NORWICH – Physical Therapist Allison O’Neill is fascinated by the human body.

“I have always thought the human body is the coolest machine out there. The way it self-regulates, the way the systems integrate to work together, the way the muscles coordinate to make smooth movements… I think it’s amazing,” she said.

“I’m also very mechanically inclined. So when I realized I could combine those interests into a profession of helping people regain their function after injury or incident, I knew Physical Therapy was for me.”

In her role as Manager of Therapies Services for UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital, O’Neill leads the team at UHS Therapies Norwich. She still, however, continues to work one-on-one with patients.

A small but thriving subset of her practice involves working with women with pelvic floor issues, such as prolapse and incontinence.

According to O’Neill, some of these pelvic floor issues can be prevented with increased awareness and some basic exercises and therefore it’s an important topic for all women.

“For a long time, women suffered in silence in ways they did not need to suffer. So discussing this openly with providers and eventually friends and family removes the stigma and invites learning and recovery,” she explained.

She’ll be speaking on the topic in a presentation on Pelvic Health on Wednesday, November 19 at Canasawacta Country Club, 261 County Road 44 in Norwich. The program will begin at 6 p.m. with social time, and the opportunity to order from the menu and bar. The presentation and discussion will follow at 7 p.m.

The program is the second installment of UHS Chenango Memorial’s Her Health Matters Series – a series of informative conversations about different aspects of women’s health, held monthly at Canasawacta Country Club

“We’re thrilled that Allison has agreed to share her knowledge with us on this very important topic,” said Melissa Stagnaro, Director of Development and Engagement at UHS Chenango Memorial.

“That’s what this series is about: connecting women, bringing them information on topics that are relevant to them, and giving them the opportunity to learn both from our medical professionals and from each other.”

For more information on UHS Chenango Memorial’s Her Health Matters Series, call (607) 337-4510 or via email at cmh.foundation@nyuhs.org. Reservations are accepted but not required.

UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital is a member of United Health Services, a locally owned not-for-profit 916-bed hospital and health care system serving the Greater Binghamton region from more than 40 locations around New York’s Southern Tier.

- Information from UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital