Meet Dr. Abigail Robson, founder of Pelvicore Therapeutics, a mobile pelvic floor physical therapy service specializing in women’s health.
Why did you choose this profession?
I have worked in Physical Therapy (PT) for a decade now, with my initial specialty being lower body injuries. PT isn’t usually a linear process in terms of recovery, but there is still a general timeline of recovery for most orthopedic conditions. When those conditions were not getting better, despite collaboration with other providers/, imaging, and a variety of treatment techniques—I knew there was something missing and now, in hindsight, I am confident that it was likely pelvic floor related. Pelvic floor therapy requires additional specialized training beyond our DPT to be able to internally examine and treat the pelvic floor—the scope of knowledge that coursework has given me has been pivotal in my practice. Fast forward to my first pregnancy and traumatic first birth experience—I took a deep dive into pelvic health full-time and never looked back. New mothers never forget their birth story and how they were treated during pregnancy and postpartum. I have now seen the good, bad and ugly that our system has. There is a huge disconnect in care for pelvic health and I want to be part of the movement that is trying to bridge that gap. I love my job and I am aware of the privilege I have to be part of such an intimate and vulnerable space with my clients.
Who is your ideal patient?
I am trained to treat all genders, but my current practice is focused on women’s health. I have specialized even further in treating prenatal/postpartum and return to barbell training. In the motherhood realm, I firmly believe that everyone should start pelvic floor PT while they are pregnant, regardless of their birth preferences and/or symptoms, or lack of symptoms. Prenatal pelvic floor PT is beyond the pelvic floor itself: I focus on making sure you are using your body correctly, injury prevention, birth preparation, and 4th trimester planning—keeping the birthing person at the forefront and top priority. We are then able to work together in early postpartum, already having a relationship established with each other, taking the guesswork and mental effort (for new mom and partner) of getting to know each other out of the equation! The beauty of doing in-home PT is that I can come to you as early as week two to start working on taking care of yourself and to provide whatever support and resources you may need.
What is your treatment style?
I take a whole-body approach with everyone I work with. I want to make sure all bases are covered and that I am a sounding board for any concern. If I can help you, I will, and if I cannot, I will refer you to someone trustworthy who can. This includes a thorough medical history, food and liquid diary if indicated, postural assessment, movement and strength screen, and an internal exam of your pelvic floor. I then use both individualized exercise prescriptions and hands on therapy in order to work toward the goals my client and I establish together. For my prenatal and postpartum clients, I have a wide variety of handouts and resources that I provide to support them through their journeys. I am a very intentional person and I try to show that through my work.
What is a fun fact about you?
I love weightlifting and running, but have most recently taken up Crossfit style strength training. It has been very humbling and a great reminder to practice what I preach in terms of listening to my own postpartum body. I didn’t realize how much I missed training in a team-like setting and it has been a great, new outlet. Also—I would love to be a low-key chef, living in another country, whenever I decide to retire. I LOVE cooking! Doesn’t that just sound heavenly?
