This was so great. My first two sessions of pelvic floor therapy were spent with my jaw gaping wide while learning all this stuff. Common IS NOT normal. Exactly. There are some European countries that prioritize pelvic health so much that women are automatically offered pelvic floor therapy after childbirth. This stuff is widely known there and should be more widely known here (along with everything perimenopause)
Would like to remind everyone that even those with elective cesareans who never labored can experience pelvic damage. I had excruciating pelvic pain (not to mention scar pain) after mine, despite never having labored; pregnancy can do a number on your body completely independent of labor.
I had no idea the pain I was experiencing was related until I read a book about the history of cesareans and connected the dots; my OB, true to the discipline’s form, had just dumped me at 6 weeks with a reminder I was cleared for sex. Real high quality care, there. PT has been extremely helpful to loosen the painful adhesions, release my very tight floor, and bring some sensation and movement back to the area.
I have interstitial cystitis and that has caused me to have super tight pelvic floor. I am also an assault survivor. When I finally got PT referral (6 years after a diagnosis, which took me 8 years to get) and they worked on one of my trigger points I was astonished at how much emotion it released. Also knee or leg injuries can even cause pelvic pain to be worse on one side!! It’s all so interconnected.
The cool thing about working with women…I can just pop this link into our teams chat at work, and don't have to hear a single man squeal about me hurting their delicate sensibilities.
If I accomplish nothing else in life, I hope my little company will be remembered as a company that lifts women up. All of us.
I learned very quickly after having my sons, that trampolining was not an option. I also have to be careful if I have a cough. The joys of being a woman.
I'm 66, post-menopausal. I have issues with SI joint pain, & tailbone pain. 55 years ago I was hit by a car resulting in a broken femur, 2 months in traction & 3 months in a body cast. Followed by repeated sexual assault & teen pregnancy just prior to Roe v Wade being passed. 50+ years of pelvic floor trauma. Last year, after getting on Medicare had my primary refer me to PhysicalTherapy for my back pain. Turns out, surprise, surprise, it is all pelvic floor related. My PT is an awesome woman who is very patient & kind helping me work thru the emotional trauma, too.
Find a pelvic floor specialist ASAP! It's amazing!
My pelvic floor has been a natural disaster for over a decade. I have chronic pelvic pain (often severe) and troubles with incontinence. It's a nightmare.
This was a great piece - far better to teach this piece than how to write a check! I did a few Pelvic floor therapy sessions before and after my hysterectomy last year and continue doing the exercises at home. When I asked my OB for the referral she was stoked I wanted one, but I couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't suggested it first.
This RESONATES. I have been so confused; I had my PCP telling me I needed to strengthen my pelvic floor (with no internal exam) and the gyno (after saying “squeeze my finger”) saying it was TOO strong - and sex hurt something fierce. So did an internal ultrasound (I screamed).
As a pelvic health PT, I teach all the above. The biggest one I’d love for patients to understand is that mental and emotional health can determine the health of the pelvic floor. We are whole, connected beings. Stress, not just trauma can be a significant factor in the function of the pelvic floor. Thank you for helping to spread the word about pelvic health.
Thank you so much for writing this. I was outraged that Europeans got after birth pelvic floor coaching before we Americans even identified the problem. Love writers being part of the solution.
This was so great. My first two sessions of pelvic floor therapy were spent with my jaw gaping wide while learning all this stuff. Common IS NOT normal. Exactly. There are some European countries that prioritize pelvic health so much that women are automatically offered pelvic floor therapy after childbirth. This stuff is widely known there and should be more widely known here (along with everything perimenopause)
So true! Isn't it wild how we live with and use our pelvic floors all this time, and then finally LEARN about them when we have a problem!?
Would like to remind everyone that even those with elective cesareans who never labored can experience pelvic damage. I had excruciating pelvic pain (not to mention scar pain) after mine, despite never having labored; pregnancy can do a number on your body completely independent of labor.
