Physical therapists at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) use exercise and therapeutic play activities to address movement, coordination, balance, strength and endurance issues in children and young adults. For pelvic health physical therapy, this means aiding in the development and rehabilitation of muscles and functional movement that involve voiding and staying continent.
The pelvic floor muscles help control the bladder and bowel and support the body’s organs. When babies are newborns, they cannot control these muscles, so they go to the bathroom without thinking about it.
As babies reach new milestones, their pelvic floor muscles continue to develop. When babies start sitting up, crawling and standing, their muscles learn to support their bodies better. The pelvic floor begins to get stronger and improves coordination. When learning to stand and walk, the muscles begin to support weight and again develop more strength.
By the time children are around 18 months to 3 years old, they begin to control when they go to the bathroom because their pelvic floor muscles are stronger and become better connected to their brain. As kids run, squat and climb, they keep building these muscles. Having strong pelvic floor muscles helps with good posture, balance and control over their bladder and bowel as they grow.
The supporting muscles of the pelvic floor include the hips, abdomen and diaphragm. The abdominal and diaphragm muscles help manage pressure in your belly along with the pelvic floor. When these muscles work well together, they help keep us dry when we cough, laugh, jump and run. The hip muscles provide stability, so the pelvic floor can do its job. If these muscles are weak, it can be harder to hold in urine.
Our pelvic health physical therapists specialize in identifying areas of dysfunction that are impacting the ability of the pelvic floor to do its job. Their knowledge in exercise principles and interventions allow them to achieve maximum success with children with bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex.
The pelvic health program at CHOP currently consists of physical therapists and occupational therapists in the outpatient, acute rehabilitation and acute inpatient setting. These specialists provide care at five outpatient locations, including: Philadelphia, Virtua, King of Prussia Hospital, Bucks County and Brandywine Valley.
CHOP’s pelvic health program has been a “breakthrough maker” for similar programs across the country. As members of one of the first pediatric pelvic health programs, our therapists have mentored and supported numerous other institutions in building successful pelvic health programs. CHOP’s pelvic health program is one of the major leaders in innovation and clinical knowledge in this field, and they have presented and educated on a national and international level.
Sarah Cooper PT, DPT, has been specializing in pediatric pelvic health physical therapy for more than a decade. As the lead physical therapist in CHOP’s Bladder Exstrophy Clinic, she joins Dr. Aseem Shukla and Dr. Dana Weiss in Ahmedabad, India, for the annual International Bladder Exstrophy Workshop at the Civil Hospital. Last year, Sarah was able to attend the workshop through a grant awarded to Dr. Weiss through the Urology Care Foundation. Sarah’s expertise was so well received that she was invited to return to Ahmedabad for the 2025 workshop.
During her first workshop, Sarah assessed more than 200 patients and identified areas of muscle weakness and limitations that can be addressed through physical therapy, potentially improving continence. While presenting on pelvic health physical therapy and collaborating with the Indian host team’s physical therapists, Sarah and the local team were able to recognize significant clinical patterns in the bladder exstrophy population that would have otherwise taken years to discover. Despite the cultural and language differences, Sarah and the Ahmedabad team initiated real-time changes both in India and at home. This collaboration, in turn, informed the care Sarah delivers to our CHOP pelvic floor patients.
Patients and families who wish to work with Physical Therapy need a referral from a member of the medical team. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 215-590-5819 or by using MyCHOP direct scheduling.
Featured in this article
Experts
Specialties & Programs
Physical therapists at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) use exercise and therapeutic play activities to address movement, coordination, balance, strength and endurance issues in children and young adults. For pelvic health physical therapy, this means aiding in the development and rehabilitation of muscles and functional movement that involve voiding and staying continent.
The pelvic floor muscles help control the bladder and bowel and support the body’s organs. When babies are newborns, they cannot control these muscles, so they go to the bathroom without thinking about it.
As babies reach new milestones, their pelvic floor muscles continue to develop. When babies start sitting up, crawling and standing, their muscles learn to support their bodies better. The pelvic floor begins to get stronger and improves coordination. When learning to stand and walk, the muscles begin to support weight and again develop more strength.
By the time children are around 18 months to 3 years old, they begin to control when they go to the bathroom because their pelvic floor muscles are stronger and become better connected to their brain. As kids run, squat and climb, they keep building these muscles. Having strong pelvic floor muscles helps with good posture, balance and control over their bladder and bowel as they grow.
The supporting muscles of the pelvic floor include the hips, abdomen and diaphragm. The abdominal and diaphragm muscles help manage pressure in your belly along with the pelvic floor. When these muscles work well together, they help keep us dry when we cough, laugh, jump and run. The hip muscles provide stability, so the pelvic floor can do its job. If these muscles are weak, it can be harder to hold in urine.
Our pelvic health physical therapists specialize in identifying areas of dysfunction that are impacting the ability of the pelvic floor to do its job. Their knowledge in exercise principles and interventions allow them to achieve maximum success with children with bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex.
The pelvic health program at CHOP currently consists of physical therapists and occupational therapists in the outpatient, acute rehabilitation and acute inpatient setting. These specialists provide care at five outpatient locations, including: Philadelphia, Virtua, King of Prussia Hospital, Bucks County and Brandywine Valley.
CHOP’s pelvic health program has been a “breakthrough maker” for similar programs across the country. As members of one of the first pediatric pelvic health programs, our therapists have mentored and supported numerous other institutions in building successful pelvic health programs. CHOP’s pelvic health program is one of the major leaders in innovation and clinical knowledge in this field, and they have presented and educated on a national and international level.
Sarah Cooper PT, DPT, has been specializing in pediatric pelvic health physical therapy for more than a decade. As the lead physical therapist in CHOP’s Bladder Exstrophy Clinic, she joins Dr. Aseem Shukla and Dr. Dana Weiss in Ahmedabad, India, for the annual International Bladder Exstrophy Workshop at the Civil Hospital. Last year, Sarah was able to attend the workshop through a grant awarded to Dr. Weiss through the Urology Care Foundation. Sarah’s expertise was so well received that she was invited to return to Ahmedabad for the 2025 workshop.
During her first workshop, Sarah assessed more than 200 patients and identified areas of muscle weakness and limitations that can be addressed through physical therapy, potentially improving continence. While presenting on pelvic health physical therapy and collaborating with the Indian host team’s physical therapists, Sarah and the local team were able to recognize significant clinical patterns in the bladder exstrophy population that would have otherwise taken years to discover. Despite the cultural and language differences, Sarah and the Ahmedabad team initiated real-time changes both in India and at home. This collaboration, in turn, informed the care Sarah delivers to our CHOP pelvic floor patients.
Patients and families who wish to work with Physical Therapy need a referral from a member of the medical team. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 215-590-5819 or by using MyCHOP direct scheduling.
Contact us
Division of Urology