Pelvic floor dysfunction causes urinary symptoms, constipation, pain, or pressure. Learn what really causes pelvic floor issues and how pelvic floor therapy retrains your body to function again.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is one of the most under-diagnosed contributors to bladder changes, pelvic pain, constipation, and sexual discomfort. Many people are told to “just do Kegels,” but pelvic floor health is so much more complex than squeezing muscles.

As a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in pelvic floor and lymphatic therapy, my goal is to help you understand why your symptoms developed and what it truly takes to restore healthy pelvic function.

What the Pelvic Floor Actually Does

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues at the base of the pelvis. These muscles stabilize your spine and hips and support your urinary, bowel, sexual, and core function.

The pelvic floor is responsible for:

• Supporting your pelvic organs
• Controlling bladder and bowel function
• Sexual arousal and comfort
• Stabilizing the pelvis and SI joint
• Pumping lymphatic fluid out of the pelvis
• Coordinating with your diaphragm and deep core

When the pelvic floor isn’t functioning well, you may experience:

• Urinary urgency or incomplete emptying
• Pelvic heaviness or pressure
• Constipation or straining
• Low back, SI, or hip pain
• Pain with sex
• Tailbone pain
• Bloating or abdominal tightness
• Difficulty relaxing or contracting the muscles

Why Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Happens

Research shows that pelvic floor dysfunction often develops from a combination of mechanical and inflammatory factors.

Common contributors include:

1. Chronic stress and guarding

Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, tightening pelvic muscles the same way it tightens your jaw or shoulders.

2. Postural changes

Loss of lumbar lordosis (a common finding in SI pain and tailbone pain) changes pelvic angles and increases strain on the pelvic floor.

3. Hormonal changes

Progesterone, estrogen, and postpartum shifts all influence connective tissue, pelvic stability, and muscle activation.

4. Pregnancy and delivery

Even without tearing or trauma, pregnancy alone can create muscle imbalances and nerve sensitivity.

5. Chronic constipation

Straining increases pelvic floor tension, which ironically makes emptying even harder.

6. Pelvic inflammation and lymphatic stagnation

Inflammation from endometriosis, pelvic congestion, lymphatic flow issues, or bowel inflammation makes the muscles more reactive and tender.

7. Abdominal surgeries

C-section, appendectomy, laparoscopy, and other abdominal procedures create scar tissue that alters core-pelvic coordination.

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Helps (My Treatment Approach)

Pelvic PT isn’t just internal work or exercises. It is a whole-body, neurological retraining process.

My treatment approach includes:

1. Hands-on work

Myofascial release, trigger point work, abdominal wall release, visceral mobility, and internal work when indicated.

2. Breath retraining

Your diaphragm and pelvic floor must coordinate. If not, pressure builds and symptoms worsen.

3. Core & SI alignment

Gentle stabilization restores symmetry and reduces strain on the pelvic floor.

4. Lymphatic therapy

Reducing inflammation improves muscle relaxation, pelvic comfort, and bowel/bladder mechanics.

5. Nervous system down-training

Pain is amplified when your nervous system feels unsafe; we retrain the input so the body can calm down.

6. Personalized home program

You’re given simple, targeted movements—not random exercises from a handout.

How You Start Healing

You do not need to live with pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, or bowel dysfunction. With the right approach, the pelvic floor can learn to relax, coordinate, and support you again.

If your symptoms sound familiar, pelvic floor therapy can help you rebuild your foundation and restore function.