I had no idea the pain I was experiencing was related until I read a book about the history of cesareans and connected the dots; my OB, true to the discipline’s form, had just dumped me at 6 weeks with a reminder I was cleared for sex. Real high quality care, there. PT has been extremely helpful to loosen the painful adhesions, release my very tight floor, and bring some sensation and movement back to the area.
Yes! We cover this in the podcast episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7rRStV3Dgu0yp21R7PjgIJ?si=wNgBdCs0Ry6DoDIOrsgE8A
I have interstitial cystitis and that has caused me to have super tight pelvic floor. I am also an assault survivor. When I finally got PT referral (6 years after a diagnosis, which took me 8 years to get) and they worked on one of my trigger points I was astonished at how much emotion it released. Also knee or leg injuries can even cause pelvic pain to be worse on one side!! It’s all so interconnected.
That makes me emotional just to read! I'm so glad you were able to have that experience of release
Did the PT heal your IC?
Not completely but it really helped. I’ve had periods of remission but it always comes back.
Excellent and informative post! Thank you so much. I just learned about my pelvic floor at 54! You have given me hope that my leaky pp can be fixed!!
YES, Lisa! 🎉🎉🎉
The cool thing about working with women…I can just pop this link into our teams chat at work, and don't have to hear a single man squeal about me hurting their delicate sensibilities.
If I accomplish nothing else in life, I hope my little company will be remembered as a company that lifts women up. All of us.
I learned very quickly after having my sons, that trampolining was not an option. I also have to be careful if I have a cough. The joys of being a woman.
I'm 66, post-menopausal. I have issues with SI joint pain, & tailbone pain. 55 years ago I was hit by a car resulting in a broken femur, 2 months in traction & 3 months in a body cast. Followed by repeated sexual assault & teen pregnancy just prior to Roe v Wade being passed. 50+ years of pelvic floor trauma. Last year, after getting on Medicare had my primary refer me to PhysicalTherapy for my back pain. Turns out, surprise, surprise, it is all pelvic floor related. My PT is an awesome woman who is very patient & kind helping me work thru the emotional trauma, too.
Find a pelvic floor specialist ASAP! It's amazing!
My pelvic floor has been a natural disaster for over a decade. I have chronic pelvic pain (often severe) and troubles with incontinence. It's a nightmare.
😥 I am so sorry
“Pants Peers”. So funny. I was not expecting this, good to know. I want to find one of these PT’s.
I hope you find one you really click with!
I have all the dysfunction. I always say it’s like a wet paper bag in there, but it *may* too tight I just learned!
Wet paper bag 😅 I hear you!
Tomorrow’s podcast episode will dig into the weak vs too-tight (hypertonic) pelvic floor
This was a great piece - far better to teach this piece than how to write a check! I did a few Pelvic floor therapy sessions before and after my hysterectomy last year and continue doing the exercises at home. When I asked my OB for the referral she was stoked I wanted one, but I couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't suggested it first.
This RESONATES. I have been so confused; I had my PCP telling me I needed to strengthen my pelvic floor (with no internal exam) and the gyno (after saying “squeeze my finger”) saying it was TOO strong - and sex hurt something fierce. So did an internal ultrasound (I screamed).
😱 I’m so sorry, Katherine! It’s such a lightbulb moment when you realize your pelvic floor might not be lazy; it’s working double time!
So informative. I’m sharing with my friends. Thank you.
In case you didn't see the associated podcast episode, I cover pelvic floor dysfunction and recovery in S1E12 here!: https://micahlarsen.substack.com/p/s1e12-pelvic-floor-dysfunction-x
Thank you
thank you, Susan! 🖤
As a pelvic health PT, I teach all the above. The biggest one I’d love for patients to understand is that mental and emotional health can determine the health of the pelvic floor. We are whole, connected beings. Stress, not just trauma can be a significant factor in the function of the pelvic floor. Thank you for helping to spread the word about pelvic health.
I did know some of this because of learning anatomy,etc - except that issues may be related to mental health- but it makes sense
Right?!
Thank you so much for writing this. I was outraged that Europeans got after birth pelvic floor coaching before we Americans even identified the problem. Love writers being part of the solution.