Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Explained: What It Is and Why It Matters

When most people think about physiotherapy, they picture treatment for a sore back, sports injuries, or recovery after surgery. But did you know there’s a type of physio that focuses on some of the most important muscles in your body, the ones you can’t even see? It’s called pelvic floor physiotherapy, and it can make a huge difference to your health, comfort, and confidence.

What Exactly Is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sit at the base of your pelvis, kind of like a hammock from your pubic bone to your tailbone.  These muscles support your bladder, bowel, and the uterus. They also play a role in sexual function.

When your pelvic floor muscles are working well, you probably don’t even notice them. But when they’re too weak, too tight, or not coordinating properly, you might start to experience issues like bladder leaks, constipation, a heavy feeling in the pelvis, or pain.

 

Who Can Benefit from Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy?

Pelvic floor problems are really common, but they often go unspoken because people feel embarrassed. The truth is, anyone can experience them, men, women, younger people, and older adults alike.

A pelvic floor physio can help with things like:

• Urinary incontinence: Bladder leakage when you cough, laugh, sneeze, exercise or before you reach the toilet.
• Overactive bladder: A sudden strong urge to urinate that often leads to frequent trips to the toilet.
• Constipation.
• Faecal incontinence:  Unintentional leakage of stool.
• Pelvic organ prolapse: This can feel like pressure or bulging in the vagina.
• Pelvic pain: Pain around the pelvis or lower abdomen that can make sitting, moving, or intimacy uncomfortable. People with endometriosis often experience this type of pain.
• Sexual dysfunction: Including pain during intercourse or difficulty maintaining erections.

If any of this sound familiar, you’re definitely not alone and the good news is that help is available.

Why It Matters

Having bladder leaks, pelvic pain, or bowel troubles can take a real toll, not just physically, but emotionally too. People often start avoiding social events, exercise, or intimacy, which can impact confidence and quality of life. Pelvic floor physiotherapy helps you regain control, improve your comfort, and feel like yourself again.

How Physiotherapy Helps

Pelvic floor physiotherapy is about much more than “just doing Kegels.” A trained physiotherapist can assess how your muscles are actually working and whether they need strengthening, stretching, or better coordination. This means your treatment plan is tailored specifically to you, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Physiotherapy can help by:

• Improving strength if your muscles are weak and not giving enough support.
• Teaching relaxation techniques if your muscles are tight or overactive.
• Guiding safe exercises that build core stability and reduce pressure on the pelvic floor.
• Releasing tension and scar tissue through gentle manual therapy when pain is a problem.
• Using biofeedback or ultrasound so you can see how your pelvic floor works and learn how to control it better.
• Educating you on bladder and bowel habits, and lifestyle tweaks that protect your pelvic health.
• Deferral strategies to help with urgency.

By combining these strategies, physiotherapy doesn’t just treat symptoms, it helps you understand your body and take back control of your health.

Pelvic floor issues are common, but they don’t have to be permanent. Whether you’ve just had a baby, you’re approaching menopause, had a prostatectomy or you’ve been living with symptoms for years, pelvic floor physiotherapy can help. Think of it as an investment in your health that pays off every single day.

If you’re experiencing pelvic floor concerns or simply want to take better care of your health, book an appointment with our pelvic floor physiotherapists today. We’re here to support you every step of the way.