Pelvic Floor Health For Aerialists: How to Tell if an Exercise is too Hard, You're Breathing Properly, and More! Ft. Mariah Frank, DPT, Pelvic Floor Specialist

CircSci

I had the pleasure of interviewing Mariah before the holidays - they are an awesome physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor health for queer, trans, and other under-served populations, though works with all sorts of athletes. They work at Bethany Physical Therapy, but offer monthly pelvic floor focused physio classes online. We covered some commons signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, ways to assess whether we are breathing properly during a movement (and how to scale if we aren't to avoid pelvic floor issues), and more!

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

• Certified Manual Physical Therapist

Pronouns: They, Them, Theirs

Mariah received their Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy and Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a collegiate cross country and track and field athlete they became an anatomy enthusiast with an admiration for the body’s capacity to perform and heal.

Mariah has a strong interest in working with patients that have a history of chronic pain, orthopedic concerns, and pelvic floor dysfunction. They are particularly passionate about providing care for the LGBTQIA+ community and other under-served populations. Mariah experiences joy in helping their patients return to the life they love and is always their fiercest advocate.
Mariah stays up to date on the latest research to ensure the best care for their patients. They are pursuing their Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification through Herman & Wallace and their Manual Therapy Certification through the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy (NAIOMT).

Mariah grew up in Wisconsin, has traveled extensively, and is currently enjoying all that Oregon has to offer. On the weekends they enjoy hiking, cooking, and exploring used bookstores.