What I’ve learned after teaching “Modalities and Pelvic Function” for a year

I’ve been “on the record saying” I used to be a modalities skeptic. I didn’t think I used them a ton in my practice and when I switched from a big hospital system to my own private practice, I didn’t have access to the larger equipment machines like the big ultrasound or biofeedback devices.

I have, however, always been a fan of gadgets and tools as a pelvic health provider. For anyone who has ever been to a class where I was a teaching assistant, you’ve likely seen me literally roll in with a giant suitcase full of example things - models, pelvic trainers, examples of belts, braces, dilators, wands, weights, lube samples, pelvic organ stuffies etc. I always called it my toolkit and so many of my peers had this as well. When the Content & Curriculum team asked me to be on the team for writing for this project, I was initially unsure. I didn’t think I used modalities enough or valued them enough to create a two-day course on the topic.

Long story short…I was wrong. What I have learned is I was very wrong, and I use them constantly.

As we created the outline for Modalities and Pelvic Function, it became very clear that I had not really understood the definition of a modality. Spoiler alert, we spend the first lecture talking all about this. Once I understood that a modality is basically anything we use to create a change with a patient, I realized I LOVED them and used them all day, every day. I happily settled into writing with the team, reaching out to companies for samples, trial devices, and helped to make this AMAZING toolkit for a class that is like the biggest game of pelvic health show and tell.

I was lucky enough to be one of the instructors for the inaugural class and have been present at every class since. What I did not expect from this class was the “aha” moments and how well these helped students put it all together. Feedback-wise, our team always gets requests to “show more treatment” and “give skills to bring back to the clinic for treatment.” Welcome to two straight days of this for every pelvic topic we could think of in reference to bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction while also making room for oddball topics like patient education, models, and handouts.

If you have questions about this course, then look through the following FAQs. If you don’t see your question answered, then reach out to the Herman & Wallace team and they can answer it for you!

Will this class make me buy something?
Nope, no purchase is necessary, but we did work with a whole bunch of companies to get you some free samples or really good discounts if you want your own.

Does my pelvic floor have to be available for this class?
We do two labs with internal sensors so a provider can feel what biofeedback and e-stim feel like. You get to choose your sensor and preferred canal and apply your own device. For those who are a little shy about sharing their pelvis for the sake of science, I’ve been told this has been a really safe feeling option. If you’re not up for an insertable device, we offer external options as well.

What skills will I take home?
You’ll learn all the features of every modality that our writing team could think of all organized by topic and primary treatment usage (don’t worry, we’ll also share our pearls and hacks.) We’ll also talk about ways to teach your patients about these devices including why a device might be indicated, how it can be used, cleaned, etc.

Is this class for newbies or those who are seasoned?
Yes! We’ve had participants of all different experiences and skill levels find this class extremely useful and a great resource for their practice. If you work in pelvic health and are an expert in gadgets already, this may NOT be the course for you unless you’d like to be one of our awesome teaching assistants.

We’ve worked so hard to make Modalities and Pelvic Function a well-rounded learning experience. This class is ONLY in person and tends to be a very intimate group of providers, which was another request from our Herman & Wallace customers. We hope to see you at one of the five offerings of Modalities and Pelvic Function this year!

• Galloway, NJ - February 8-9
• Sacramento, CA - April 5-6
• Houston, TX - July 12-13
• Akron, OH - September 20-12
• Somerset, NJ - October 4-5

AUTHOR BIO

Mora Pluchino, PT, DPT, PRPC

Mora Pluchino, PT, DPT, PRPC (she/her) is a graduate of Stockton University with a BS in Biology (2007) and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (2009). She has experience in a variety of areas and settings, working with children and adults, including orthopedics, bracing, neuromuscular issues, vestibular issues, and robotics training. She began treating Pelvic Health patients in 2016 and now has experience treating women, men, and children with a variety of Pelvic Health dysfunction. There is not much she has not treated since beginning this journey and she is always happy to further her education to better help her patients meet their goals.

She strives to help all of her patients return to a quality of life and activity that they are happy with for the best bladder, bowel, and sexual functioning they are capable of at the present time. In 2020, She opened her own practice called Practically Perfect Physical Therapy Consulting to help meet the needs of more clients. She has been a guest lecturer for Rutgers University Blackwood Campus and Stockton University for their Pediatric and Pelvic Floor modules since 2016. She has also been a TA with Herman & Wallace since 2020 and has over 150 hours of lab instruction experience. Mora has also authored and instructs several courses for the Institute.