OPTimize Physical Therapy and Wellness

12/09/2025

Not all lymphatic cups work the same — and the cup you choose determines how your tissue responds. Here’s a simple, general breakdown of which cup and why you might chose it!

1. Flat Silicone Puck (blue)
This is the gentlest option. It creates a soft, shallow lift and is amazing for anyone who is sensitive, inflamed, or early in their lymphatic journey.
Pros: very forgiving, low risk of irritation, great for tender or reactive areas.
Cons: does not glide well and does not maintain deeper suction.
Best for: acute swelling, early post-op, neck/face work, “wake up” techniques.

2. Bulb Suction / Vacuum Cup (pink ball)
This cup creates the strongest lift of the three. Because you manually pump the bulb, you can generate deeper decompression and target specific areas with precision.
Pros: predictable suction, deeper decompression, helpful for stubborn congestion and dense tissue.
Cons: too intense for inflamed or reactive tissue, not ideal early post-op.
Best for: chronic congestion, fascial restriction, stubborn areas needing more lift.

3. Tall Silicone Glide Cup (pink cone)
This is the middle-ground cup. It is flexible for comfort but designed to glide, allowing you to move fluid directionally along lymphatic pathways.
Pros: smooth glide, consistent mild-to-moderate suction, good for routine home use.
Cons: can collapse if squeezed too firmly, less control than hard plastic.
Best for: abdominal routines, thighs and hips, general lymphatic drainage at home.

The takeaway:
There is no “best” lymphatic cup — only the best one for your tissue, your symptoms, and your sensitivity level. The right tool can support drainage, reduce swelling, improve mobility, and calm a reactive system. The wrong one can create irritation or increased swelling.

This is why in pelvic floor and lymphatic sessions, I match the tool to your tissue presentation!
Unsure what you need? Schedule a session!

10/31/2025

You open the door… the lights are low… and there’s a pelvis under the covers.
Spooky? Maybe.
But what’s scarier is how many women live with pelvic symptoms that no one ever explained.

If your well-woman exams have ever been uncomfortable —
that can be your body’s way of saying something deeper is going on.

➡️ Pain with exams
➡️ Pain with pe*******on or tampons
➡️ Leaking when you run, laugh, sneeze, or jump
➡️ Pressure, heaviness, or pain in your pelvis or tailbone
➡️ Avoiding intimacy because you’re afraid of the discomfort

None of these are “just normal.”
They’re common, but not normal — and all are signs your pelvic floor may be tight, weak, or uncoordinated.

A pelvic floor physical therapist helps you:
✨ Understand what’s happening in your body
✨ Release tension and retrain your muscles
✨ Rebuild confidence and connection

Because caring for your pelvic health shouldn’t be scary.
Your body deserves safety, understanding, and support — not fear.

So if the thought of your wellness exam makes you tense up more than a haunted house…
it might be time to see a pelvic PT 👻

09/18/2025

09/06/2025

✨ Free Community Seminar: Learn Your Lymph Drainage ✨

I’m so excited to be teaming up with Zoe Kerwin and iSwell Care to bring this free, hands-on seminar to our community. If you’ve ever wondered what your lymphatic system actually does or how to support it at home, this is for you.

We’ll be covering:
🌿 What the lymphatic system is and why it’s such an important part of your overall health
🌿 The pathways of lymph drainage and how they move fluid through your body
🌿 Live demonstrations of simple, at-home techniques you can start using right away to support your own drainage
🌿 Practical self-care strategies you can use if you’re living with lipedema, lymphedema, venous issues, or just dealing with swelling and heaviness

This event is totally open to everyone, whether you’re living with one of these conditions, supporting a loved one, or just curious about lymphatic health. And because I want you to leave empowered, we’ll not only teach you the “why” behind your lymphatic system, but also give you the “how” you can apply daily.

📍 Winghaven Library – 7435 Village Center Dr, O’Fallon, MO
🗓 Thursday, Oct 23rd | ⏰ 4:30–6:30 PM
🎟 Free to attend (and yes, we’ll have a raffle for prizes!)

Come learn, ask questions, and see how much control you actually have when it comes to supporting your own health. Can’t wait to see you there!

Hosted by: Optimize Physical Therapy & Wellness + iSwell Care

08/20/2025

✨ This is ONE session ✨

This C-section scar was treated with shockwave therapy (available at and the difference after just a single session is striking. The tissue softened, the scar line lifted, and mobility through the abdominal wall improved immediately.

But the biggest impact isn’t what you see on the surface — it’s what’s happening underneath. A C-section scar passes through multiple layers of tissue. When it heals tightly, it can:
• Restrict abdominal wall mobility
• Interfere with lymphatic drainage, leading to puffiness and bloating
• Pull on fascia, creating tension in the pelvis, hips, or back
• Limit deep core activation and stability

As a pelvic floor therapist, I see how scars affect the whole system. When we free up scar tissue and restore mobility, people often notice improved core connection, less pelvic heaviness, and even changes in posture or breathing.

Scar therapy is never just cosmetic — it’s functional care that helps restore flow, balance, and body confidence. And the fact that this kind of change can happen in just one session shows how powerful scar treatment can be.

👉 If you’ve had a C-section and are dealing with bloating, pelvic heaviness, painful intimacy, back or hip pain, or trouble reconnecting to your core, pelvic floor therapy can help. Scar work should be part of your recovery.

08/17/2025

So much of what I treat in pelvic floor and lymphatic health comes back to hormonal regulation. 🌸 It’s impossible to fully address one without talking about the other—which is why this event means so much.

