Break Free Pelvic Health & Wellness was founded by Dr. Gretchen Brooker, DPT, PRPC in pursuit of passion for patients with pelvic floor dysfunction struggling to find lasting relief in the traditional medical model. Evidence based practice shows us that pelvic floor therapy IS the number one recommended treatment approach for diagnoses like incontinence, prolapse and constipation - however, we are still told that we have to accept these diagnoses and symptoms based upon aging, childbirth, etc. We do not have to accept a life dedicated to pads, finding a toilet everywhere we go and embarrassment of potty problems - we have excellent results with minimally invasive and long lasting treatment approaches through physical therapy.
Pelvic floor physical therapy operates differently than traditional physical therapy clinics - Break Free Pelvic Health & Wellness ONLY specializes in pelvic floor rehabilitation. You will not be participating in therapy with others that are there for an ankle injury or ACL rehab. Our clinic is designed to accommodate only those with pelvic floor dysfunction for privacy and peace. We accommodate mothers who need access to bring their babies. We know that pelvic floor dysfunction also affects men and we welcome men into our practice. We also know that pelvic floor dysfunction commonly starts in childhood with chronic constipation and we are dedicated to addressing issues as early as they arise in childhood to prevent life long issues. By recognizing that pelvic floor dysfunction affects all ages and genders, we have a team with experience and advanced training equipped to treat women, men and children.
Welcome to Break Free Pelvic Health & Wellness
Live Confidently, "Break Free"
Challenge the System
Treat the Why
Find the Why
Our Treatment Process
The pelvic floor muscles are hardly ever an issue at random, or by themselves. There has usually been some underlying dysfunction for a long period of time and it is our job to find out why the pelvic floor muscles are now weak, tight, uncoordinated, painful, etc. We have to look head to toe to answer why the pelvic floor is dysfunctional.
Once we discover all the issues contributing to pelvic floor dysfunction, we treat them! If the pelvic floor muscles are weak, we may need to be strengthening the core and hips to support the pelvic floor. If the pelvic floor muscles are tight or painful, we may need manual therapy techniques, nervous system strategies, stretching or correction of movement patterns. We must treat head to toe for the pelvic floor to function as it should.
Not symptomatic anymore? Yay! Now it's time to challenge your system. Do we need to run, lift, return to sex? If yes - let's see how our pelvic floor responds under load and stress of exercise and activities. This applies to returning to sex, traveling, sitting for extended periods - anything that would typically flare symptoms, we need to make sure our body can manage.
The pelvic floor muscles have a degree of "autonomic" activity where we don't really need to think about peeing, pooping or sexual function. They just do. When they are not supporting these functions properly, it can be life altering. Once we identify the underlying issue, treat it and challenge it - that is when we take back our lives over pelvic floor issues and have hope that your body can heal after all.
Dr. Gretchen founded Break Free Pelvic Health & Wellness in 2021 on Johns Island, SC. She has been practicing pelvic floor physical therapy for six years. With her clinical experience and advanced training in pelvic floor rehabilitation, she has created a practice that is devoted to clinical excellence with expert pelvic floor physical therapy services. She is a fierce advocate for pelvic floor physical therapy done correctly and prides herself in the physical therapy services she and her team provide. . She treats women and men with pelvic floor conditions ranging from incontinence, sexual dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, prolapse, pre/post operative pelvic conditions, complex and generalized pelvic pain conditions and prenatal/postpartum rehab. She is trained in dry needling and manual therapy techniques to help her patients find relief. She is also a mom to two wild boys that bring her as much joy as pelvic rehab does!
Dr. Gretchen Brooker, DPT, PRPC
Doctor of Physical Therapy,
Board Certified Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner
Contact: gretchen@breakfreept.info
Meet the Team
Dr. Kaleigh Mathis, PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Pelvic Floor Specialist for Women & Pediatrics
Contact: kaleigh@breakfreept.info
Hilary Holbrook
Office Manager & Patient Care Coordinator
Contact: admin@breakfreept.info
Dr. Kaleigh joined the team in 2023 and has brought a wealth of knowledge and clinical expertise to Break Free Pelvic Health. As her own pelvic floor rehab journey fueled her passion, she has a deep compassion and connection to her patients struggling with the same path. She is the only pelvic floor physical therapist in Charleston with advanced training in pediatric rehabilitation for complex bowel and bladder conditions. She treats children and adolescents with incontinence, bladder & bowel dysfunction, and pelvic pain or other unexplained pains. She also treats women with incontinence, bladder pain and dysfunction, generalized and complex pelvic pain, sexual pain and dysfunction and prenatal/postnatal rehab. She is also the lead of our monthly endometriosis support group and mommy + me wellness and group classes.
What our patients say
I highly recommend Dr. Brooker for any mom-to-be or new mom! She is a wealth of information and will really spend time with you so you understand the body-mechanics of the birth process. She'll help empower you to prepare your body for birth to minimize injury and she'll guide you through best-practices of postpartum recovery. If you are worried about how to safely return to your day-to-day physical activities and workout routines, please see Dr. Brooker!
- Celia B.
