What to Expect with Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Oconomowoc

What Should I Expect Going to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Oconomowoc?

I feel like pelvic floor physical therapy is finally having its moment, and honestly, it’s about time. Here in Oconomowoc, women are talking more openly about the weird, awkward, and why-is-my-body-doing-this symptoms they’re experiencing and realizing they don’t just have to live with them.

If you’ve never been to pelvic floor physical therapy before, you might be wondering: What do you actually DO in pelvic floor physical therapy? And is it super uncomfortable?

Totally fair questions. Let me put your mind at ease.

What is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?

You’ve probably heard of physical therapy before: helping with painful muscles, weakness, balance issues, or injuries. Pelvic floor physical therapy is similar, but with one important addition. We address the muscles of the pelvic floor.

Your pelvic floor muscles lie like a hammock at the bottom of your pelvis and form the base of your core. They’re small but mighty, and they do a lot of important jobs.

These pelvic floor muscles are responsible for the 5 S’s:

Sphincter control around our openings

Stability to our hips, pelvis, and low back

Sexual function

Support for our internal organs

Acting as a Sump pump for lymphatic drainage

Who Should Go to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?

There are two major seasons of life where our pelvic floor muscles go through big changes:

Pregnancy and postpartum

Perimenopause

If you’ve had babies, are pregnant, or are in perimenopause, pelvic floor therapy is for you.

Here are some common symptoms women with pelvic floor dysfunction experience (and it’s not just peeing your pants!):

Leaking with any activity
Urgency or feeling like you need to pee all the time
Pain with intercourse, tampon use, or pelvic exams
Pelvic heaviness, pressure, or a bulge sensation
Feeling like you don’t empty your bladder or bowels completely
Constipation or needing to strain
Tailbone, SI joint, back, or hip pain

Here’s the best part: these symptoms are fixable.

If any of these sound familiar, run, or at least brisk walk, to your local pelvic floor physical therapist. Oconomowoc ladies, reach out.

Some women even come in before symptoms start, including for:

Exercise guidance for a comfortable pregnancy
Preparing for labor and delivery
Early postpartum recovery
Returning to running, CrossFit, Burn Bootcamp, or other activities after baby
Staying ahead of pelvic floor changes in perimenopause

Prevention is powerful.

What to Expect During Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Sessions

Your Evaluation

What should I expect during my pelvic floor physical therapy evaluation? Your first appointment is all about assessing why you’re having symptoms and what is contributing to them. We start by talking through your symptoms, what you’ve tried, and your goals.

Then we assess your entire core system:

How you breathe
Hip and back mobility
Hip, abdominal, and back strength
How your pelvic floor muscles are functioning
What your muscles are doing during functional movements

If you’re comfortable, we perform an internal assessment to confirm exactly what is happening. This involves placing one finger on the pelvic floor muscles to assess tension, strength, endurance, and coordination. It gives us accurate information so we can treat the actual problem, not guess.

And yes, we explain every step along the way.

Your Treatment Sessions

What should I expect during the rest of my visits? Treatment is completely individualized. No cookie cutter programs. What we do depends on your body and your symptoms.

If pelvic floor weakness is contributing, treatment may include:

Pelvic floor strengthening exercises
Strengthening surrounding hip and core muscles
Coordination work with jumping, squatting, or running

If pelvic floor tension is the issue, sessions may include:

Internal work to tight pelvic floor muscles
Dry needling or cupping for surrounding hip and back muscles
Scar tissue work for C section or hysterectomy scars
Strength work to reduce overload on the pelvic floor
Coordination with functional movements

Your Pelvic Floor Deserves Care Too

Pelvic floor physical therapy is not scary and it is not a last resort. It is thoughtful, personalized care designed to help your body work the way it should so you can move, exercise, enjoy intimacy, and live without constantly worrying about your bladder or pain.

Common does not mean normal, and you do not have to just live with it.

Your pelvic floor deserves care too, and we would be honored to help you feel strong, confident, and comfortable in your body again.