Hi friends, happy National Physical Therapy month! In celebration, let’s talk about the different certifications therapists can achieve that them excel at specializing in pelvic health conditions. Unfortunately, many physical therapists have very little knowledge or training about pelvic health conditions when they graduate from physical therapy school. This is one of the many reasons why you may have such a hard time finding a pelvic floor therapist.
As a patient, you may want to look for a therapist with these certifications, or as a therapist you may aspire to getting these certifications. While this list is not all-inclusive of every training program available, these are a few of the most well-known and well-respected organizations.
The Board Certified Women’s Health Clincal Specialist (WCS)
This certification is overseen by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties which is a component of the American Physical Therapy Association. This certification focuses on all aspects of women’s health including pelvic health, lymphedema, and pregnancy/postpartum.
It requires the therapist to complete the following:
Passing the Women’s Health Clinical Specialist exam
Either 2,000 hours of direct patient care in pelvic health or successful completion of a clinical residency programA case study on a patient that the therapist has treated
Must be re-certified every 10 years
You can learn more about the WCS here.
The Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification (PRPC)
This certification is overseen by the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. It focuses on pelvic health conditions like pelvic pain, pelvic girdle dysfunction, bowel and bladder conditions, and sexual dysfunction. Of the certifications we are discussing, this is the only one that occupational therapists specializing in pelvic health can attain.
It requires the therapist to complete the following:
Passing the Pelvic Health Rehab Practitioner exam
2,000 hours of direct patient care in pelvic health
Must be re-certified every 10 years
You can learn more about the PRPC here.
The Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic Health (CAPP-Pelvic)
This certification is overseen by the Academy of Pelvic Health which is a component of the American Physical Therapy Association. This certification focuses on pelvic health conditions like pelvic pain, urinary and fecal incontinence, and bowel dysfunction.
To achieve this certification, therapists must:
Complete the track of 4 courses with lecture and lab components
A written case report on a patient that the therapist has treated that is review by the Case Reflection Committee
The Certificate of Achievement in Obstetric Physical Therapy (CAPP-OB)
This certification is similar to the CAPP-Pelvic certification and has very similar requirements. While there is some overlap due to the nature of content, this certification focuses on issues in pregnancy and postpartum.
It requires the therapist to complete:
Complete the track of 3 courses with lecture and lab components
A written case report on a patient that the therapist has treated that is review by the Case Reflection Committee
You can learn more about the CAPP-Pelvic and CAPP-OB certificates here.
While these certifications do demonstrate a commitment to clinical-excellence and evidence-based treatments, many great therapists may not have these certifications. There are several factors to look at when finding the right therapist for you. You may want to review their certification and knowledge, location, pricing, treatment style, and more as these can all impact your recovery process. As a reminder, if you feel the therapist you are currently working with is not meeting your needs, you may want to look for another provider and that is okay.
To find a pelvic health therapist near you can find 4 databases at www.mypfm.com/find-a-pt.
Ready to learn more about pelvic health? Here are some helpful resources:
Watch Netflix for Your Pelvic Floor at Pelvic Flicks
Watch our YouTube playlist on Pelvic Floor Muscle Training
Learn more about the pelvic floor muscles with our book: My Pelvic Floor Muscles The Basics
Order myPelvic Bra perineal support
Sign up for our email newsletter!
Visit our Instagram page for more on pelvic health.
For providers, check out myPFM Academy to learn more so you can better help your clients. With two membership options, you have access to courses, a growing library of patient handouts, hundreds of custom sharable images and infographics, and multilingual resources. At myPFM Academy you’ll find courses like:
How to Pass the Women’s Clinical Specialist (WCS) Exam: Part 1 with Dr. Jamille Niewarra, PT, DPT, WCS
How to Pass the Women’s Clinical Specialist (WCS) Exam: Part 2 with Dr. Beth Shelly, PT, DPT, WCS, BMB-PMD
Pelvic Floor PT and OT How-Where-What: How to Become One, Where They Work, and What They Do with Jeanice Mitchell, PT, MPT, WCS, BCB-PMD
Written by Emily Reul, PT, DPT