Femina Physical Therapy in the Media

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT and the team at Femina PT are routinely sought out by major online sources, print publications, and broadcast media for our knowledge of all things related to pelvic health. The recognition we have received as leading experts in our field has resulted in appearances on "Loveline with Mike and Dr. Drew" , US News & World Report, Huffington Post, ABC News, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, Bustle, "Sex With Emily" with Dr. Emily Morse, and in New York Magazine and Health Magazine, to name but a few. The demand for our expertise is greater than ever as more and more women seek to remedy the issues that we work with on a daily basis.

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As Featured In:

Details: Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT; Published: 20 August 2023; Last Updated: 11 September 2023; 1225 Views

As they mention on their website, Runner’s World provides inspirational tales from the trail, race advice, and more. When Laura Williams Bustos, M.S. wanted to learn more about the connection between running and a healthy pelvic floor, I was glad to offer my insights as a licensed Physical Therapist. Here are some excerpts from the article interspersed with my own commentary, along with a link to the full article at their website.

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

3 Surprising Symptoms of a Weak Pelvic Floor

Experts explain why a strong pelvic floor is so important for runners, plus what to look for to make sure your muscles can withstand mileage.

Few things demand as much of your pelvic floor as running, and whether you run competitively or just to stay in shape, having a strong and healthy pelvic floor will make your running routine both more beneficial and more enjoyable.

Details: Written by: Debbie Dy, PT, DPT; Published: 20 June 2023; Last Updated: 20 June 2023; 872 Views

As one of the giants of the sports and fitness industry, Nike carries a lot of clout when it comes to health and wellness tips. So when Dina Cheney reached out to me for my views on creating an effective morning stretch routine, I was glad to offer my insights as a licensed Physical Therapist. Here are some excerpts from the article interspersed with my own commentary, along with a link to the full article at the Nike website.

Debbie Dy, DPT

What Are the Benefits of Creating a Morning Stretch Routine?

It's part of our nature as mammals to feel the urge to stretch when first waking up. Lions, bears, and squirrels all do it too! It gets the blood flowing and helps erase the cobwebs that seem to gather when we're in a deep slumber. So it only makes sense to follow what our bodies are telling us by making a good stretching regimen part of waking up each day.

And as the article says,

Flowing through some gentle movements at the start of your day will not only help to prepare your body for movement — of any kind — but it may also help improve flexibility over time."

Answers to the Age Old Question "Why does My Clitoris Hurt?"

Anatomically speaking, the clitoris can be seen as the focal point of female genitalia. Most people are aware that it receives stimulation near the top center of the vaginal opening, but it also has legs (also known as "crura") made of erectile tissue that form a V-shape inside the body. Because of its scope and the high concentration of nerves it contains, it can receive stimulation in many ways, including externally at the vulve and deeper up in the vagina.

Combine this with the many other possible factors outlined below, and finding a solution to clitoral pain or discomfort can take a fair bit of research and reflection. These factors could include:

Any number of potential health related issues
Dietary problems and/or dehyration
Where you are at in your cycle
Perhaps most importantly, finding just what kind of stimulation works best for you and your anatomy

Details: Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT; Published: 10 May 2023; Last Updated: 05 June 2023; 1101 Views

My recent interview with Cosmo about "gymgasms" got a lot of attention, and Glam writer Amanda Chatel did a followup article to look further into this exciting exercise topic. She reached out to me for a little more info on how gymgasms actually happen, and of course I was glad to oblige. Here's a brief synopsis with a link to the full article below.

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

Everyone Wants to Know: What is a Gymgasm?

There can be clitoral, vaginal, breast, inner thigh, toe sucking, oral, sensual massage, mental orgasms and so many more.

Amanda begins:

When it comes to orgasms we tend to only hear about the clitoral orgasm and the G-spot orgasm (despite the latter being quite elusive), but there's actually a whole world of orgasms out there that can be experienced. Depending on the source of information, there's anywhere from 11 to 24 orgasms that those with vulvas — and some penis owners too — can achieve.

Here's a paragraph from a great article we wrote on the relationship between the clitoral hood and pelvic floor muscle strength:

Details: Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT; Published: 09 May 2023; Last Updated: 09 May 2023; 1585 Views

We've got lots of articles on dealing with dsypareunia and the painful sex that often accompanies it, but what if it's not you suffering, but instead your partner has dyspareunia? Giddy writer Alex Denny wanted to find some answers and reached out to me for my thoughts. Here are some snippets from the article, followed by a link to the full article at the Giddy website.

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

Here's What You Need to Know if Your Partner Has Dyspareunia

Author: Alex Denny
Reviewer: Vita Eizans, D.O.

Support goes a long way when your significant other suffers from painful intercourse.

Many people experience painful intercourse at some point in their lives. Whether you needed more lubricant or you just weren't in the mood—the reason doesn't matter—it's not unusual to occasionally feel pain during sex.

Wondering How to Talk With Your Partner About Endo?

The pain of endometriosis can make intimate relationships a huge challenge. Experts and patients give advice on how to talk about this invisible condition so that your partner understands.

By Gabrielle Kassel
Medical Reviewer: Andrea Eisenberg, M.D.

In this article Gabrielle Kassel speaks to a number of experts on endo, including yours truly. If you're suffering from pain during sex and looking for tips on how to talk with your partner about endo, read on. Topics covered include:

Details: Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT; Published: 08 April 2023; Last Updated: 20 May 2023; 1352 Views

image depicting belly press during sex — Image courtesy of Getty Images

The bottom line: If a little belly press during sex helps turn you on more, that’s what matters most.

If you’ve spent much time on our site, you may have noticed that we focus primarily on improving the health of your pelvic floor, particularly if you are having issues due to illness, life changes like pregnancy or menopause, and/or recovering from an injury. But once your pelvic floor is in shape, we also love to present various techniques that help you enjoy sex more. So when Cosmo did a deep dive on the “belly press during sex” craze, they reached out to me for some input on the how’s and why’s about the technique, why it works (or not), and if and when there are times you should avoid it.

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

The article begins:

If you’re thinking there’s no way that could possibly feel good, hear us out: Gently applying pressure to the lower abdomen during sex can feel amazing and potentially amplify your orgasms. You’ve just gotta figure out how to make it work for you.

Details: Written by: Heather Jeffcoat, DPT; Published: 16 February 2023; Last Updated: 16 February 2023; 1039 Views

Postpartum exercise guidelines have been updated by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and while writing an article on the new guidelines for Motherly author Sydni Ellis reached out to me for my insights. Here is a brief synopsis of the article along with a link to the full article below.

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT

How Postpartum Exercise Guidelines are Changing and Why

We're not saying "Don't exercise at all!"

In the article Sydni describes the evolution of standard practice for exercising postpartum - with recommendations increasing from six weeks to twelve weeks before any strenuous activity - but with added emphasis on easing into exercise at the six week mark, all the while building to a full regimen at the twelve week mark.

She begins:

Many women can’t wait to start exercising again after pregnancy. For others, sweet baby snuggles tend to win out over exercising for the first few weeks. Once you catch up on sleep and start to gain more energy, you may be ready to do Pilates or go for a jog again—but it might not be safe to jump back in with the same intensity level in your postpartum exercise as in your pre-pregnancy routines.
...It turns out, new research backs waiting until 12 weeks postpartum to do high-intensity workouts, and many OBGYNs have adjusted their postpartum exercise recommendations acccordingly.