floor, pregnancy, and post partum was something that stood out to me and made me choose them over other PTs. I am so relieved I made that decision! Something I love is that Bri takes the time to explain everything and the reason why she assigns certain exercises. I feel like I take a science class during every session lol! Their work is thorough and you can tell they truly care about you- which isn’t something you see at every PT office. I started seeing results almost immediately and felt so much more prepared for birth because of the prep we did!! Even my husband came in to learn ways to help me during delivery and we used each thing we learned!! I am now seeing them for post partum recovery and that has been amazing as well! I can’t imagine what my experience would have been like if I didn’t go through them- I am so thankful!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I went through Renew for my pregnancy journey as a first time mom. The birth prep exercises I was given definitely came into play during my smooth and quick delivery. I purchased a package that allowed for me to save some sessions after delivery. Being a CrossFit athlete, these postpartum sessions helped get me back and into the gym with little to no symptoms regarding my pelvic floor. I worked with Dr. Alyssa for my sessions and she was always there to answer any questions I had between sessions. She’s even provided me more exercises now that I’m done to use towards strengthening even more. 10/10 recommend!
Give Us A Follow for More Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Content!
Contact Us
Phone: (413) 224-6657
Fax: (413) 273-8203
Email: [email protected]
280 N. Main Street Suite 10A, East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Opening Hours
Monday - Thursday: 7:00a - 7:00p
Friday - 8:00a - 5:00p
