Refine Physical Therapy

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Refine Physical Therapy

Expert pelvic floor physical therapy in Denver Colorado specializing in pregnancy and postpartum, pelvic pain, and incontinence.

Refine PT is here for any and all of your pelvic health needs!

01/02/2026

Checking yourself for Diastasis Recti 👇

DRA isn’t just about gap width — depth and tension matter.

To check width: Place 2 fingers along the midline starting below your navel. Gently lift your head and shoulders and feel above, at, and below the belly button. Can you fit 2 fingers between any of these areas?

To check depth: Press gently between the muscles. A deep, soft sink vs. firm support tells us how well your core manages pressure.

A gap ≠ broken core. Pelvic floor PT helps assess function and guide rehab.

12/31/2025

Planning a future pregnancy or IVF? 🤰

Pelvic floor physical therapy can be an important (and often missed) part of fertility prep—especially if you have a history of pelvic pain, hip or low back pain, endometriosis, or PCOS.

Pelvic PT helps release tension, improve circulation, restore mobility, and build coordinated strength in the pelvic floor and core—creating a healthier, more supportive environment for implantation and pregnancy.
Strong isn’t just about tightening.

A pelvic floor that can relax, lengthen, and respond matters just as much when you’re preparing your body for baby.

12/06/2025

✨ Quick truth: Pelvic floor PT doesn’t prevent every tear — the uterus and birth process determine that — but targeted PT (pelvic floor exercises + perineal preparation) reduces the severity of tears and the likelihood of interventions like routine episiotomy, and may lower some obstetric interventions. Cochrane+1

What pelvic-PT actually does: • Teaches relaxation + controlled lengthening of the pelvic floor during pushing (so the tissues give more gently). PubMed • Uses pelvic-floor training plus antenatal perineal massage to increase tissue elasticity and reduce need for episiotomy / severe perineal trauma in many studies. Cochrane+1 • Improves strength and endurance so birthing positions and pushing are more effective — which can reduce prolonged second stage and associated interventions. PubMed+1

Bottom line: pelvic-floor PT helps shift the odds toward less severe tearing and fewer routine episiotomies — it’s not a guarantee against any tear, but it makes birth kinder to the perineum. PubMed+1

Read the studies: • Cochrane review — Antenatal perineal massage reduces perineal trauma and episiotomy. Cochrane • Leon-Larios et al. (2017) — PFMT + perineal program associated with fewer episiotomies and severe tears in primiparas. PubMed • Abdelhakim et al. (2020) — Antenatal perineal massage linked to lower risk of severe perineal trauma and postpartum complications. PubMed • Sobhgol et al. (2020) systematic review/meta-analysis — Antenatal pelvic-floor exercises: benefits for labor outcomes and pelvic function. PubMed • Recent reviews/meta-analyses showing antenatal exercise programs may reduce cesarean risk and improve labor outcomes. PLOS+1

12/05/2025

✨ Your pelvic floor doesn’t push your baby out… but it absolutely plays a HUGE role in helping your baby come out.

The uterus does the pushing. The pelvic floor? It’s the gatekeeper. And when it’s too tight, guarded, or has never practiced lengthening… that “gate” doesn’t open easily.

Through pelvic floor PT, you can learn how to: 🔹 Relax + lengthen the pelvic floor 🔹 Create more space in the outlet 🔹 Coordinate breath with descent 🔹 Work with your body instead of fighting tension 🔹 Reduce the risk of tearing + make birth feel smoother

Think of it like training your pelvic floor to LET your baby out — not push.

