Melissa Sundberg, PT - Pelvic Physical Therapist

Melissa Sundberg, PT - Pelvic Physical Therapist Specializing in pelvic health: pre/postpartum, bowel & bladder, prolapse, pain & sexual dysfunction.

A common misconception about pelvic physical therapy is that all it consists of is Kegel exercises. While pelvic floor muscle exercises are very important they are only ONE very small piece of the care provided by pelvic floor physical therapists. Other treatments utilize neuroscience, knowledge and adjustment of posture and body alignment, behavior retraining, down-training techniques, relaxation

and breathing techniques, manual therapy including myofascial release, scar tissue/adhesion mobilization and release, bowel and bladder retraining, etc. Which treatment is used depends on the specific needs of each patient. These treatments are used as part of a team approach along with OBGYN, nurse midwives, colorectal, urogynecology, urology, gastroenterology, family practice among many other types of providers, to provide patients with multi-disciplinary comprehensive care.

Before 9 a.m., many moms have already:☑️ Picked up a toddler☑️ Loaded a stroller☑️ Carried a diaper bag☑️ Lifted groceri...
08/07/2026

Before 9 a.m., many moms have already:
☑️ Picked up a toddler
☑️ Loaded a stroller
☑️ Carried a diaper bag
☑️ Lifted groceries
☑️ Climbed stairs holding a child

That's a lot of lifting!

3 mistakes I see moms make when lifting their kids...
❌ Holding your breath
❌ Rounding your back
❌ Twisting while lifting

Strategies to help improve form and connect your core:
✅ Exhale during the lift
✅ Use your hips and legs
✅ Keep your child close to your body

These are exactly the kinds of movement strategies we teach in our 12-week Postpartum STRONG program. Because motherhood is already a workout—let's make sure your body is ready for it. 💜💪

DID YOU KNOW???One of the heaviest things you'll lift every day is your child.From carrying your baby on your hip to loa...
08/05/2026

DID YOU KNOW???

One of the heaviest things you'll lift every day is your child.

From carrying your baby on your hip to loading strollers, hauling groceries, lifting car seats, and picking toys up off the floor, motherhood is full of lifting.

The problem isn't lifting.

The problem is lifting with a body that hasn't been taught how to manage pressure, coordinate the core and pelvic floor, and move efficiently after pregnancy.

In Postpartum STRONG, you'll learn practical strategies you can use every single day—not just in the gym.

Because strength isn't just about workouts. It's about making everyday life feel easier.

✨ Train for the life you live—not just the workouts you do.

📅 Registration for our 12-week Postpartum STRONG class is open-- 4 spots left!

Come learn how to move & lift with confidence.

Leaking during a run may be common, but it isn’t something you have to accept or cover up with black leggings.Running re...
08/04/2026

Leaking during a run may be common, but it isn’t something you have to accept or cover up with black leggings.

Running requires your pelvic floor, core, hips, feet, and breathing system to work together with every step.

When that system isn’t managing impact or pressure well, leaking can be one of the first signs. 💦

Here are 5 things that may help:
1. Stop Holding Your Breath
Your breath helps your core and pelvic floor manage pressure. If you hold your breath, brace too hard, or constantly “suck in” your stomach while running, you may place more pressure on your pelvic floor. Practice steady, relaxed breathing instead of gripping through your entire run.

2. Adjust Your Cadence
Overstriding can increase braking forces and impact with each step. Taking slightly shorter, quicker steps may help your body absorb force more efficiently. You don’t need to completely change your running form overnight—small adjustments can make a meaningful difference.

3. Build Strength
Running is essentially a series of single-leg landings. Your glutes, hips, calves, and feet help absorb impact before it reaches your pelvic floor. Exercises can help build the strength running requires.

4. Consider Your Bladder Habits
Peeing “just in case” before every run can train your bladder to signal urgency before it is actually full. On the other hand, running with an overly full bladder may also increase symptoms. Hydrate normally, notice your patterns, and avoid drastically limiting fluids just to prevent leaking.

5. Stop Assuming You Only Need More Kegels
Leaking doesn’t always mean your pelvic floor is weak. It may be tight, fatigued, poorly coordinated, or struggling to respond quickly enough to impact. A pelvic PT can determine what your body actually needs instead of giving you a one-size-fits-all exercise plan.

You shouldn’t have to stop running, plan every route around a bathroom, or worry about leaking through your clothes.

At AK Pelvic Health & Wellness, we help runners improve pelvic floor coordination, manage impact, build strength, and return to running with confidence. 💜

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08/03/2026

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Let’s clear up one of the biggest myths in pelvic floor: doing more Kegels is not the magic solution for leaking, pressu...
07/31/2026

Let’s clear up one of the biggest myths in pelvic floor: doing more Kegels is not the magic solution for leaking, pressure, heaviness, or core issues.

In fact, for many, doing more squeezing can actually make symptoms worse.

Most women we see in the clinic aren’t dealing with weakness alone — they’re dealing with tension, over-recruitment, and a pelvic floor that’s working overtime without coordinating with the rest of the core.

