Let’s talk about your pelvic floor.
Yes, that pelvic floor.
You may not think about these muscles every day, but they do a lot behind the scenes. They help control your bladder and bowels, support your pelvic organs, contribute to sexual function, and work with your core whenever you move, lift, cough, laugh, or exercise.
So, when your pelvic floor isn’t working quite right, your body usually finds a way to let you know.
The tricky part is recognizing that certain symptoms may be connected to your pelvic floor. You might assume leaking is simply part of getting older, painful sex is something you have to tolerate, or needing to pee every hour is just the result of drinking too much coffee.
Spoiler: common doesn’t always mean normal.
Here are seven signs it may be time to show your pelvic floor a little love.
1. You Pee When You Sneeze, Laugh, Run…or Jump
Ever sneeze and immediately think, Uh-oh?
You’re definitely not alone.
Urine leakage can happen when you cough, sneeze, laugh, run, jump, lift, or exercise. However, something that surprises many people is that the solution isn’t always “Do more Kegels!”
Your pelvic floor may be weak, but it could also be too tight or poorly coordinated. Sometimes the muscles simply aren’t turning on at the right time.
Pelvic floor PT can help determine what’s actually happening, so we can address the cause instead of simply telling you to squeeze harder.
2. You Know Where Every Bathroom Is
You walk into Target and immediately know where the restroom is.
Road trips require strategic bathroom planning.
And when your bladder says GO, it really means GO NOW.
Sound familiar?
Urinary urgency and frequent bathroom trips can become a cycle. For example, going “just in case” over and over may teach your bladder to signal that it’s full before it actually is.
With pelvic floor PT, you can learn strategies to retrain your bladder and pelvic floor. The goal is to spend less time planning your life around the nearest bathroom.
3. Sex Hurts
Let’s just say it:
Sex shouldn’t hurt.
Pain during or after sex can have many causes. Tight pelvic floor muscles, scar tissue, hormonal changes, childbirth injuries, muscle guarding, and other pelvic issues may all play a role.
Some people also experience pelvic pain after arousal or orgasm.
Because these symptoms are so personal, many people wait a long time before bringing them up. You don’t have to.
Pelvic floor PT offers a private space to explore what may be contributing to your symptoms and create a plan to help you feel more comfortable again.
4. You Feel Pressure or Heaviness “Down There”
Maybe you’ve noticed heaviness or pressure in your pelvis.
Maybe something just feels…different.
Some people describe the sensation as feeling like they’re sitting on a tampon. Others notice bulging or feel as though something is “falling out.”
These may be symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse.
Before you panic, remember that prolapse doesn’t automatically mean surgery or giving up the activities you love. Pelvic floor PT can help you learn to manage pressure, improve strength and coordination, and move and exercise with more confidence.
5. You’re Pregnant or Had a Baby
Pregnancy changes much more than your belly.
Your posture shifts. Your core changes. Your pelvic floor manages more pressure. Then your body goes through childbirth and is somehow expected to just…bounce back?
Nope.
During pregnancy, pelvic floor PT can help with pelvic pain, back pain, urinary leakage, exercise modifications, and preparing your body for birth.
After delivery, we can help with:
- Returning to exercise
- Abdominal weakness
- Diastasis recti
- C-section or perineal scars
- Pelvic pain
- Leakage
- Pelvic pressure or prolapse symptoms
You also don’t need to have a major problem to come in.
Sometimes you simply want to know, “Is my body recovering the way it should?”
That’s a perfectly good reason to see us.
6. Going #2 Is a Whole Production
If using the bathroom requires straining, special positioning, lots of time, or serious concentration, your pelvic floor may be part of the problem.
Here’s why: your pelvic floor doesn’t just need to tighten. It also needs to relax.
When those muscles don’t relax and coordinate properly during a bowel movement, emptying can become much harder than it needs to be.
Pelvic floor PT can teach you better positioning, breathing, and muscle coordination to help things move more smoothly.
Yes, pelvic floor therapists talk about poop.
A lot.
We promise we’re not embarrassed, and you don’t need to be either!
7. Your Hip, Tailbone, Back, or Pelvis Keeps Hurting
Here’s where pelvic floor PT gets really interesting.
Your pelvic floor doesn’t work by itself. It’s part of a team that includes your hips, abdominal muscles, diaphragm, spine, and deep core.
Because of that connection, pain around your tailbone, hips, lower back, abdomen, or pelvis may have a pelvic floor component.
If you’ve been treating the same painful area without getting lasting relief, it may be time to look at the bigger picture.
That’s exactly what physical therapists are trained to do.
So…What Actually Happens at Pelvic Floor PT?
If you’re picturing something awkward and terrifying, we can clear that up right now.
Your first appointment starts with a conversation.
We’ll ask what’s bothering you, when it started, what makes it better or worse, and—most importantly—what you want to get back to doing.
Your physical therapist may assess your breathing, posture, hips, back, abdominal muscles, strength, mobility, and movement. Depending on your symptoms and comfort level, we may also recommend a pelvic floor muscle assessment.
Here’s the important part:
You are always in control of your visit.
We’ll explain what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and how it relates to your symptoms. From there, your treatment plan will be built around you.
Your Pelvic Floor Doesn’t Have to Run Your Life
Maybe you stopped jumping because you’re worried you’ll leak.
Maybe you always find the bathroom before doing anything else.
Maybe sex has become uncomfortable.
Maybe you’ve had a baby, and your body just doesn’t feel like your body yet.
Or perhaps you’ve simply been wondering, Is this normal?
You don’t have to wait until your symptoms become severe to ask that question.
Pelvic floor physical therapy can help you better understand your body, address the cause of your symptoms, and return to the things you love with more confidence.
Think your pelvic floor might be trying to tell you something?
Contact OMPT Specialists to schedule a pelvic floor physical therapy evaluation and learn how pelvic floor PT may help you.