Samantha Chilson Pelvic Physical Therapy and I will start by sharing how hormonal shifts impact the pelvic floor and lymphatic system, and then we’re honored to welcome women’s hormone specialist Michelle Wallweber, MSN, FNP-C Westplex Integrative Healthcare .She’ll dive into what really happens during perimenopause and menopause, the symptoms you might notice, and what you can do to support your body through it all.

✨ This free event is open to everyone—whether you’re approaching, experiencing, or just curious about these changes.
☕ Coffee, tea, and snacks provided. If the weather’s nice, we’ll be outside, so bring a lawn chair!

📍 400 Lake Saint Louis Blvd
📅 Sept. 11th | 6PM

08/11/2025

lower belly puff after a C-section?
It’s not just from weight gain or scar tissue — it’s often your lymphatic system struggling to drain.

When you have surgery, especially an abdominal incision like a C-section, lymphatic pathways can be disrupted. That means fluid can pool in the area, making it look and feel puffy, tight, or heavy.

Scar tissue adhesions can also ‘stick’ your skin, fascia, and underlying muscles together — which doesn’t just limit flexibility, it can actually reduce your muscle pump function. Your core and pelvic floor muscles help push lymphatic fluid back toward the heart with every movement, so when adhesions block that motion, drainage slows and swelling can linger.

Here’s the exact gentle routine ( sped up by 3x speed! It should take 5-8 minutes all together) I use with my patients to help reduce swelling and improve mobility — once your incision is fully healed and cleared by your provider:

1️⃣ Diaphragmatic breathing — Your diaphragm is a lymph pump! Deep, rib-expanding breaths get fluid moving from the inside out.
2️⃣ Clear the main lymph nodes — Gentle circles in the armpits and groin open your biggest drainage points so fluid has somewhere to go.
3️⃣ Skin stretch above belly button → armpits — Helps upper abdominal fluid drain toward the armpit nodes.
4️⃣ Skin stretch below belly button → groin — Directs lower belly fluid toward the inguinal (groin) nodes.
5️⃣ Clockwise abdominal circles — Follows your colon to help digestion and reduce bloating.
6️⃣ C-section scar mobilization — Soft tissue work to loosen adhesions, improve blood flow, restore normal movement, and bring back your natural muscle pump.
I do: above and belly S bends
Skin lift up/down
Skin pull side/side
Circles
Skin pinch and roll!

💡 Bonus step: Once your incision is fully healed and you’ve started with gentle mobilization, you can add a small silicone cup for light suction around the scar. This helps lift and separate layers of tissue, improving circulation and lymphatic flow even more. I repeat the routine with it!

✨ Repeat daily for best results — most people start noticing less puffiness and more comfort within a couple of weeks.

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08/04/2025

If you have been told to “belly breathe” to help with bloating, pelvic floor issues, or stress, you are only getting part of the story.
True diaphragmatic breathing is not just pushing your stomach out. It is about full 360 degree expansion through the front, sides, and back so your diaphragm moves through its entire range and your core works together as one system.

When the diaphragm moves fully, it pumps the lymphatic system, moving fluid out of the belly and gut area. This supports digestion, reduces fluid retention, and takes pressure off the pelvic floor. Without that full movement, pressure and fluid get stuck, leading to distention, bloat, and even core weakness over time.

For my mommas, especially postpartum, only belly breathing can actually make the belly pooch worse by pushing pressure forward instead of spreading it evenly. Training 360 breathing helps reconnect deep core muscles, improve lymph flow, and support the pelvic floor so the belly can heal naturally.

Two ways to work on it:
• Foam roller prone breathing – Lay face down with a foam roller under your ribcage. Inhale into the roller, expanding into your back and sides. Exhale fully without losing contact.
• Foam roller child’s pose – Place the roller under your belly in child’s pose. Inhale into the roller, feeling expansion in your sides and low back instead of just forward.

Full diaphragmatic movement equals better lymphatic flow, less belly bloat, more pelvic floor support, and a stronger, more coordinated core.

07/22/2025

MYTH: The pelvic floor pushes the baby out
TRUTH: The pelvic floor needs to relax so the baby can come through!!!

This is one of the most common misconceptions I hear and it leads so many people to prepare for birth the wrong way

🏋️ The uterus is what pushes the baby out.

!Not your pelvic floor!

In fact, a tight or overactive pelvic floor can actually slow labor down, increase pain, and raise the risk of tearing

Your pelvic floor has one major job during birth:
Get out of the way

It needs to lengthen, stretch, and release to allow baby to move through the vaginal canal

Here’s where breathing and pelvic floor therapy come in:

🫁 Your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together.
When you inhale deeply and exhale fully, your pelvic floor is reflexively guided to relax.
When it doesn’t—or when you bear down with tension—your pushing efforts are less effective and more straining

In pelvic floor therapy, we train:

✔ how to feel what “release” actually is
✔ how to breathe in sync with your pelvic floor
✔ how to bear down without holding tension
✔ how to improve pelvic mobility for more space in the pelvis

So, If you’ve been doing kegels to “get ready to push,” it’s time to switch gears

07/17/2025

I’m so grateful to for the opportunity to share a bit of my story behind diving in to private practice at OPTimize Physical Therapy and Wellness

Pelvic floor therapy and lymphatic care are often overlooked or pushed to the side, but they play a huge role in everything from pain and posture to inflammation, digestion, and recovery.

My goal has always been to help people understand and reconnect with these foundational systems so they can feel more at home in their bodies and I’m thankful for any chance to share that message.

👉 You can read the full feature here: https://voyagestl.com/interview/exploring-life-business-with-bri-hollandsworth-of-optimize-physical-therapy-and-wellness-llc

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bri Hollandsworth. Hi Bri, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.I never expected to open a private practice. But I always knew I wanted to be a physical therapist. From the time I started shadowin...