What is pelvic floor physical therapy?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of the pelvis that surround our genitals and support our pelvic organs. As such, the pelvic floor plays a role in, to put it bluntly: peeing, pooping, having sex, and pregnancy as well as childbirth. In other words: bladder, bowel, and sexual function. All muscles need coordination to function—that is, they need a healthy neuromuscular system to orchestrate them. They also need optimal muscle balance to work well—that is, they need a healthy musculoskeletal system. Physical therapists are neuromuscular and musculoskeletal specialists. We listen to you and hone in on your functional concerns (i.e., what is your body not letting you do that you want to do?), and we use targeted exercise, lifestyle change, and manual therapy to help you reach your goals.

Pelvic floor issues are really profound. It’s like the pelvic floor is something we always count on just…working…and when it doesn’t, when we find ourselves faced with incontinence, constipation, pain, or an inability to enjoy our sex lives—just to name a few examples of pelvic floor issues—we don’t know who to turn to. Often, we just wait and hope it gets better, or assume everybody has these concerns but just deals with it because it’s too weird to talk about. We’re here to say: These concerns are not unusual, they are actually very common. You can get help that works. We are here for you.

I’ve been specializing in pelvic floor physical therapy since I started as a physical therapist. Treating the pelvic floor is my passion and my joy. I can’t really explain why I love talking to people about urination, defecation, pregnancy, and sex so much—it’s kind of a weird passion, right? But here’s an attempt at explanation. I love to be the genuine, listening ear and empathetic heart that comforts a person faced with issues that are embarrassing or have been affecting their relationships, their children, their social life, their work, even their sense of self for far too long. I love having the practical tools and evidence based knowledge, as well as the hands-on skill in manual therapy to help these people turn their lives around. I love helping my clients get control over what previously felt out-of-control, and get to do the things they previously thought impossible.