Kassandra Schuhmann, DPT, has joined Janet Harris-Hicks, M.D., FACOG, FPMRS, and Alexandria P. Ross, FNP-C, at FirstHealth Urogynecology located at 108 Endo Lane, Suite 1, in Hamlet.
Schuhmann earned her doctor of physical therapy from Nazareth College of Rochester in New York. She holds certifications in treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction from the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Floor Institute. Schuhmann is also a certified professional yoga therapist and medical yoga specialist. She will complete training this fall to become a Professional Yoga Therapist Institute (PYTI) specialist.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Kassandra’s caliber on our team,” said Dr. Harris-Hicks. “Not only is she a skilled and experienced physical therapist, she is passionate about helping patients with pelvic floor dysfunction obtain optimal quality of life.”
It was during Schuhmann’s yoga training that she first became interested in pelvic floor physical therapy. “I began to understand how much the pelvic floor influences our function and stability and how much support we require from healthy and strong pelvic floor musculature,” Schuhmann said.
Upon working in the clinic setting, Schuhmann began to realize how many patients suffered with dysfunctional pelvic floor and how debilitating the symptoms can be for women.
With a strong desire to help change or improve these symptoms for patients, Schuhmann saw how physical therapy combined with her yoga training could benefit patients. “It has been a blessing to be able to become specialized in this area and help to give women their life back,” she said.
At FirstHealth Urogynecology, Schuhmann treats a variety of pelvic floor disorders including urinary dysfunction, stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overactive bladder, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, fecal incontinence, constipation, pain with intercourse, bladder pain, pelvic floor weakness, pelvic floor tightness and interstitial cystitis.
Each year, pelvic floor disorders affect millions of women. These conditions may arise due to pregnancy, after childbirth, following surgery or as part of the natural aging process. According to Schuhmann, women do not have to live with the discomfort or embarrassment caused by pelvic floor issues.
“Some of the greatest benefits of physical therapy for pelvic floor disorders are the improvement to a woman’s strength, endurance and flexibility,” said Schuhmann. “If that is the impairment, physical therapy can help to release any trigger points or taut bands of tissue, which may be causing pain. It can improve the stability and support of the pelvis, allow a woman to have more normalized sexual function, and give her the ability to void regularly and/or have regular bowel movements.”
Pelvic floor physical therapy works on the musculoskeletal system of the pelvic complex to reduce any dysfunction and impairments, and helps return a woman to her prior level of function or what is considered her normal.