Member Interview: Dr. Kaleigh Mulpeter PT, DPT
Dr. Kaleigh Mulpeter is an experienced PT who offers thorough and thoughtful care to folks. Kaleigh works in-person at her office space in Richmond Wellness. She also offers a self paced educational class that explores topics related to pregnancy and postpartum.
What services do you offer to folks during conception, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum?
Dr. Kaleigh Mulpeter PT, DPT (she/they) offers pelvic physical therapy services specializing in pregnancy support, postpartum rehab, and general pelvic health. Most people equate pelvic PT with something you do AFTER you have a baby, but getting support during pregnancy, and even pre-conception can help optimize your pregnancy journey and result in less pain and dysfunction. I use a combination of techniques from manual (hands on) therapy, therapeutic exercise, breathwork, meditation, and education to help you reach your goals.
Before pregnancy, I teach my clients all about the pelvic floor and related functions, and help my clients optimize their pelvic health prior to conception. During pregnancy, I help you to decrease common aches, pains, and other issues that can come up during pregnancy that you don't just have to live with! After pregnancy, I support your recovery and healing process, eliminate any uncomfortable symptoms, and get you back to the activities that you enjoy.
How did you get into your line of work?
Upon graduating from my doctorate program, I thought I was headed into an in-patient PT setting in a hospital or acute rehab. However, those opportunities weren't as readily available so I jumped into outpatient/general orthopedics (the clinic you go to for general back pain/ankle sprain/healing after a joint replacement). While rewarding, I knew this setting wasn't my calling. I was happy to be helping people, but I wasn't feeling PASSIONATE about it. Enter: pelvic health. I've always had an interest in pelvic health, and any of my close friends or family will tell you that I don't mind talking about the topics that come up in pelvic PT. We don't learn much about the pelvic floor in PT school (which is why it's such a specialized niche within PT), so I started taking continuing education courses. After my first course, I was absolutely hooked. I love this work, and have invested ample time, resources, and energy into the pursuit of being able to offer my clients the most effective, compassionate care possible. After having my own pregnancy and recovery journey, I am even more in awe of what the birthing body can do and how birthing folks deserve SO much support.
What do people think you do to support folks?
I find that most folks who've never attended pelvic physical therapy before fall into one of two camps:
- They have no idea what I do
- They assume I ONLY look at and work on the pelvic floor muscles and use a biofeedback machine/lots of internal work.
What do you actually do to support folks?
SO MUCH MORE!!
The pelvic floor muscles don't work in isolation, they are part of the rest of your body. That's why I don't only look at your pelvic floor, but I assess your breathing, ribcage mobility, abdominal function, scar tissue, hip strength and range of motion, foot and ankle mechanics, and more! And I don't just help with eliminating urinary incontinence (although I do that too!), but can help with a variety of issues.
Here are some of the common issues I support folks with:
- Pain with intimacy/insertion
- Hip/low back/pelvic pain
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Urinary leakage/excessive urgency
- Constipation/hemorrhoids/anal fissures
- Returning to activity postpartum
- Pre/post surgical care
- Gender-affirming care
- Vaginismus/vulvodynia
What is something that you feel like you are uniquely able to help people with?
I have gotten feedback that my care is uniquely compassionate, inclusive, reassuring, and effective. I am passionate about making the pregnancy and postpartum journey less confusing and overwhelming, and provide practical and personalized guidance to help every one of my clients feel their best so that they can move through this journey without limitation or discomfort.
What is the one piece of advice you find yourself telling people over and over again?
I love teaching folks about their bodies, and how resilient and strong they are! I like to tell my clients that the body is not a machine that breaks down, it is self-healing, adaptive, and ALIVE. You are not broken, you just need some support so your body can return to equilibrium.
What are the top 3 questions people ask when they first start to work with you for support?
The number one question is definitely:"Is this normal?". 99% of the time, my answer is: "It's fairly common, but not normal", Unfortunately, some of the potentially negative impacts of pregnancy and childbirth have been normalized instead of called out as something to get support for. We all have that friend or relative who will crack a joke about them peeing themselves after having babies. While I totally understand the desire to make light of these issues, it's not normal to pee yourself! Ever! And you can get support for that!
Another common phrase I hear is: "This is probably unrelated, but...", and it's nearly ALWAYS related! Your pelvic floor does not exist in isolation from the rest of your body! And you KNOW your body. Those little tidbits almost always help guide my examination and treatment.
Lastly: "Why did no one tell me this before?". This is usually in reference to an issue that can be solved, a guideline that wasn't shared, or general education about the pelvic floor and pelvic organs. Unfortunately, our society has not yet figured out how to disseminate accurate information about pelvic health to the larger population. Thanks to social media and the rise of pelvic rehab in general, that is improving, but we still have a long way to go!
Are there any other comments of things about your work you would like to share with us that we have not asked already?
In addition to working in-person with clients, I also offer an online, self-paced course called The Pregnant Pelvis. This educational course provides knowledge about the common changes and challenges that can come up during pregnancy and postpartum. The course includes tips for troubleshooting common issues, guided movement practices and exercises, and a robust birth prep section so that you feel grounded and empowered during your pregnancy. This course has also been taken by numerous providers who work with the perinatal population to gain more insight about the musculoskeletal changes that occur during pregnancy, and how to better support their clients.