What is the Pelvic Floor, Anyway??

You’ve probably heard the name, but what is the pelvic floor, anyway??

Did you know that even most physicians don’t have any training in the what the pelvic floor is or what it does…(that’s why working with a Pelvic Health PT can be SO helpful).

The pelvic floor is a series of muscles slung across your pelvis (literally, the “floor”) that play a HUGE role in our daily lives.

The Pelvic Floor Functions

The pelvic floor is always on and working. It has four major functions; when something goes wrong it can cause pain or symptoms in any of these areas:

• Stabilizing: The pelvic floor muscle support the low back, hip, groin, and core. It can actually be contributing to pain in any of these surrounding areas!

• Sphincteric: The pelvic floor closes off the exits of the body and controls urination and bowel movements. These muscles have to relax to have a bowel movement or urinate, but often they are the cause of urinary urgency/frequency, retention, and constipation.

• Sexual: These muscles play a role in sexual activity for all individuals. They contract and relax during in rapid succession during sexual activity; but can be a common source of sexual pain or dysfunction.

• Supportive: The pelvic floor supports the organs in our pelvic cavity (bladder, vagina and uterus, rectum, and prostate). When the muscles aren’t doing their job optimally, the organs can descend (“prolapse”) and cause a feeling of heaviness or pressure in the pelvic floor.

Getting Help

Pelvic health physical therapist are really the only practitioners that have extensive training in the pelvic floor muscles and restoring normal function. These muscles are often the driver of symptoms or major contributing factors.

Awake Pelvic Health & Wellness YouTube Channel

In this video, Awake Pelvic Health’s founder Dr. Hannah goes through the anatomy and functions of the pelvic floor. We’d love for you to watch!

Are you dealing with…?

• Urinary urgency or frequency >>> we can help with that

• Tailbone pain or pain with sitting >>> we can help with that

• Sciatica pain during pregnancy >>> we can help with that

• Leaking urine with running or jumping >>> we can help with that

• Pain when you have intercourse >>> we can help with that

• Constipation or bowel issues >>> we can help with that

• Diastasis recti after baby >>> we can help with that

• Not knowing how to return to exercise after baby >>> we can help with that

• Pelvic pain from endometriosis >>> we can help with that

• and so much more!

Schedule a free consult call to learn more about how we can help you OR schedule a visit by clicking below: