Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Fincher.
Hi Katie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I graduated from East Carolina University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in 2019. After graduation, I spent two years practicing in outpatient orthopedics and neurology in a rural community, which gave me a strong foundation in treating a broad range of musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions and helped shape the way I approach whole-person care.
I then completed a pelvic and women’s health physical therapy residency through Duke University and Duke Health. That experience was instrumental in developing my clinical reasoning, specialty knowledge, and passion for pelvic health education.
Following residency, I returned to the Upstate of South Carolina and joined Limitless Pelvic Health in Greenville, where I have now practiced for nearly four years. During my time at Limitless, I became a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health Physical Therapy and currently serve as the residency coordinator for the Pelvic and Women’s Health Residency at Limitless Therapy and Wellness.
A major goal throughout my career has been to contribute to the growth of the pelvic health profession through teaching, mentorship, and clinical education. I am passionate about helping pelvic health providers strengthen their confidence, deepen their understanding of the human body, and develop the clinical reasoning skills necessary to provide thoughtful, evidence-informed, and patient-centered care.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My professional journey has included many meaningful successes, but it has also involved significant challenges and uncertainty. After beginning my physical therapy career, I experienced considerable burnout within my first year of practice. I felt frustrated and began questioning whether physical therapy was the right long-term career for me.
Discovering pelvic health renewed my passion for the profession and reminded me why I wanted to help others. I was drawn to the opportunity to discuss concerns that are often considered private or taboo and to create a safe environment where individuals could speak openly about their bodies, symptoms, and experiences. Pelvic health allowed me to reconnect with a deeper sense of purpose in my work.
My residency experience was both professionally transformative and personally difficult. My husband remained in South Carolina while I moved to Raleigh to complete the year-long residency, requiring us to live apart during that time. Two months into the program, we lost his brother to suicide. This was one of the deepest periods of grief I have experienced in my life.
Despite the emotional weight of that year, I ultimately decided to continue and complete the residency. Finishing the program has remained one of the most important professional decisions I have made. Although the experience required me to navigate grief, distance from my husband, and the demands of specialty training, it created opportunities for professional growth that have shaped the direction of my career.
Since completing residency, I have had the opportunity to move into teaching, mentorship, and residency development. Developing a residency program is certainly not for the faint of heart. The process involves substantial responsibility, continued learning, unexpected challenges, and many opportunities for growth. Providing the best possible experience for a resident requires ongoing reflection and a willingness to continually improve.
I am still learning how to become a stronger clinician, educator, mentor, and residency coordinator. Although the journey has included many ups and downs, I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity to do this work and to help support the development of future pelvic health providers.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I currently practice as a pelvic health physical therapist and certified lymphedema therapist. My clinical work includes the treatment of bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction, as well as orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions that may contribute to pelvic health concerns. I also provide care for individuals experiencing lymphatic and oncology-related impairments associated with cancer treatment, surgery, and chronic metabolic dysfunction.
I am especially proud of the educational path I chose to pursue and the ways it has allowed me to combine specialty clinical practice, teaching, mentorship, and program development. Remaining actively involved in patient care while also helping educate and support developing pelvic health clinicians is one of the most meaningful aspects of my career. I value the opportunity to contribute to the growth of the profession while continuing to learn and evolve as a clinician myself.
What sets me apart is the breadth of my clinical background and my commitment to viewing the body as an interconnected system. My training in pelvic health, orthopedics, neurology, lymphedema, and oncology allows me to approach complex presentations with a comprehensive perspective rather than treating symptoms in isolation.
Professionally, I am proud to be involved in the development of a pelvic and women’s health residency program and to help other providers grow in their clinical reasoning, confidence, and understanding of the human body. Personally, becoming a mother is one of the accomplishments I am most proud of. Motherhood has brought an extraordinary amount of joy, perspective, and meaning to my life, and I remain grateful for the opportunity to continue growing as a clinician, educator, and mother.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://limitlesstherapyandwellness.com/residency/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkatiefincher_dpt/
