Strength & Dignity Wellness provides Georgetown, Cedar Park women pelvic floor therapy

“I tell women that once you have a baby, you’re postpartum forever, because especially if you haven't done any sort of rehabilitation, we're seeing those problems ... show up long term,” Castillo said.

The backstory

Castillo studied athletic training at Baylor University before attaining her Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2018.

While she said she’s always had an interest in women’s health, during her own pregnancy and postpartum experience, she dove into the pelvic health realm, partially trying to treat herself—something she doesn’t recommend.

“I realized how difficult pregnancy and postpartum can be for women, and that moms need more support,” Castillo said.

From there, she took some specific training courses that blend her sports background with pelvic floor therapy, adding that much of the work is similar to treating other orthopedic conditions.

Castillo started her own practice about a year ago, seeing patients out of their homes. She currently has office space inside Align Chiropractic and in New Hope Professional Park in Cedar Park as well as treats patients at birth centers in Burnet and Belton.

The specifics

Castillo tailors her treatments to the individual goals of her patients. Pelvic floor therapy work begins with a consultation and can include breath work, stretching and strength building exercises.

For people who are expecting, Castillo offers a birth preparation program that walks through anatomy and how the pelvis moves during childbirth as well as exercises that address each phase of labor; perineal massage, which Castillo said is shown to reduce severe tearing during birth; and practice pushing.

For newly postpartum patients, sessions with Castillo include breath work, how to re-engage core muscles and ways to safely care for a baby without putting a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor. She can also do an internal exam after six weeks to assess pelvic floor muscle strength and look for signs of prolapse or other systems.

Strength & Dignity Wellness offers an app with online courses for both pregnancy and postpartum.

Castillo said she values consent, modesty and respect when working with patients, adding that a lot of aspects of pelvic floor therapy can take place fully clothed.

Castillo said she takes a full-body approach to pelvic health, talking to patients about hydration, their protein intake and getting enough sleep.

“When I talk pelvic floor, I’m really talking pelvic floor, core, breathing—and if we don’t have a good foundation, then it’s hard for all of our limbs that connect to our core to work well,” Castillo said. “Exercise, we know, is good for us, but if we are so afraid of exercise because we’re having a lot of pelvic floor heaviness, pain, leaking, and that’s preventing us from doing those things, it’s important to get that addressed so you can live the healthiest version of your life.”

Looking ahead

Castillo said there’s been a big push for more practitioners to be aware of the need for pelvic health and to educate women that these symptoms aren’t just something you have to live with after having a baby.

“Our goal is that you’re able to live life without having pain, leaking [or] heaviness, and that you can be as active as you want to be,” Castillo said.

• 1930 S. Austin Ave., Ste. 105, Georgetown; 921 W. New Hope Drive, Ste. 605, Cedar Park
• www.strengthdignitywellness.com