Here’s the truth: strength is not the same thing as squeezing. 💥

You can have a pelvic floor that is strong, but rigid. Or one that can squeeze hard, but can’t relax. Or one that fires at the wrong times during lifting, running, or even breathing.

A functional pelvic floor needs both strength and mobility, and it needs to work like a team player — not the star of the show.

That’s where coordination comes in. Coordination means your diaphragm, deep core, pelvic floor, and posture are all communicating and responding together. It’s the timing of the muscles. The harmony. The “turn on when needed, turn off when needed” balance that helps you lift, jump, run, breathe, laugh, sneeze, and move without symptoms.

So if you’ve been doing hundreds of Kegels and still not feeling better — it’s not you. You’re not doing them wrong. You just need a different approach that focuses on whole-body coordination, breath, pressure management, and movement patterns that support real-life strength.

This is exactly what we teach in pelvic floor PT and in the upcoming Postpartum STRONG class— the coordination piece that so many women never get taught.

TOP 5 Signs Your Core & Pelvic Floor Aren't Working TogetherYour core is much more than your "six-pack" muscles.It's a t...
07/29/2026

TOP 5 Signs Your Core & Pelvic Floor Aren't Working Together

Your core is much more than your "six-pack" muscles.

It's a team made up of your diaphragm, deep abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, back muscles, and even your breathing. When one member of the team isn't doing its job, the others have to compensate—and that's when symptoms often begin.

Here are 5 signs your core and pelvic floor may not be working together:

1. You Leak When You Exercise
Leaking while running, jumping, lifting weights, or even coughing isn't normal. It often means your pelvic floor isn't coordinating with your breathing and core to manage pressure effectively.

2. Your Abdomen "Domes" or Bulges
If you notice a ridge or bulge down the middle of your stomach during sit-ups, getting out of bed, or lifting, your deep core muscles may not be managing pressure well. This is common with diastasis recti but can happen in others too.

3. You Have Persistent Low Back or Hip Pain
Your pelvic floor is part of your deep core stabilizing system. When it's not functioning well, your back and hips often work overtime to compensate, leading to pain and stiffness.

4. You Feel Pelvic Pressure or Heaviness
A sensation of heaviness, pressure, or feeling like something is "falling out" isn't something you should ignore. It may be a sign that your pelvic floor needs better support and coordination—not just more strength.

5. You Hold Your Breath During Movement
Do you catch yourself holding your breath when standing up, lifting groceries, getting off the floor, or exercising? Holding your breath dramatically increases pressure inside your abdomen and places extra stress on your pelvic floor. Learning to breathe during movement is one of the simplest—and most powerful—ways to improve core function.
✨ The good news? These are all things we assess and treat every day.

At AK Pelvic Health & Wellness, we don't just strengthen your core—we teach your core, pelvic floor, and breathing to work together the way they were designed.
Because when your body works as a team, everything feels easier.

DID YOU KNOW???Your pelvic floor should be able to relax just as well as it contracts.When people think about pelvic flo...
07/28/2026

DID YOU KNOW???

Your pelvic floor should be able to relax just as well as it contracts.

When people think about pelvic floor health, they often think, "I need to do more Kegels."

But many postpartum women actually have pelvic floor muscles that are already working too hard.

Muscles that stay tense all day can contribute to leaking, pelvic pain, constipation, painful intimacy, and difficulty generating real strength.

Learning when to relax, breathe, and coordinate your pelvic floor is often the missing piece before building strength.

That's one of the FIRST things we teach in Postpartum STRONG.

✨ A healthy pelvic floor needs both strength and relaxation.

You deserve more than advice to "just do Kegels." 💜

We'll help you understand your body, rebuild your foundation, and return to exercise with confidence.

Join us beginning September 1st

Symptoms that brought clients into the office recently...
07/24/2026

Symptoms that brought clients into the office recently...







Why are we known as Alaska & Anchorage’s trusted pelvic health specialists???Because we do things differently—and it mat...
07/23/2026

Why are we known as Alaska & Anchorage’s trusted pelvic health specialists???

Because we do things differently—and it matters. ✨

At AK Pelvic Health & Wellness, you’re not rushed through a visit or handed a generic exercise sheet.

Every session is one-on-one, fully focused on you, your story, and what your body actually needs to heal. We take the time to assess the full picture—your pelvic floor, core, hips, breathing patterns, movement habits, and lifestyle—because your symptoms don’t exist in isolation.

Whether you’re dealing with leaking, pelvic pain, pressure, constipation, or intimacy concerns, our goal isn’t to temporarily manage symptoms.

We’re here to find and treat the root cause so your results actually last. That’s why so many of our patients start to see meaningful changes within the first few visits—and continue building strength, confidence, and control over time.

This is expert, individualized care designed to help you feel stronger, more confident, and symptom-free—not just for now, but long-term.

You deserve answers. You deserve a plan. And you deserve to feel at home in your body again.

💜 Ready to get started?

Book your 1:1 pelvic PT session today—link in bio.

Address

5660 B Street
Anchorage, AK
99518

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19072153045

Website

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