Pelvic Floor Health: A Vital Piece of the Puzzle You Might Be Overlooking
When it comes to maintaining your overall health, pelvic floor health is often overlooked. However, it plays a crucial role in everything from your physical comfort to emotional well-being, and when it’s not functioning properly, it can affect many aspects of your life.
In today’s blog, I’m diving deep into this often-overlooked area of health, inspired by my conversation with pelvic floor physical therapist, Dr. Judy Rossi, PT, DPT, PHC, and Certified Pelvic Health Specialist, owner of Woodstock Pelvic Health.
Listen to the full episode above or on Apple or Spotify.
What is Pelvic Floor Health?
Pelvic floor health refers to the muscles that sit at the base of your pelvis. These muscles are responsible for three main functions: providing stability to your core, holding in urine and stool, and allowing things to go in—like a tampon or during sexual intercourse. The pelvic floor is part of your whole body, and when it’s not working as it should, it can lead to a wide range of issues.
Judy’s approach to pelvic health is different because she doesn’t treat the pelvic floor in isolation. Instead, she looks at the body as a whole, understanding how issues in other areas, like your back or hips, can affect the pelvic floor’s function. As Judy says, “We are treating the person, not just the pelvic floor. ”This holistic perspective is not something you often get in traditional healthcare, where body parts are often treated as isolated systems.
Pelvic Health and Its Impact on Daily Life
You may not think about your pelvic floor on a daily basis, but when something goes wrong—like urinary incontinence or pain during intercourse—it can dramatically affect your quality of life. Judy shared that many women experience incontinence after childbirth or later in life and are led to believe that it’s “normal.” But as she emphasizes, it’s not. And more importantly, it’s fixable. Judy has helped women who have dealt with incontinence for decades regain control and get back to the activities they love without worrying about leakage.
The emotional toll of these issues can be just as significant. Women often feel embarrassed, isolated, or even disconnected from their partners. Judy’s work helps break the silence around pelvic health, giving women the support they need to address these issues without shame.
The Mind-Body Connection
One of the most important points we made in our conversation is how deeply interconnected the body and mind are. Chronic pain, for example, often goes hand-in-hand with anxiety and depression. Pelvic pain syndromes, like interstitial cystitis (IC) or vaginismus, can cause women to disconnect from their bodies, leading to emotional distress.
Judy recognizes that pelvic floor health isn’t just about physical symptoms. That’s why she has a trusted therapist she works with to address both the physical and emotional aspects of healing. Emotional well-being plays a huge role in recovery, and sometimes it’s the unseen factors that contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction.
Pelvic floor health isn’t just about the muscles themselves—it’s deeply connected to your overall health, including gut health. When the gut microbiome is out of balance, it can lead to inflammation, which can, in turn, affect the pelvic floor. As a Functional Nutrition Counselor, I help my clients address gut imbalances through personalized nutrition strategies, which can have a profound impact on pelvic health. By supporting the gut and reducing inflammation, we can often see improvements in pelvic function, highlighting how interconnected our body systems truly are.
Listen to the full episode above or on Apple or Spotify.
Hormonal Health and the Pelvic Floor
Hormones are another key factor in pelvic health. As women approach perimenopause and menopause, they experience significant hormonal shifts that can affect vaginal tissue health. Judy is an advocate for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women in perimenopause and post-menopause, especially when it comes to restoring vaginal health and preventing painful intercourse.
However, she also acknowledges the difficulty in finding practitioners who truly understand hormone therapy. Many OBGYNs aren’t equipped with the knowledge or training to manage these hormonal changes in a way that prioritizes the whole body.
Common Pelvic Health Misconceptions
One of the biggest misconceptions about pelvic health is that leaking during exercise or after childbirth is just part of being a woman. But as Judy explains, this is not the case, and pelvic floor therapy can provide a solution. Whether it’s pelvic pain, urinary leakage, or prolapse, there are effective treatments available that don’t involve living with these symptoms.
For example, many women mistakenly believe that doing Kegels is the solution to all pelvic floor problems. But for women with overly tight pelvic muscles (a common issue), strengthening exercises like Kegels can make things worse. Instead, they need to focus on relaxation techniques and gentle strengthening to restore balance to the pelvic floor.
Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Pelvic Floor Health
Pelvic floor therapy isn’t just for women later in life—it’s also essential for those who are pregnant or postpartum. Judy works with expecting mothers to prepare their bodies for birth, helping to prevent conditions like pelvic girdle pain, which is caused by the hormone relaxin loosening the pelvic ligaments during pregnancy.
In the last six weeks of pregnancy, Judy helps her patients with perineal stretching, which has been shown to reduce the risk of severe tears during delivery. This is a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of prenatal care.
Postpartum care is equally important. Unfortunately, most women are told to return to normal activity after their six-week check-up, despite the fact that the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends waiting at least 12 weeks before engaging in high-impact exercises. This premature return to activity can lead to pelvic health issues like urinary incontinence or pelvic pain. Judy works with her patients to safely strengthen their pelvic floors and regain control before returning to activities like running or CrossFit.
The Life-Changing Benefits of Pelvic Floor Therapy
Judy’s patients experience profound transformations. One of the most powerful stories she shared was about a woman who came to her with chronic pain and urinary urgency, feeling hopeless. After several weeks of therapy, she was able to return to work, reconnect with her family, and regain control over her life.
These types of life-changing transformations are what make pelvic floor therapy so rewarding. It’s not just about fixing one issue—it’s about helping people live their lives with confidence, comfort, and connection.
A Holistic Approach to Healing
Pelvic floor health is a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to your overall well-being. Whether you’re experiencing incontinence, pelvic pain, or recovering from childbirth, addressing pelvic floor dysfunction can truly transform your life. But remember, it’s not just about treating one part of the body—everything is connected. From emotional well-being to gut health, every aspect plays a role in achieving balance and healing.
If you're struggling with pelvic floor issues, consider reaching out for help. With the right support, whether through pelvic floor therapy or functional nutrition, lasting change is possible. Don’t ignore the signs your body is giving you—take action, advocate for your health, and begin the journey to feeling your best. You deserve to live with comfort, confidence, and vitality.
Lots of love,
Rachel
About Rachel Carta, RN
As a Registered Nurse, Functional Nutrition Counselor, & Life Coach, I specialize in helping women with low energy, digestive issues, hormone imbalances, brain fog, mood swings, and overwhelm. You CAN live a life where you wake up with energy, feel good throughout the day, and no longer feel like your body has turned against you. Schedule a free session and let's talk. You can find yourself again.
About Judy Rossi
Dr. Judy Rossi, PT, DPT, PHC, Certified Pelvic Health Specialist
At Woodstock Pelvic Health Judy provides compassionate care to those with pelvic health challenges. She believes in a holistic approach to healing, seeing the pelvic floor as just one of the parts of the whole body, not treated in isolation.
This blog/podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation.
