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Pelvic health isn’t a subject that enough people discuss on a regular basis, according to physical therapist Dr. Allea Francis, DPT, who is striving to be a resource in South Orange County with her own practice.
Francis, a San Clemente resident, started Daybreak Physical Therapy in San Juan Capistrano in August 2022, and has treated both men and women for a variety of needs. Her practice addresses chronic pelvic pain, preparing pregnant women for labor and birth, as well as assistance through the rehabilitation process, and men who have experienced prostate cancer or erectile dysfunction.
“I’ve been practicing for a year now and love the community,” she said. “I’ve finally found my home in Southern California.”
The pelvis, located at the bottom of the spinal system, is home to important parts of the body such as the bladder, the bowels, and people’s reproductive system. Pain can arise from within the area, known as the pelvic floor, from a multitude of locations, including the organs inside, the muscles, and veins and arteries, dramatically impacting the body’s well-being.
While studying at the University of Missouri, where she earned her doctorate in physical therapy in 2017, Francis participated in clinical rotations concerning the pelvic floor that reminded her of her own struggles in that part of her body.
Receiving successful treatment from her clinical instructor finally set Francis on a path toward permanent healing and her career today.
“I think I just really channeled my passion into helping people become pain-free,” she said.
At 14, Francis was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, an autoimmune condition that affects the bladder lining and essentially feels like having “a urinary tract infection 24/7,” according to Francis.
Living with the condition for many years allowed her to be vocal about what afflicted her and the affected parts of the body that people normally hesitate to mention.
Following her desire to help others, she trained under a mentorship program at Sarton Physical Therapy in Tustin and spent five more years while taking pelvic health-related continuing education classes.
Burnout stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the health care field forced Francis to step back from work in early 2022, but after some consideration, she determined she still cared deeply about pelvic health.
Her passion is for spreading awareness of the topic and normalizing related conversations, she said, to where people can feel comfortable discussing their health with friends and family.
“You’re talking about your private parts, so a lot of people don’t want to share that, and it can be a very vulnerable area,” Francis said of why people are reluctant to talk about pelvic health. “(It can) affect your life completely.”
Realizing how often she came down to San Clemente each week to surf and exercise, Francis decided to set up her business as close as possible, within KOR Physical Therapy and Wellness located at 33161 Camino Capistrano, Suite C, in San Juan Capistrano.
Her previous lack of experience in running a business and marketing herself contributed to her first year being a “roller coaster,” but the early days have been good for Francis. A self-described science nerd with a love for being social, Francis said she’s been able to unlock a different part of her brain throughout the process.
Francis gave her first year in business high marks.
“If I had to rate my first year, I would say it’s been a 9 out of 10,” she said. “I have the freedom of how I want to practice. People come to my practice because of me and how I treat, so I’m attracting people that I love to work with and that want to work with me.”
When people first come in after being referred to Francis from a medical professional, a previous patient, or online, she gives them an intake form and privately reviews their medical history with them.
She then assesses the potential clients’ posture, strength and abdominal muscles before mapping out their pelvic floor muscles to find the source of any dysfunction or discomfort. From there, Francis devises a plan with low, moderate, or high complexity.
“People who have pain are more on the high-complex side, and then people who are coming in for more (wellness-based activities), or preparation for labor delivery, are more-low complex,” she said.
Most of her patients fall within the moderate to high end of the spectrum, as they deal with more than two factors they would like to correct.
Francis added that she enjoys helping people return to where they used to be before their dysfunction appeared.
“It’s really cool when I get to see people that thought this was going to be the rest of their life, (where) they were going to be in pain or discomfort,” she said. “Then we’re able to treat it in a couple of months, and their quality of life has improved dramatically.”
Looking into the future, Francis said she hopes awareness of pelvic health will grow to where more specialized physical therapists are practicing in the field, and she can hire people to work with or under her.
She’s also anticipating growing her own business within the community, where she sees herself as someone whom people are likely to encounter in yoga or Pilates classes or pass by on the street while she’s running.
“I am hoping that pelvic health is more of a talked-about subject in households, communities and friend groups,” said Francis. “(I’d like to be) that person that people can go to in the community and know that they can trust, in that I will give them the correct information.”
More information about Daybreak Physical Therapy can be found at daybreakpt.com.
