Pelvic floor health is an essential yet often overlooked aspect of overall well-being. Whether due to childbirth, aging, surgery, or other factors, many people experience issues like incontinence, pelvic pain, or sexual dysfunction—yet few realize that targeted therapy can offer relief.
By addressing both physical and functional concerns, pelvic floor therapy helps restore confidence, comfort, and quality of life. In this article, Ashleigh Kreuter, physical therapist at Stoughton Health, discusses the benefits of pelvic floor therapy, who is a good candidate for it, and what to expect from treatment.
Pelvic Floor Issues Both Women and Men Experience
While pelvic floor dysfunction is often associated with women—particularly due to pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause—men can also experience problems related to these muscles.
For women, weakened or overactive pelvic floor muscles can lead to conditions like urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic pain. In men, pelvic floor dysfunction may contribute to chronic pelvic pain, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and difficulty with bowel movements. Pelvic floor issues are more prevalent in men who have a history of treatment/surgery for prostate cancer.
Regardless of gender, pelvic floor therapy can help by strengthening, relaxing, and retraining these muscles to improve function and alleviate symptoms. “It is a big umbrella term, but we focus on helping patients achieve better function and improve quality of life for this part of the body,” states Kreuter.
Why Early Intervention Is Crucial
Unfortunately, if left untreated, pelvic floor dysfunction can significantly impact daily life, making professional evaluation and therapy essential for both men and women. Kreuter urges anyone experiencing issues to reach out for professional help sooner rather than later.
“It is something that is much easier to treat earlier on. It is not something patients are comfortable talking about, even with healthcare providers. There is a lot we can do to treat issues like this,” she assures. “As soon as you start to notice something, it’s worth calling your doctor and asking for a referral.”
What Does Pelvic Floor Therapy Involve?
Pelvic floor therapy involves a variety of treatment approaches tailored to each individual. Because many factors influence pelvic health, a comprehensive assessment is key. Treatment typically includes evaluating flexibility and alignment of the hips and pelvis, assessing pelvic floor muscle engagement, and addressing strength of the hips and core.
Therapy may involve hands-on manual techniques, both externally and internally, to improve muscle function, address scar tissue, or relieve tension. Additionally, therapists assess pressure management, body mechanics—such as bending, lifting, and squatting—breathing patterns, posture, and weight distribution, as these factors impact pelvic floor function. Strength and balance training are also incorporated to support overall pelvic health.
“A lot of what I do is education. Habits such as how much liquid you drink, or how you bend over to pick something up, or if you consume a lot of bladder irritants, might contribute to more urinary frequency or leakage,” notes Kreuter.
Of course, privacy and comfort during therapy is a priority. “We have private treatment rooms. If we do an internal assessment, which is optional, the patient will be covered and draped.” We do a lot of education prior to an internal exam so that each patient can make the decision about whether they would like to have one performed.
To understand if your insurance covers physical therapy, Kreuter recommends contacting your insurance company. Many insurances will have certain restrictions such as number of visits or a co-pay that may be due for each visit. Wisconsin is technically a direct access state, meaning that with some insurances, a doctor’s order is not required to set up a PT evaluation. Important exceptions to this are Medicare and Medicaid insurances because they are federally funded. Your insurance company will be able to tell you if a doctor’s order is required. If an order is needed, Kreuter recommends contacting your primary care provider or related specialty provider (such as urologist, or gynecologist) to discuss placing a therapy order.
