About Beth

Beth Shelly is a Doctor of Physical Therapy board certified in women’s health and biofeedback for pelvic floor dysfunction. She has practiced for over 20 years, specializing in women's and men's health. 

Beth graduated from Northeastern University suma cum laude in 1985. She has been in the field of women’s health since her graduation working in a variety of settings including hospital based in and out patient and free standing PT clinics. Beth spent 5 years at Maternal and Child Health Center in Cambridge MA working with Hollis Herman and another 5 years at Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge LA. She moved to the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa in 2000.

Beth completed her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa in 2007 with the completion of her research in the methods PTs use to learn PFM examination. To view the published abstracts and papers in Adobe PDF format, click here.

• Methods used by physical therapists to learn pelvic floor muscle examination Neurourol and Urodynam, 2009;28(7):821-822
• Characteristics of therapists reporting high and low skill confidence in examination of pelvic floor muscles. Journal of Women's Health Physical Therapy. 2010;34(3):89-98.
• Poster presentation International Continence Society Ultrasound Imaging Use in the Clinical Practice  of United States Pelvic PT’s, Philadelphia, PA, August 31, 2018

Beth has been widely recognized in her field and is the 2007 recipient of the Elizabeth Noble award for leadership and dedication from the Section on Women’s Health of the American Physical Therapy Association.

She became one of the first to be board certified in biofeedback for pelvic floor dysfunction in 2004 and is now a fellow with the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance. Board Certification demonstrates professionalism and adherence to carefully developed standards as a healthcare provider. Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA) procedures follow the Department of Health & Human Services Guidelines.

Healthcare professionals who achieve BCIA Certification demonstrate commitment to professionalism by completing basic degree and educational requirements, endorsing a rigorous code of professional conduct, learning to apply clinical biofeedback skills during mentorship, and passing a written examination. Beth is BCIA Board Certified in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction and have earned the designation BCB PMD.

Beth is also the first board certified women’s health PT in the Quad Cities and among the first 100 in the nation to receive this prestigious honor. She currently runs a private busy practice in Moline, Illinois. Dr Shelly lectures to physical therapists and physicians all over the world. She has lectured in England, Scotland, Liechtenstein, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Argentina, Canada, and Brazil. Beth is available for private instruction, individual and group mentoring, on-line and on-site lectures.

• Achievements and publications
  
• Curriculum Vita (21 pages)
  

Check out Beth’s current and recent projects

Recently published – Beth has joined a group of internationally known leaders in the field of pelvic health to define standard terms in this field.

An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/ International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for the conservative and  nonpharmacological management of female pelvic floor dysfunction
Kari Bo & Helena C. Frawley & Bernard T. Haylen & Yoram Abramov & Fernando G. Almeida & Bary Berghmans & Maria Bortolini & Chantale Dumoulin &
Mario Gomes & Doreen McClurg & Jane Meijlink & Elizabeth Shelly & Emanuel Trabuco & Carolina Walker & Amanda Wells. Int Urogynecol J (2017) 28:191–213.

She is also a co chair of a newly formed ICS working group to expand description of pelvic floor muscle examination techniques

"International Continence Society supported pelvic physiotherapy education guideline" E Bakker, B Shelly, DH Esch, H Frawley, D McClurg, P Meyers. Neurourol and Urodynam 2018.

“Pathology Implications for the Physical Therapist 4th ed” by Goodman and Fuller, Elsevier Publishers. Beth is the section editor for woman’s health and edited and wrote for 4 different chapters. There is also a large online section for pelvic PT associated with this text.

Women's health editor - content in multiple chapters of Differential Diagnosis for Physical Therapists screening for referral. 6th edition Eds CC Goodman, J Heick, RT Lazaro. Elsevier Publications, 2018.

ICS Wiki –Beth is currently editor in chief of the wiki and is working with professionals from all over the world to debate and discuss terminology in continence. Always looking for ICS members willing to participate.  Anyone can comment and add to the discussion of standard terms.  Please join us for the Wiki Workshop at the ICS meeting this August in Philadelphia, PA

New equipment – Pericoach is an intravaginal device which measures force of vaginal contraction and sends the information by blue tooth to the patient’s smart phone for home biofeedback. A randomized controlled study using Pericoach is now underway in Australia and FDA clearance has been received, with sales launch into US in Summer 2015. As an advisory board member Beth has worked the company providing feedback on all aspects. If you are interested in early adoption program please email Beth.

Twitter – Beth has just started tweeting.  Help me build my twitter.  Follow Beth @bethshellypt  I would love to hear from you.

 

Beth lives with her husband, children, and grandchildren in Bettendorf, IA

 

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