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When we hear about pelvic floor exercises, we often associate them with either older women, or pregnant women/women who have just given birth. This is a common misconception–older women and new mothers may see immediate benefits when engaging in pelvic floor PT, but everyone can benefit from it. 

No matter your age or overall physical health, if you were assigned female at birth, knowledge is power when it comes to knowing what your pelvic floor looks like, and what it does: 

• Imagine your pelvic floor as a hammock of support consisting of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and connective tissue. This hammock is between the tailbone and the pubic bone.  
• First and foremost, your pelvic floor supports the bowels, bladder, uterus, and vagina; there are also muscular bands that pass through the pelvic floor that encircle the urethra, vagina and anus.
• All this, when it functions properly, plays a key role in bowel and bladder control. Your pelvic floor also helps you stabilize your pelvis and your spine, and assists with sexual function. 

Who is at risk of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction? 

Remember that the pelvic floor is mostly made up of muscles, and like any muscles in our body those–too–can weaken or suffer damage and lead to pelvic floor dysfunction. People who have experienced pregnancy, childbirth, chronic constipation, or obesity may be at higher risk as their pelvic floor has, and does, work harder to support their normal bodily functions and the bowels/bladder. 

Some of the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction may include pain during intercourse, bladder pain, bowel or urinary incontinence, frequent urination, persisting pubic, tailbone, or lower abdominal pain, and constipation–to name a few. More serious issues may include pelvic organ prolapse: bowel prolapse, prolapsed uterus, and even endometriosis. 

How can Physical Therapy Help?

Physical therapists are not just experts who help you walk better after an injury, they are medical experts in the functions of muscles, joints, and nerves, and have an in-depth and holistic understanding of human health. Just like any medical field, PTs have areas of expertise and you may want to work with someone who is trained on pelvic floor functions. 

A PT will assess your whole body after consulting with you, not just the problem or painful areas. Your medical history, symptoms, and needs will of course be taken into account to create an individualized plan for your pelvic floor health. The exercises will, and should, be done with the physical therapist–unless they assign you specific exercises to do at home. Since our pelvic floor is basically holding everything in our body together, the center so to speak, don’t be surprised if some exercises are not directly working on the pelvic area; ask your PT to explain why they are assigning you an exercise, and how it will help you. Some soreness or aches are normal after your PT sessions, but this is not a “no pain, no gain” situation: at no point during PT should you feel acute pain or strain on your muscles/ligaments.  

And for this subject, the saying “the sooner, the better” cannot be emphasized enough: do not wait until you’re older, pregnant, or have any painful symptoms to get started on strengthening your pelvic floor.