Physical Therapy for More Than Just Postpartum Recovery

5 Reasons Every Woman Should See a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist

Here are 5 Reasons Every Woman Should See a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist

1. If penetration of any kind is painful! —This includes tampons, with intercourse, or even use of a speculum when getting exams at your OBGYN. 

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that don’t just need to be strong, but also need to be mobile and able to relax! Difficulty with pelvic floor relaxation can affect pain or success with any form of penetration. A pelvic floor physical therapist can assess these muscles and help develop a treatment plan to help you achieve your goals and decrease pain.

2. If you’ve dealt with chronic constipation or bowel issues. 

Successful emptying requires the ability of your pelvic floor to lengthen and relax. Additionally, certain habits like using a squatty potty and learning how to coordinate your breath while having a bowel movement can improve your ability to empty. Diet and hydration can also play a role, which can also be discussed with your pelvic floor physical therapist. 

3. If coughing, laughing, sneezing, jumping or exercising causes you to pee your pants!

Your pelvic floor works with your diaphragm, abdominals, and back muscles to manage pressure within your abdominal cavity. Activities such as coughing, laughing, sneezing, jumping and exercising are activities that generally increase this pressure. If your pelvic floor is a point of weakness within that pressure system, guess what happens?! Leakage can happen! A pelvic floor physical therapist can teach you about how to manage pressure, assess for points of weakness or tightness in that system, and then help you create balance of strength and mobility throughout this system once again, ultimately helping you keep those pants dry! 

4. You have hip, low back, tailbone or abdominal pain — particularly that has been treated or cleared by other non-pelvic health practitioners and has not gotten better yet. What you are experiencing could be related to your pelvic floor!

The pelvic floor is in very close proximity to and has a profound influence on tension and stability throughout our low back, hips and pelvic region. Because of this, there are muscles that are a part of the pelvic floor and very close to it, that can refer into the low back, hip, tailbone, and even abdominal region. Pelvic floor physical therapists have extra training to understand this, and assess the pelvic floor in addition to all of the surrounding areas to see if it is apart of this pain that just won’t go away. 

5. You are planning on becoming pregnant, are pregnant, or have had a baby! 

Seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist BEFORE having a baby, not just after is incredibly valuable. Learning about your pelvic floor and all the changes that can occur in your body surrounding the time of conception, development and delivery of a baby can be a game changer! Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually possible to go through pregnancy without debilitating pain or issues that last. A pelvic floor physical therapist can assess and treat all things related to keeping your body feeling its best throughout your pregnancy, help you learn about how to relax your pelvic floor and prepare for giving birth, and then guide you through your postpartum recovery to feel strong again!

If any of these scenarios resonated with you, don’t wait and don’t give up hope! There is a solution to whatever it is you are experiencing, and seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist could be just what you need.

We’re so happy to help and want to see every woman live their most energetic, active lives! Give us a call at 515-255-3932 to set-up your appointment today!

Breathe. is unique! Private, personalized care that celebrates client victories, big and small. We believe all women deserve to live energetic, vibrant and active lives and it’s our mission to be a partner in achieving that, by specializing in dry needling, DRA, pants peeing, pregnancy/postpartum pain and recovery, pelvic floor dysfunction, headaches, back pain and other orthopedic concerns. 

Appointments available in Des Moines, West Des Moines and Iowa City / Cedar Rapids area. www.breatheptw.com