Prostate Surgery - Beth Shelly Physical Therapy

Prostate PT at Beth Shelly

Pre Prostate PT

Please see our New Patients page for important information about insurance coverage and attendance policy.

IA Location: Usually, I see patients only on Monday mornings at the Urology office on Spring Street in Davenport. Unfortunately, these spots are very limited. Please call Beth for more information.

Urological Associates, P.C. Spring Medical Park, 3319 Spring St., Suite 202, Davenport, IA 52807. When you arrive, please tell the receptionist you are there to see the PT and she will check you off that list.

IL Location: The remainder of the week I am at my main office in Illinois. Please check the directions posted on this web site so that you are familiar with the location before the first visit. I am sometimes not available to give directions right before your appointment.

When you arrive Please arrive a few minutes early for the first visit to complete the necessary paperwork. Arriving on time allows you to take advantage of your full treatment time as I strive to remain on time for all my patients. During the first visit I will complete an evaluation and collect information to establish a treatment plan and PT goals to meet your individual needs.

Frequency of treatments: The prostate surgery program includes 1 or 2 visits before and 1 or 2 visits after your surgery. The frequency of visits is determined by you. At the end of the first visit, if you feel unsure and would like to see the muscle display again we will schedule another visit before the surgery. Similar decision is made after the post-operative visit.

Pelvic Physical Therapy

After Prostate Surgery

Pre-operative visits
Most ideal to have this 2 to 4 weeks before surgery to give time for learning and conditioning of the muscle. 45 minute session includes:

Brief history and review of current exercise / activity level and bowel habits. Education is given to avoid straining / constipation after surgery and to adhere to lifting limitations given by the MD.
Instruction in activities after surgery and general information on lifting limitations
Education on:
- Pelvic muscle anatomy and function
- Post-operative pain and bleeding – what does it mean and what to do
- Pad use – what to buy and where to buy them
- When leakage should be improved
- Measurement of the pelvic muscle (see below). Teach proper pelvic muscle exercise technique
- An individual exercise program is set up including attention to endurance, repetitions, and patient position. Patient is also given instructions as to when to restart the exercises after surgery.

Post-operative visits
This visit is about 10 days after catheter is out. Please call Beth if the catheter removal is delayed. 45 minute session includes

Reevaluation of the pelvic muscle by external EMG
Continued instruction in pelvic muscle exercise progression with advancing hold, reps, and position.
Discussion of how long to do exercises (most studies say 6 months)
Discussion of the role of the pelvic muscle and abdominals in lifting and how to begin training this coordination before lifting occurs.
Education on normal bladder pattern and fluid intake.

Measuring the pelvic floor muscle: On the first visit it is necessary to measure the pelvic floor muscles. This can be done by three methods – each method gives different information and all are valuable. The measurements allow you to see the muscle activity and make sure you are doing the exercises correctly.

EMG measurement with adhesive patches on the outside of the rectum – this method is used with all patients and gives good information about the activation and endurance of the muscle.
Ultrasound on the perineum (the area between the testicals and the rectum) – this method gives important information about which part of the pelvic muscle is activating. It is only available in the Moline office.
Inside the rectal canal – this method is often not necessary. Beth will let you know if it would be a helpful addition to the EMG measurement.