Wait, This Is a Thing? Yes - and Here’s Why It Matters

If I had a dollar for every time a new patient said, “I didn’t even know this was a thing,” I could probably fund a nationwide billboard campaign about pelvic floor therapy. And honestly? I might. Even after a decade in pelvic health - and five years in private practice - I still hear that phrase at least weekly.

I’ll never forget telling my own mom about the specialized training I was starting. She looked at me and said, “That isn’t a thing.” Then she casually mentioned that she quit tennis after having my older brother because of severe leakage. (Yes, Mom… that is a thing - and a very treatable one.)

Pelvic floor therapy is one of the most effective, life-changing healthcare services people rarely hear about until they desperately need it. So let’s pull back the curtain and talk about what pelvic floor therapy actually is, why it matters, and who it helps (spoiler: pretty much everyone with a pelvis).

So… What Is Pelvic Floor Therapy?

Pelvic floor therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy focused on the muscles, nerves, and connective tissues in your pelvis. These muscles play a major role in:

• Bladder and bowel control

• Sexual function

• Core stability

• Posture

• Pregnancy and postpartum recovery

• Hip and lower back support

  
  

When something in this system isn’t working well, it can trigger symptoms that feel random, embarrassing, or even unrelated to the pelvis at all.

Therapy can include:

• Manual therapy (external and/or internal)

• Strengthening or relaxation exercises

• Breathing and pressure-management training

• Postural work

• Scar tissue mobilization

• Education on bladder, bowel, intimacy, and movement patterns

• Biofeedback or neuromuscular re-education

  
  

It’s not just about kegels. (In fact, many people shouldn’t be doing kegels!)

Wait, You Can Treat That With Therapy?

Here are some of the groups pelvic floor therapy supports:

1. Urinary Symptoms

• Leaking with laughing, coughing, sneezing

• Urinary urgency or frequency

• Difficulty starting or fully emptying

• “Gotta go NOW” urgency

  
  

2. Pelvic Pain

Including:

• Painful intercourse

• Vaginismus or vulvodynia

• Testicular or penile pain

• Chronic pelvic pain

• Tailbone pain

• Chronic, unexplained low back and/or hip pain that did not respond well to orthopedic physical therapy

3. Bowel Dysfunction

We also help with:

• Constipation and straining

• Fecal leakage

• Hemorrhoid-related issues

• Difficulty fully emptying

  
  

4. Sexual Health Concerns

For all genders:

• Pain with intimacy

• Erectile dysfunction influenced by pelvic floor tension

• Difficulty with orgasm

• Pelvic tightness affecting arousal

  
  

5. Pregnancy & Postpartum

Including:

• Pain during pregnancy

• Labor prep

• Postpartum recovery (vaginal or C-section)

• Prolapse support

• Scar tissue mobilization

  
  

6. Athletes of All Kinds

• Runners with leakage, hip or pelvic pain

• Lifters who leak during max lifts

• Dancers with pelvic instability

• Anyone with core dysfunction or repeated strain injuries

  
  

7. Patients undergoing oncology care: before, during, and after treatment

This is one of the most overlooked areas where pelvic floor therapy can make a huge difference.

Cancer treatments, especially those involving the abdominopelvic region, can profoundly affect the pelvic floor and surrounding tissues. We often help individuals who are undergoing or recovering from:

• Gynecologic cancers

• Prostate or testicular cancer

• Colorectal cancer

• Bladder cancer

• Breast cancer (yes, the core and pelvic floor are absolutely involved!)

  
  

Common concerns we address include:

• Pelvic pain

• Scar tissue restriction after surgery or radiation

• Urinary or bowel dysfunction

• Sexual dysfunction related to treatment

• Vaginal stenosis after radiation

• Core weakness and pressure-management issues

• Fatigue and mobility limitations

  
  

Pelvic floor therapy helps oncology patients regain comfort, function, and confidence in a season when their bodies have already been through so much. And many people are relieved to hear that care can be gentle, adaptable, and truly supportive at every stage of treatment.

Why Don’t More People Know Pelvic Floor Therapy Exists?

• Symptoms often feel “too personal” to mention

• Many assume pelvic issues are just part of aging, childbirth, or treatment

• Healthcare providers don’t always know to refer

• Cultural taboos discourage conversations about pelvic health

  
  

But awareness is growing, and more people are discovering how transformative pelvic floor care can be.

What Happens in a Session?

A first visit often includes:

• A conversation about your symptoms, history, and goals

• Education about pelvic function

• A movement and posture assessment

• A pelvic floor exam (external and/or internal), only if appropriate and with full consent

Everything is collaborative, trauma-informed, and tailored to your comfort.

If You’ve Been Wondering Whether Pelvic Floor Therapy Could Help You… It Probably Can

Pelvic floor health affects quality of life in ways people don’t realize until they finally feel better. Whether you're dealing with pain, leaking, sexual dysfunction, constipation, surgical recovery, or side effects from cancer treatment, pelvic floor therapy might be the missing piece you didn’t even know existed.

And now?

Well, now you know it is a thing.