How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Improves Core Strength

When you hear the term “core strength,” you might think of some sit-ups and planks or perhaps a nice chiseled six-pack. But there’s more to your core than its aesthetic appearance. There’s a significant part that often goes overlooked and yet holds incredible power when it comes to stability, posture, and strength—the pelvic floor. 

The pelvic floor is part of the muscles that exist at the bottom of your core. Like the muscles in your abdomen or back, the pelvic floor can weaken, become tight, or be uncoordinated, leading to back pain, ineffective stability, and even bladder incontinence. Fortunately, there is help. 

This is where pelvic floor physical therapy comes in. 

Whether you are looking for pelvic floor therapy for postpartum concerns, chronic injury, pelvic health issues, or you want a stable, strengthened core from the ground up, pelvic floor therapy is the solution. 

The following article explains how pelvic therapy is conducted, why pelvic health is important, and why strengthening it helps with efficient core strength.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

While you may not be able to see your pelvic floor like you can see your abs, it's an essential component of your core stability and function. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and other tissues that form a supportive hammock across the base of your pelvis. It runs from the pubic bone in front to the tailbone in back, side to side from one sitting bone to the other. 

The pelvic floor helps with: 

• Support of bladder, intestines, and uterus (women) 
• Continence (urinary and fecal) 
• Stabilization of spine and hips 
• Sexual function
• Posture and balance

What Is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?

Pelvic floor physical therapy is an intervention that specifically addresses the pelvic floor musculature, related tissues, and nerves. This form of therapy will help anyone with a pelvic floor, from women to men and children of all ages. Whether you're suffering from pelvic pain, incontinence, bowel struggles, or even core weakness, this may be the treatment for you. 

Pelvic therapy is an appointment with a specialized pelvic physical therapist who examines the condition of pelvic floor muscles and its connection to the rest of the core. The goal is to retrain the pelvic floor to function properly with the rest of the body. 

Pelvic therapy can help your muscles gain strength if weak, relax if overly contracted, and  coordinate properly.

How Is the Pelvic Floor Connected to the Core?

Most people don't know that their pelvic floor is a part of their core. In fact, these are your four primary muscle groups that make up your core:

• The diaphragm — the muscle used to breathe
• The abdominal muscles — the deep transverse abdominis
• The back muscles — the muscles which stabilizes your spine
• The pelvic floor muscles — the base of your core

These muscles rely on one another. When one is dysfunctional, the rest can fail, too. For example, if the pelvic floor is weak and not coordinating with the breath and abdominal muscles, the whole core becomes destabilized.

This is why pelvic health is critical to overall strength and fitness.

Signs That Your Pelvic Floor May Need Help

You don't have to be postpartum or post-surgical to benefit from pelvic floor therapy. Pelvic floor dysfunction can occur in anyone. Physical therapy can help improve your symptoms and restore your core. You should visit your therapist for an assessment if you notice any of these signs:

• Chronic low back or hip pain
• Postural problems
• Inability to engage your core during workouts
• Feeling unstable or wobbly in your center
• Leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, or work out
• Pressure or heaviness in your pelvic area
• Inability to start and stop urination

How Pelvic Floor Therapy Builds Core Strength

Here's how pelvic therapy strengthens your core:

Muscle Awareness and Engagement

A disconnect from the pelvic floor is all too common. Many people don't realize they can engage or relax their pelvic floor at all. With pelvic therapy, you can locate these muscles and engage and release them. Establishing the mind-muscle connection is the first step to building strength.

Breathing Techniques 

Breath is associated with pelvic floor engagement. When you inhale, for example, your diaphragm drops down and lightly pushes into your pelvic floor. When you exhale, your pelvic floor rises. Working with a therapist on proper breath work enhances this engagement, leading to better coordination across all core muscles.

Strengthening Exercises

Once you've identified how to target your pelvic floor, your therapist will guide you through pelvic floor-specific exercises. The goal is to both strengthen the pelvic floor in addition to getting it to work with the rest of the body.

Strengthening exercises for the pelvic floor include:

• Soft pelvic floor contractions (aka Kegels)
• Core exercises such as bridges, bird-dogs, and leg lifts that strengthen the pelvic floor
• Stabilization exercises to ensure all parts of the core work in unison

Alignment

Postural alignment stresses how well or not the core engages. Slouching or overarching can hinder how effective your core becomes over time as certain muscles become weak from poor alignment. In pelvic floor physical therapy, you learn how to effectively align your pelvis and spine so your muscles can better engage with less effort.

Functional Training 

Ultimately, your therapist wants you to perform functional movements like picking something up, walking, or standing up from a chair while engaging your core. Functional exercises ensure that your newfound strength is applicable to your every day life, not just in therapy.

Who Can Benefit from Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?

You don't need to be in discomfort to pursue pelvic floor therapy. Anyone who wants to strengthen their core can be part of the clientele, including:

• Women post-delivery hoping to get back to strength after having a baby
• Weekend warriors who need stabilization and performance
• People who sit at desks with back pain and posture problems 
• Older adults who want to maintain independence and reduce risks of falls
• Anyone with recent surgical interventions to the abdomen or pelvic region

Even if you never step foot in a gym but seek stabilization for daily activities, pelvic benefits can enhance your quality of life.

Myths About the Pelvic Floor and Core Strength

There are some popular myths about pelvic floor therapy. Let's set the record straight:

MYTH #1: All you need is kegels

Kegels are part of the equation; not all of it. If your pelvic floor is too tight or too overactive, for instance, kegels can exacerbate the problem. Your pelvic physical therapist will assess you before recommending kegels and even show you how to do it safely.

MYTH #2: Only women need pelvic floor therapy

Men have pelvic floors. Involuntary bladder control occurs in men and women, as does pelvic pain during intercourse and weakness of the core.

MYTH #3: It's too embarrassing to talk about

Truth: Pelvic health concerns are common, but they are not something you have to accept or stay silent about. Seeking pelvic floor therapy is a proactive, empowering step. Our specialists are compassionate professionals who treat every patient with respect, dignity, and zero judgment.

What to Expect During Therapy

If you undergo pelvic floor physical therapy, you can expect the following:

Evaluation

The therapist asks about symptoms, habits, and day-to-day activities, and what you hope to gain from recovery. There may also be assessments of posture and breath control, as well as the ability to activate specific muscles.

Muscle Assessment

With your consent, the pelvic floor therapist may perform an internal and/or external assessment of the pelvic floor muscles.

Treatment Plan

The therapist prescribes at-home exercises and stretches to be performed. The plan is customized to you and may also include other physical therapy techniques and modalities like manual therapy and biofeedback.

Home Regimen

Success depends on the implementation of your treatment plan. It is advisable to attend all your sessions and do at-home exercises in between sessions.

Re-assessment: After two or three sessions, the therapist will modify your treatment plan as you recover your strength and control.

Also Read:

• Pelvic Pain When Walking
• Pelvic Pain After Giving Birth
• Pelvic Pain when Sneezing
• Pelvic Pain when Coughing

Final Thoughts

Your pelvic floor is an integral part of your core. Strengthening this part of your body can help you feel more empowered and in control of your body. Whether you have pelvic floor issues or you want to improve on the muscles, pelvic floor therapy can help. Your therapist will customize a treatment plan to address your concerns and help you achieve your goals.

Taking care of your pelvic floor means taking care of your whole self. And with the help of pelvic therapy, you can move, lift, breathe, and live with greater strength and confidence.