12/04/2025

Why Hamstring Strengthening Matters in Pregnancy + Postpartum

1. Hamstrings = Pelvic Stability Helpers Strong hamstrings support the back of the pelvis and help balance out tight or overworking hip flexors. This reduces the “tipping forward” posture that’s super common in pregnancy.
2. They Support the Pelvic Floor (indirectly but powerfully) Hamstrings and the pelvic floor work as part of the same posterior chain. When hamstrings are weak, the pelvic floor often compensates → tension, discomfort, or difficulty relaxing. Strengthening them helps create a more balanced, responsive pelvic floor.
3. They Reduce Low Back + SI Joint Pain Hamstring strength helps anchor the pelvis and give the sacroiliac joints more support. This can ease the wobbly, achey feeling that comes with pregnancy-related ligament laxity.
4. Better Birth Positions Squatting, side-lying, hands-and-knees, lunges—all birth positions need hamstring endurance. Strong hamstrings = better control + less cramping when you’re trying to stay in a position that feels good.
5. Postpartum Lifting & Movement Between lifting baby, car seats, strollers, laundry, etc., postpartum life is full of hinge-based movements. Strong hamstrings make those forward-hinge patterns safer and decrease the load on the low back.
6. They Help Prevent “Mom Glute Amnesia” When hamstrings are activated well, glutes can fire more efficiently. This supports pelvic alignment, gait mechanics, and helps prevent postpartum hip and back discomfort.
7. They Support Core Rehab Good posterior chain strength helps you avoid overusing the spine or gripping your abs. Hamstrings help you hinge instead of fold—great for diastasis-safe mechanics.

12/01/2025

Counterpressure is one of the best tools partners can use to support comfort during pregnancy and labor. From steady hands-on pressure, to leaning body weight for deeper support, to using a rebozo for rhythmic, full-body counterpressure — these techniques help reduce back pain, calm the nervous system, and create a sense of grounded support.

More surface area = more relief.
More rhythm = more release.
More confident partner support = a smoother birth experience.

Teach your partner these moves early so they’re ready when you need them most.

11/29/2025

Tailbone mobility matters so much more than people realize in pregnancy. When the sacrum and coccyx have room to move, the pelvic floor can relax better, the low back feels less locked up, and the pelvis can actually open the way it needs to for birth.

In this position, the partner gently mobilizes by using his thumbs deep along the sides of the tailbone while the pregnant person is on all 4’s. She then rocks forward and backward to help release tension, improve comfort, and support smoother mechanics for labor. Small, slow movements make a big difference.

11/28/2025

Unlocking the pelvic floor isn’t always about more kegels — sometimes it’s about giving the hips the space they’ve been asking for. This move (ball squeeze + internal rotation) actively lengthens the external rotators, which can help the pelvic floor relax, release tension, and function the way it’s meant to. Perfect for postpartum recovery, pelvic pain, or anyone feeling “tight but weak” in the pelvic floor.

Try it slow, controlled, and with your breath. Your hips will thank you.

11/27/2025

“Pregnant? Skip the boat pose.”

Boat pose looks harmless, but during pregnancy it puts a lot of direct pressure on the tailbone and overly loads the muscles along the front of the abdomen. That extra strain can worsen or contribute to abdominal separation (diastasis recti) and create more back or pelvic discomfort.

A better option? Keep your feet grounded, your trunk more upright, and focus on breath, length, and gentle core engagement instead of full V-sit positioning. You’ll get the stability benefits without stressing the front of your belly or tailbone.

11/26/2025

You don’t have to wait 6 weeks to start supporting your body postpartum. There are gentle things you can work on right away—like breath mechanics, deep core reconnection, and light pelvic floor contractions in gravity-eliminated positions (hands-and-knees, supported bridge with hips elevated, etc.).

These early tools help your system calm, heal, and re-coordinate after birth.
Scheduling a pelvic floor PT visit around 2–3 weeks postpartum is ideal. That’s when we can look at how you’re managing pressure (especially with lifting a car seat, getting out of bed, or carrying baby), fine-tune posture for feeding and holding, and build a personalized plan for your core, back, and pelvic floor as you heal.

And this is especially important after a C-section. We address early scar mobility, gentle abdominal activation, breathing patterns that protect your incision, and strategies to reduce discomfort with daily movement. Your pelvic floor still matters after a C-section, and your core system deserves support as everything reconnects.

Postpartum rehab isn’t about bouncing back—it’s about rebuilding intentionally so your body feels supported for everything ahead.

11/25/2025

Rebozo support is one of the simplest and most effective ways a partner can help during pregnancy and labor. A gentle belly lift and small rhythmic jiggles between contractions can reduce tension, create space, and bring so much pain relief. These little techniques go a long way in building confidence for both of you.

Practice through pregnancy as well- this provides comfort before the presence of contractions.
 

11/20/2025

Watching your partner step into their role during labor prep is such a game changer. Confidence grows fast when they learn simple, effective support techniques.

Address

1626 N
Denver, CO
80203

Telephone

+13032190563

Website

http://refinept.com/

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