Men's pelvic health · Hudson Valley and the Capital Region
Pelvic floor physical therapy for men in Hudson Valley and the Capital Region, by video.
Leaking after prostate surgery, chronic pelvic pain, urgency, and pelvic-floor-related erectile dysfunction. Private, one-on-one video visits with a Doctor of Physical Therapy trained in male pelvic health, anywhere in Hudson Valley and the Capital Region.
- Aetna in-network; private pay with superbills for other plans
- No referral needed for the first 10 visits or 30 days
- Usually seen within a week
Men's pelvic health
What this is, and who it is for.
Men have a pelvic floor too, and it does the same job: supporting the bladder and bowel, controlling continence, and contributing to sexual function. When those muscles are weak, overactive, or poorly coordinated, men experience leaking after prostate surgery, a deep ache in the perineum or testicles, urgency and frequency, pain with sitting, or erectile difficulty that does not respond to medication. Most of these men are told to wait, or to do Kegels without ever being shown how.
Men's pelvic floor physical therapy is one of the least available specialties in the country. Very few physical therapists train in it, and most of those work in large urban hospitals. Video visits make it possible for a man in a rural county to work with a specialist privately, from home, without explaining the problem to a receptionist.
Between Westchester and Albany, pelvic health physical therapy thins out quickly, and the Catskills and the Capital Region have very little. Video visits bring a specialist to Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Newburgh, Albany, and Saratoga Springs without the drive.
What we treat
Conditions we see in Hudson Valley and the Capital Region
Each condition has its own page with what it is, what the evaluation looks at, and how the program is built.
After prostate treatment
- Leaking after prostate surgery
- Most men leak after a radical prostatectomy, and pelvic floor training is the standard of care for getting control back. The problem is...
- Pelvic floor and erectile dysfunction
- The pelvic floor muscles help maintain an erection by holding blood in the penis. When they are weak or poorly coordinated, pelvic floor...
Pain and urgency
- Chronic pelvic pain syndrome
- Most men diagnosed with chronic prostatitis do not have an infection. They have a pelvic floor that is clenched and painful, and...
- Male urgency, frequency and leaking
- Rushing to the bathroom, waking at night, and dribbling after urinating are common in men and are usually blamed on the prostate. Often...
Coverage in New York
Insurance and pricing
Bring your plan name to the discovery call and we confirm your physical therapy benefit before the first visit.
Aetna
In-network with Aetna in New York. Most Aetna plans cover physical therapy with a copay or coinsurance; we confirm yours before the first visit.
Private pay
Available for any other plan. We provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted. Rates are quoted on the free discovery call.
Referrals
New York allows you to start physical therapy without a referral for up to 10 visits or 30 days, whichever comes first. If care continues beyond that, we help you get a referral from your physician.
The Hudson Valley, the Catskills, and the Capital Region are seen by video.
How it works
How a virtual visit works
Male pelvic floor rehabilitation is largely coordination training: learning to find, contract, and fully relax the pelvic floor, pairing it with breathing, and building it into sitting, standing, lifting, and sexual activity. All of that is taught and progressed over video. Dr. Shalem guides a self-assessment during the evaluation. If a hands-on assessment would change the plan, she says so and helps the patient find local care.
Discovery call
15 minutes, free, by phoneA short call to hear what is going on, explain how visits work, and check insurance or pricing. No pressure to book.
Evaluation
60 minutes, by videoDr. Shalem takes a full history, watches how you move and breathe, and guides the self-assessments she needs to build a plan.
Your plan
Same visitYou leave the evaluation with a plain-language explanation and a short home program, usually a few minutes a day.
Follow-ups
45 minutes, every 1 to 2 weeksProgress checks, program updates, and techniques you can do yourself, for as long as they are useful.
For a video visit you will need
- A phone, tablet, or laptop with a camera
- A private room
- A mat or towel
- About an hour
Questions
Men's pelvic health questions in Hudson Valley and the Capital Region
Do men really need pelvic floor physical therapy?
Yes. Pelvic floor physical therapy is standard care after prostatectomy, is recommended in urology guidelines for chronic pelvic pain syndrome, and is used for urgency, frequency, and some forms of erectile dysfunction. The problem is access, not evidence.
Is a video visit private?
Yes. Visits are one-on-one with Dr. Shalem on a HIPAA-compliant video platform. Nobody else is on the call, and the patient chooses where to take it.
How soon after prostate surgery can therapy start?
Pelvic floor training ideally starts before surgery and resumes as soon as the catheter is out, with the surgeon's clearance. Starting later still helps; many men begin months after surgery.
Are Kegels the whole treatment?
No. Many men with pelvic pain have a pelvic floor that is too tight, and more Kegels make it worse. The evaluation tells us whether the muscles need strengthening, relaxation, or coordination work, and the program is built from that.
Do I need a referral for physical therapy in New York?
New York allows you to start physical therapy without a referral for up to 10 visits or 30 days, whichever comes first. If care continues beyond that, we help you get a referral from your physician.
What insurance do you take in New York?
Aetna: In-network with Aetna in New York. Most Aetna plans cover physical therapy with a copay or coinsurance; we confirm yours before the first visit. Private pay: Available for any other plan. We provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards accepted. Rates are quoted on the free discovery call.
Your physical therapist
Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Miami. Licensed in New York.
Dr. Shalem treats pelvic health for women and men, from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to bladder, bowel, and pelvic pain conditions and recovery after prostate or pelvic surgery, and general orthopedic conditions of the back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and feet. Visits are one-on-one and unhurried, and she explains what she is seeing in plain language.
More about Dr. ShalemPrefer to write? Send a message.
Questions about insurance, pricing, or whether physical therapy is the right next step? We reply within one business day.
Start with a free 15-minute call.
Tell us what is going on, hear how Dr. Shalem would approach it, and decide from there.