A Quick Note On All Visits
All first visits last for approximately 60 minutes. If possible, please wear comfortable, athletic clothing that does not restrict your range of motion. If you are coming in for attention to an extremity (elbow, wrist, knee, ankle, etc.), please wear clothing that can easily expose the area of complaint.
Postpartum + Women’s Health Initial Visit
Mamas deserve a thorough evaluation that lets them know if they have common conditions that need to be ACTIVELY addressed. Conditions like sciatica, low back pain, hip pain, Diastasis Recti (an unnatural distancing of the rectus abdominis muscles) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse. You deserve to be guided on how to manage and be rid of urinary incontinence - no matter how far you want to run or how high you want to jump or if you simply want to not worry about drinking 'too much' water. And moms deserve to be GUIDED on their return to fitness because a 6 week verbal "clearance" most often isn't enough. Additionally, if you are planning to become pregnant or you are currently pregnant, you deserve to be guided on how to make sure your body is ready for the demands of pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
The first visit with me, Dr. Alexandra, will encompass a thorough history and exam so I can get to know you and your goals as well as get to the crux of the issues you may be experiencing after your birth - whether it was two weeks ago or many years ago - so we can address them head on. You will be sent the new patient paperwork via email and it will be submitted back to me online (no need to print!). This will give us a huge head start to understanding what you want and where you're coming from.
Your exam is comprehensive and may include various components dependent on your primary issue(s). Common things I assess for are: your breathing patterns, deep core activations and function, postural awareness, basic range of motion, lifting and movement strategies, pressure systems, muscle tone, tension and tenderness, any presence of diastasis and scarring.
Your first visit will also include the beginnings of treatment which will be tailored to your personal goals and exam findings. This may include soft tissue care, adjustments, mobilizations, home rehab and exercises, athletic taping, and guidance for how to gradually return to fitness, safely.
My patients come to me because they know my objective is to (1) take the time to listen to you and make sure your concerns and goals are heard and (2) get you back out into the world stronger, smarter, faster and better than before. I educate you every step of the way so that you gain the confidence and tools needed to put yourself back in the driver seat of your own health and well-being. So that you can show up as the best version of you for you and your family, daily.
It is extremely important to me that you feel comfortable through the entire session. There is never any pressure to be adjusted during your visit. You are in control of the care you receive.
I am here to guide you, to take the time to get to know you and your goals, to make sure you feel supported and to get you feeling nothing short of AMAZING!
Follow Up Appointments
Follow up appointments are generally 30 minutes but may be 60 minutes, as appropriate and if desired.
They are intended to continue to guide, support and educate you about your body so that you can feel empowered, confident, capable and overall great within your own body.
Follow ups may consist of soft tissue care, adjustments, mobilizations, home rehab and exercises and athletic taping. I can also help provide guidance for how to gradually return to fitness, safely - whether you want to return to running, get back to lifting heavy weights, or if you simply want to be able to rely on your body to be a supermom!
By slowing down and taking the time to focus on you, taking care of you at the level that a mama needs and deserve, we often accomplish a lot in a relatively short amount of time. So that you don't have to live with things that "aren't normal but are common..." because, they don't have to be common!
Still have questions…
Check out my FAQ page or you can reach me directly, whichever way is most comfortable for you:
(805) 242 - 3179
alexandra@altahealthandperformance.com