Jessica Swartz, PT, DPT

Headshot of Jessica Swartz

Pronouns: she/her
Lecturer

SDSU

Email

Primary Email: [email protected]

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Bio

I am a pelvic floor physical therapist, professor in the School of Physical Therapy (SDSU), and PhD candidate in the Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health – Health Behavior (SDSU/UCSD). While my clinical practice encompasses treatment of all types of pelvic floor dysfunction during any stage of life, my research focuses on utilizing physical therapy as a tool to address maternal health disparities from the first 24 hours following childbirth through the first postpartum year.

Education

  • 2011 – BS, Kinesiology, Arizona State University
  • 2012 – BA, Psychology, Arizona State University
  • 2016 – DPT, San Diego State University
  • 2025 (Anticipated) – PhD, Public Health (Health Behavior), San Diego State University/UC San Diego

Interests

  • Women’s Health, Pelvic Health, Chronic Pain, Healthcare Disparities
  • Research Physical Therapist – San Diego State University Research Foundation/UC San Diego Neurogastromotility Lab

Certifications

  • Credentialed Clinical Instructor (CCI)

Licensure information/Registration Number

  • California PT #291705
  • Texas PT #1379029

Professional Memberships/Activities

  • Member, American Physical Therapy Association – California Chapter, Texas Chapter, Section on Pelvic Health, Section on Research

Awards & Honors

  • 2024-2025: Principal Investigator, American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Pelvic Health $10,000 Research Grant (Title: “Exploring Physician and Physical Therapist Attitudes and Beliefs Surrounding Acute Care Physical Therapy in Obstetrics”)
  • 2023: San Diego State University College of Health and Human Services Student Travel Award
  • 2022-2023: San Diego State University University Graduate Fellowship
  • 2022-2023: Foundation for Physical Therapy Research Promotion of Doctoral Studies (PODS) I Scholarship (Title: “Physical Therapy for Postpartum Healing and Health Equity”)

Courses

  • DPT822 – Musculoskeletal Therapeutics III

Research

  • Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Rehabilitation
  • Maternal Health Disparities
  • Dissemination and Implementation Sciences

Presentations

  • Oral Presentation: Resistance Biofeedback Training for the Treatment of Fecal Incontinence: Mediators and Predictors of Program Success. American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, February 24, 2023, San Diego, CA.
  • Oral Presentation: Four Phenotypes of Fecal Incontinence Based on Pressure and Electromyography Recordings of the Anal Sphincter Muscles. Digestive Diseases Week, May 24, 2022, San Diego, CA.
  • Poster Presentation: Anorectal Distensibility Loops of Concentric Biofeedback Resistance Training in Patients with Anal Incontinence. Digestive Diseases Week, May 2022, San Diego, CA.

Publications

ResearchGate Bibliography

  • Swartz JL, Zifan A, Tuttle LJ, Sheean G, Tam RM, Mittal RK. Fecal incontinence patients categorized based on anal pressure and electromyography: Anal sphincter damage and clinical symptoms. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2024;36(7):e14810. doi:10.1111/nmo.14810
  • Swartz JL, Tam RM, Tuttle LJ. Resistance biofeedback training for the treatment of fecal incontinence: Mediators and predictors of program success. APTA 2023 Combined Sections Meeting Posters and Platforms. Journal of Women's & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy. January/March 2023;47(1):p 51-71. DOI: 10.1097/JWH.0000000000000268
  • Tuttle LJ, Zifan A, Swartz J, Mittal RK. Do resistance exercises during biofeedback therapy enhance the anal sphincter and pelvic floor muscles in anal incontinence? Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2022;34:e14212.
  • Zifan A, Mittal RK, Xu P, Swartz J, Kunkel DC, Tuttle L. Anal and vaginal area-pressure bi-loops: Toward global assessment of pelvic floor muscles. 2020;158(6). doi:10.1016/s0016-5085(20)31643-7
  • Tuttle LJ, Zifan A, Swartz J, Kunkel DC, Mittal RK. Anatomical Defects of the Anal Sphincter and Puborectalis Muscle is Associated with the Lack of Response to Resistance Exercise Biofeedback Therapy. 2019;156(6): S-361. doi: 10.1016/S0016-5085(19)37738-8
  • Tuttle LJ, Zifan A, Sun C, Swartz J, Roalkvam S, Mittal RK. Measuring length tension function of the anal sphincters and puborectalis muscle using functional luminal imaging probe. American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. 2018;315(52). doi: 10.1152/ajpgi.00414.2017
  • Tuttle LJ, Delozier ER, Harter KA, Johnson SA, Plotts CN, Swartz JL. The role of the obturator internus muscle in pelvic floor function. Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy. 2016;40(1), 15- 19. doi: 10.1097/jwh.0000000000000043

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