While San Diego emergency rooms are accustomed to screening for traumatic brain injuries or broken bones following a major car accident, one of the most common consequences – pelvic pain – can manifest weeks or months later.   Pelvic pain can manifest as low back, hip, groin, or tailbone pain, and is often misdiagnosed, leaving victims to suffer for years without relief.

Within the body, all roads lead to the pelvis.  Major muscle groups like the quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, abdominal, and lower back muscles all attach to the pelvic girdle.  Any injury can have profound implications for the health of the entire pelvic region, or a jarring impact can disrupt pelvic alignment and create long-term dysfunction.

Pelvic injuries often refer pain to the low back, groin, hips, or tailbone.  Even though the real problem is within the pelvic floor, the body interprets the pain as coming from these surrounding areas.  This can lead to years of ineffective treatments or surgeries that never address the underlying issue within the pelvic floor.

When the pelvic muscles are injured, knotted and strained after an accident, they may be unable to perform their normal function.  In addition to pelvic pain, accident victims may notice they experience the following pelvic symptoms after a trauma:

  • Incontinence
  • Constipation
  • Urinary Urgency or Frequency
  • Painful Intercourse

Pelvic floor physical therapy is the specialized branch of treatment that focuses on resolving these complex conditions.  However, the field is still relatively small, with fewer than 300 board-certified pelvic PTs across the entire country.  San Diego is fortunate to have a leading expert in pelvic physical therapy, Dr. Nicole Cozean, within driving distance of her PelvicSanity clinic in South Orange County.