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What is pelvic floor dysfunction?
Pelvic floor dysfunction is when your pelvic floor muscles are too tight, too weak, or not coordinating properly. This shows up as leakage, pain during intercourse, constipation, urgency, or pelvic pain.
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How do I know if I need pelvic floor therapy?
If you're experiencing leakage, pain with intercourse, constipation, urgency, pelvic pain, or a feeling of heaviness or pressure, pelvic floor therapy is right for you. Book a free discovery call with us to talk through your symptoms and see how we can help you.
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What should I expect during my first visit?
Your first visit includes a detailed health history, a functional assessment, and an initial treatment. We look at your breathing patterns, how your core activates, and your movement quality. You'll leave with clarity on what's happening in your pelvic floor and what your plan of care looks like.
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Can you explain what your three-phase method is?
Our unique method moves you closer to full confidence and freedom in your body. Each phase allows your nervous system and muscles to adapt and sustain real change. We're not just treating symptoms; we're rebuilding your foundation.
This framework works because it's progressive, it's measurable, and it gets results. Your exact timeline depends on your goals, symptoms, and consistency with the plan that we create together.
Restore: We assess what's happening in your pelvic floor and calm down any tension or dysfunction. We identify what's tight, weak, or not coordinating. We teach you breathing patterns, do manual work, and start stretching. You'll feel relief quickly.
Retrain: We teach your pelvic floor to work with your core and breathing. You'll practice these patterns in different positions and with light movement.
Recover: We progressively challenge your body, adding strength, speed, impact. We get you back to the exact activities you want to do: running, jumping, dancing, lifting without limitation.
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Is internal treatment always needed for pelvic health sessions?
No. Internal exams help us diagnose and treat specific dysfunction, but external work: breathing, core strengthening, and movement patterns, gets real results on its own. Some patients prefer to start with external-only treatment. Your plan depends on what's actually going on with your body, not a preset protocol. You have a choice.
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If I'm on my period, do I have to reschedule my appointment?
No. You can come in during your period. We generally avoid internal work during heavy flow days, but external treatment, exercise, and education continue normally. It's completely your choice if you're comfortable coming in. We can also switch to telehealth.
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What is chronic pelvic pain?
Chronic pelvic pain is ongoing discomfort in the pelvic region that lasts longer than 3-6 months. It can come from tight pelvic floor muscles, tissue restrictions, or nerve sensitivity.
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What is vaginal prolapse?
Prolapse happens when pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, or rectum) drop lower into the vaginal canal because pelvic floor muscles are weakened or stretched. You might feel heaviness, pressure, or bulging. The severity varies, but prolapse can be managed and improved with proper pelvic floor strengthening.
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Can prolapse be fixed without surgery?
Many cases of prolapse improve significantly with conservative treatment: pelvic floor strengthening, lifestyle modifications, and sometimes a pessary for support. Not all prolapse requires surgery. Our goal is to strengthen your pelvic floor so your body supports itself naturally.
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Do I need to get imaging done prior to my evaluation?
Doctors of Physical Therapy have been trained on differential diagnoses of musculoskeletal conditions and can evaluate and treat you, without the need of X-rays, MRIs or CT scans, if deemed appropriate. We take the time to review your medical, physical and social history, put all the pieces together and come up with a personalized program for you. If there are any red flags in our findings, then we will refer you out to the appropriate medical professional.
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Why do I leak more during perimenopause and menopause?
Perimenopause and menopause bring hormonal shifts that weaken pelvic floor muscles and reduce tissue elasticity. Your body produces less estrogen, which affects muscle tone and blood flow to the pelvic floor. This is why leakage often starts or worsens during this phase of life. The solution is specific pelvic floor strengthening and coordination training.
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Is pelvic floor therapy safe during pregnancy?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, we recommend starting pelvic floor PT at 12 weeks. The benefit is huge. You teach your pelvic floor to manage pressure, you build breathing patterns that actually support the baby, and you prevent problems from happening in the first place instead of trying to fix them after birth.
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When can I start pelvic floor therapy after having a baby?
Most women come in at 6 weeks postpartum because that's when their OB clears them. By then, they've already developed compensation patterns and guarding habits that are harder to unwind. We recommend starting as early as 3 weeks post-partum. Although that may sound too soon, here's why it works: the scar tissue, the swelling, the movement restrictions, all of that compounds if you wait. At 3 weeks, we're not doing heavy lifting. We're doing breathing resets, gentle stretching, core awareness, and preparing her body to move safely with the baby.
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Why do I leak after having a baby?
Pregnancy and delivery change your pelvic floor. The muscles are stretched, fatigued, and often disconnected from your breathing patterns. You're not broken. Your body just needs to rebuild that connection and regain strength. We start with the basics: breathing, gentle activation. Then progress to full strength return. The timeline depends on how consistent you are with the plan.
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Can I exercise while I'm leaking?
Leakage during workouts happens when your pelvic floor muscles are weak or not coordinating properly with your core and breathing. When you jump, run, or do high-impact movements, pressure builds in your bladder. Without proper support from your pelvic floor, urine leaks out. You don't need to stop exercising. You should continue to exercise, but you need to exercise smarter. We teach you modified movements, breathing patterns, and pelvic floor activation techniques that let you continue your workouts while you're healing.
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Why am I constipated during perimenopause and menopause?
Hormonal shifts during this phase slow down digestive function and can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, making it harder to have regular bowel movements. Dehydration and reduced activity also play a role. Pelvic floor training combined with lifestyle changes resolves most constipation issues.
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What causes pain during intercourse?
Pain during intercourse can come from pelvic floor tension, scarring, hormonal changes, or muscle weakness. During perimenopause and menopause, decreased estrogen makes tissue drier and more fragile. The first step is assessment to identify the cause, then targeted treatment to restore comfort and confidence.
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Can pelvic floor therapy help men?
Yes. Men experience erectile dysfunction, pelvic pain, prostatitis, and urinary leakage.
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How is Route 2 Recovery's approach different from traditional physical therapy?