What Are We Missing? Visceral Mobility and Functional Performance: Lessons from a Pelvic Health OT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Course Description

Occupational therapy practitioners across practice settings encounter clients whose functional performance is limited by symptoms that do not fully resolve with traditional intervention. Fatigue, chronic pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, and post-surgical limitations are common, yet the visceral system is rarely part of the clinical conversation. This session explores a meaningful clinical pivot, integrating visceral mobility into occupational therapy to address root causes of persistent functional limitation.

Participants will examine the role of the visceral system within a pressure management model and its influence on function. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between the diaphragm, abdominal wall, pelvic floor, and internal organs, and how disruption contributes to pelvic pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, and post-surgical limitations. This perspective emerged from repeated clinical patterns in my own practice, where individuals did not fully improve with traditional approaches, prompting a shift in clinical reasoning and intervention.

Content is designed for immediate application across outpatient, home health, acute care, and community-based practice. Attendees will leave with a framework for recognizing visceral restriction, introductory assessment and intervention strategies, and practical examples in pelvic health, geriatrics, and post-surgical populations. By expanding the clinical lens, practitioners will strengthen reasoning, broaden intervention strategies, and more fully support participation and quality of life. This session represents a pivotal shift, inviting therapists to amplify awareness, adapt beyond muscle-focused models, and advance practice through integration of the visceral system as a missing link in functional performance.

Speaker

Content Level

Intermediate: This level assumes the audience has general familiarity with the literature and professional practice. The focus of the presentation is on increased understanding and application by the participants.

Practice Areas

Aging in Place/Geriatrics; Community-based Practice; Emerging Practice Area; Health and Wellness; Home Health/Telehealth; Rehabilitation