How Pelvic Floor Therapy Supports Women’s Health During Menopause

Menopause can cause some changes related to pelvic health, which include urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and painful intercourse. As estrogen levels decline, these symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction may become more prevalent. Some symptoms of menopause can cause pain and affect mobility and physical function. Pelvic therapy improves pelvic function and provides all the care that women need during menopause.

This blog will explore the several ways through which pelvic therapy at Lilly Physical Therapy supports women during menopause, from relieving urinary symptoms and improving sexual health to enhancing core stability and emotional confidence.

Pelvic Floor Therapy for Manopausal Issues 

• Manual therapy: This is one of the most common physical therapy techniques. It involves the use of hands-on techniques to assess and treat dysfunction in the muscles, fascia, and joints of the pelvic region. During pelvic therapy, physical therapists may use gentle internal or external pressure to reduce pain, improve blood circulation, release muscle tension, and correct postural imbalances that may contribute to pelvic dysfunction.

• Pelvic Floor Muscle Training: Kegels aren’t right for everyone. While some individuals have pelvic floors that are weak and overstretched, others may be weak and tight—each requiring a different treatment approach. A thorough assessment is essential to determine whether relaxation, coordination training, or strengthening is appropriate. In some cases, women may be unable to voluntarily activate their pelvic floor muscles at all, showing little to no detectable activity. In such situations, guided pelvic floor therapy is crucial to help retrain the muscles and restore function effectively.

• High‑Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM): We will use electromagnetic stimulation to help rebuild pelvic floor muscles and retrain proper contraction patterns in women experiencing severe pelvic muscle weakness, especially when they are unable to engage the pelvic floor through conscious effort alone. This treatment technique is a ‘safe method that helps to re-educate the muscles, especially in women dealing with incontinence, anorgasmia or prolapse.

• Vaginal Rejuvenation: We use SoftWave therapy to enhance tissue quality, improve blood flow, increase sensitivity, boost natural lubrication, restore vaginal volume, and rejuvenate overall appearance. It helps improve libido, heighten sexual pleasure, and restore confidence. This gentle, non-invasive treatment also increases tissue elasticity, reverses atrophy, and supports healing of tears and fissures. Safe and effective, SoftWave therapy is used for both men and women to enhance sexual health and overall intimate wellness.

• Cold Laser Therapy with the ML850: Gentle, Effective Healing: Cold Laser Therapy (LLLT) uses low-level light to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and stimulate tissue repair. At our clinic, we use the advanced ML850, a precise and FDA-cleared device known for its deep penetration and effective results.
  This non-invasive treatment activates mitochondrial function, increases cellular energy (ATP), and boosts collagen production—improving tissue elasticity and promoting healing of microtears and thinning tissues. It’s especially effective for pelvic and vaginal health, helping to eliminate discomfort from pressure or stretching.
  Safe, painless, and with no downtime, Cold Laser Therapy offers a powerful solution for restoring comfort, improving circulation, and supporting long-term tissue health.

• Biofeedback therapy: This treatment technique helps individuals learn to control bodily functions that are typically considered involuntary by using a tool that uses sensors to provide real-time visual or auditory feedback about muscle activity. Physical therapists may train menopausal women to contract or relax their pelvic floor muscles at will through biofeedback therapy. 

• Strengthening and stretching exercises: Your physical therapist may recommend targeted strengthening and relaxation exercises to help normalize pelvic floor function, rebuild your powerhouse, and boost your strength and performance. By strengthening the core, hips, glutes, and pelvic floor, these exercises help improve stability, restore youthful movement, and enhance overall confidence and performance.

• Breathing and relaxation techniques: This is a behavioural therapy technique that can calm the nervous system, decrease pelvic muscle guarding or clenching, and improve core and pelvic floor synergy. Breathing helps regulate the autonomic nervous system by reducing stress and tension. This promotes better oxygenation and enhances tissue nourishment through improved circulation.

• Education and lifestyle guidance: In addition to active and passive treatment techniques, physical therapists also provide education on bladder and bowel habits, body mechanics, postural adjustments, sexual health and comfort strategies, stress management, diet, etc.

•  Prolapse Care and Custom Pessary Fitting
  Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when weakened pelvic floor muscles allow the bladder, uterus, or rectum to descend into the vaginal canal, leading to pressure, discomfort, and changes in bladder or bowel function. At our clinic, we treat prolapse through a holistic, non-surgical approach that focuses on improving pelvic floor muscle strength, enhancing hip and core stability, correcting postural alignment, elongating tight hip flexors, and strengthening the glutes and deep core to reduce downward pressure on the pelvic floor. When appropriate, we also offer custom pessary fitting—a gentle, effective solution that supports prolapsed organs, helps shorten overstretched ligaments, and repositions organs naturally. Combined with therapeutic exercise, this integrated approach can significantly relieve symptoms, restore function, and improve overall confidence and well-being.

How Does Pelvic Therapy Support Women’s Health During Menopause? Improves Pelvic Floor Strength and Function

Limited function and weakness of the pelvic floor are one of the leading causes of pelvic floor dysfunction in menopausal women. These occur due to the decline in estrogen levels during menopause. However, pelvic therapy can help to counteract muscle atrophy by guiding women through targeted strengthening exercises and support bladder and bowel control by improving coordination, tone, and endurance of the pelvic floor. 

Reduces Pelvic Pain and Discomfort

Pelvic pain and discomfort are one of physical symptoms that women have to deal with due to menopause. However, pelvic therapy addresses pelvic pain and discomfort through manual therapy techniques that gently reduce muscle tension, trigger points, and adhesions. Your physical therapist may also employ postural correction to relieve strain on the pelvis and surrounding structures. 

Vaginal Rejuvenation

Pelvic floor therapy can be tailored to support vaginal rejuvenation—enhancing tissue quality, increasing blood flow, boosting natural lubrication, restoring volume, and improving appearance. These benefits lead to increased libido, enhanced sexual satisfaction, and renewed confidence. We use high end technology for the purpose of vaginal rejuvenation.

Supports Sexual Health and Support

In addition to ending reproductive fertility, menopausal effects can also make intimacy painful and unpleasant for women due to vaginal dryness, tightness, and decreased sensation from declining estrogen levels. However, pelvic therapy can enhance natural lubrication and blood flow by improving muscle function and circulation. It can also address painful intercourse by treating tight or overactive pelvic floor muscles and offering education and strategies to improve sexual comfort and enjoyment. 

Improves Bladder Control & Reduces Incontinence

Involuntary urinary leakage is one of the embarrassing symptoms of menopause. However, pelvic therapy can train the pelvic muscles to improve the ability to hold back urine. It also offers bladder retraining techniques to extend the time between bathroom trips. 

Enhances Core Stability and Posture

The core and pelvic floor are deeply interconnected, and menopause can weaken both. However, pelvic therapy strengthens this connection by correcting posture to reduce pressure on pelvic organs and the lumbar spine, relieving lower back and pelvic girdle pain, and teaching safe, effective core engagement techniques that stabilize the spine and pelvis. 

Promotes Emotional Well-being

Menopausal symptoms and effects can take their toll on a woman’s emotional health, affecting her confidence, relationships, and overall mental health. However, pelvic therapy improves body image and self-confidence, and reduces anxiety and tension.

Also Read:

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

Conclusion

If you are going through menopause as a woman, you do not have to go through all of these without help. You can get all the help you need to get through this phase with pelvic therapy at Lilly Physical Therapy.