What is Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy? Stronger, More Confident, More You
Let’s talk about something we all have, but many of us don’t talk about enough: the pelvic floor!
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the bottom of your pelvis that plays an important role in bladder and bowel control, sexual function, pelvic stability, and core support. And just like any other muscle group, your pelvic floor can become weak, tight, overactive, poorly coordinated, or simply not work the way you want it to.
That’s where pelvic floor physiotherapy with Shree can help.
So, What Exactly Is the Pelvic Floor?
Think of your pelvic floor as a supportive hammock at the base of your pelvis. It helps support your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs while also working together with your abdominal muscles, diaphragm, and back muscles to help stabilize your body.
Your pelvic floor needs to be able to do both:
Contract when needed - for example, to control urine and bowel movements.
Relax when needed - for example, when urinating, having a bowel movement, or during comfortable sexual activity.
So, contrary to popular belief, pelvic floor physiotherapy isn’t simply about doing hundreds of Kegels! Sometimes the pelvic floor needs strengthening. Sometimes it needs stretching and relaxation. Sometimes it needs better coordination. And sometimes it needs to learn how to let go.
When Should You See a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist?
You don’t need to wait until your symptoms become severe. Pelvic floor physiotherapy may be helpful if you’re experiencing:
Urine leakage when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising
A frequent or urgent need to urinate
Difficulty completely emptying your bladder
Constipation or difficulty with bowel movements
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Pain with sexual activity
Pelvic pressure or heaviness
Tailbone pain
Pain during pregnancy or after childbirth
Core or pelvic weakness
Difficulty returning to exercise after pregnancy
Changes in bladder or bowel function
Pelvic pain associated with sitting, exercise, or daily activities
And yes - pelvic floor physiotherapy is for more than pregnancy and postpartum recovery. People of all ages and genders can experience pelvic floor problems.
What Happens During an Appointment With Shree?
If you’ve never had pelvic floor physiotherapy before, you might feel nervous or unsure about what to expect. That’s completely normal.
Your first appointment is primarily about understanding you and your symptoms.
Shree will discuss your concerns, medical history, lifestyle, goals, and activities that may be contributing to your symptoms. You may also discuss bladder habits, bowel movements, pelvic pain, or sexual health. There is no judgment. These are simply important pieces of the puzzle. Depending on your symptoms and comfort level, your assessment may include looking at your posture, breathing, abdominal muscles, hip strength, mobility, movement patterns, and pelvic floor function.
An internal pelvic floor assessment is usually recommended, but it is not automatically required. Your consent and comfort come first.
It’s Not Just About Kegels!
You’ve probably heard someone say: “Just do your Kegels!” But pelvic floor rehabilitation is much more nuanced than that. Imagine someone has a very tight neck. Would doing hundreds of neck-strengthening exercises automatically fix the problem? Probably not. The same principle applies to your pelvic floor.
If your pelvic floor is already tense or overactive, constantly squeezing it may not be what you need. Your treatment plan should be based on what your body actually needs.
Treatment may include:
Pelvic floor strengthening
Relaxation and down-training
Breathing exercises
Core strengthening
Hip and pelvic mobility exercises
Manual therapy
Soft-tissue techniques
Education about bladder and bowel habits
Movement retraining
Exercise modification
Home exercises
Strategies for returning to sports and fitness
The goal isn’t simply to make a muscle stronger.
The goal is to help your pelvic floor work better.
Pelvic Floor Health and Exercise
If you’re someone who loves the gym, running, jumping, lifting, yoga, or sports, pelvic floor symptoms don’t necessarily mean you need to stop doing what you love. Instead, physiotherapy can help you understand why symptoms are happening and how to manage them. For example, if you notice urine leakage while running, jumping, or lifting weights, Shree can assess how your pelvic floor, breathing, core, hips, and movement patterns are working together. The goal is to help you return to the activities you enjoy with greater confidence.
What About Pregnancy and Postpartum?
Pregnancy and childbirth can place significant demands on the pelvic floor. During pregnancy, changes in body weight, posture, hormones, breathing mechanics, and abdominal pressure can influence pelvic floor function.
After childbirth, some people experience:
Urinary leakage
Pelvic heaviness
Pain
Abdominal weakness
Difficulty returning to exercise
Changes in sexual function
Bowel or bladder changes
Pelvic floor physiotherapy can help you understand what’s happening and develop a gradual, individualized recovery plan. And remember: you don’t have to “just live with it” because you’ve had a baby.
Your Body Isn’t Something to Be Embarrassed About
One of the biggest barriers to pelvic health treatment is embarrassment.
People sometimes spend months - or even years - avoiding conversations about bladder leakage, pelvic pain, bowel problems, or sexual discomfort. But these symptoms are not something you should feel ashamed about. Your pelvic floor is part of your body. Talking about it is simply healthcare.
With Shree, the focus is on creating a comfortable, respectful, and individualized environment where you can ask questions, understand your body, and work toward your goals.
Stronger, More Confident, More You
Pelvic floor physiotherapy isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about helping you understand your body and giving you practical tools to move, exercise, work, sleep, laugh, sneeze, use the bathroom, and enjoy life with greater confidence. Whether you’re dealing with leakage, pelvic pain, pregnancy-related changes, postpartum recovery, or simply want to understand your pelvic health better, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Your pelvic floor deserves physiotherapy too.
Book an assessment with Shree and take the first step toward feeling stronger, more comfortable, and more confident in your body.
Quick Tips For Starting Pelvic Floor Therapy
Ideally, you should have a clinician do an assessment. If you’re doing kegels during your exercise classes as your instructor asks you to do or you saw it on Instagram reel, remember to inhale with pelvic floor relaxation and exhale with pelvic floor contraction. Repeat after me, “Inhale while relaxing, exhale while contracting”
Never sit on the toilet for more than 7 minutes, even if you’re constipated.
Do not use your phone on the toilet.
Eat enough fibers, drink enough water.
Sleep, exercise, hydrate, pelvic floor, relax. 😉
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