When Should You Seek Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Oconomowoc?

When Is the Best Time to Start Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Oconomowoc?

This is hands-down one of the most common questions I get from women in Oconomowoc: “When should I start pelvic floor physical therapy?”

“Do I have to wait until I have symptoms?”
“How bad should symptoms be before I do something?”

Ohhh do I have a lot of thoughts on this… Let’s break this down.

If You Don’t Have Kids / Prior to Kids

Yes, you read that right! There are A TON of women who have pelvic floor issues even if they’ve never had kids or been pregnant. I was one of them! There are plenty of reasons your pelvic floor can get cranky that have nothing to do with pregnancy or birth.

Here are a few big ones:

Muscle imbalance – Weak glutes or a weak core can make your pelvic floor overwork and tighten up.
Stress – Type A friends, I see you. The pelvic floor is a major place we hold stress and tension. (This was what kicked off my own pelvic floor tension several years ago…)
Chronic straining – If you often deal with GI issues (constipation or diarrhea) or have bad pooping technique (yes, that’s a thing!), you can be at risk for developing pelvic floor dysfunction. All that straining places sooo much pressure down onto the pelvic floor.
Poor bracing technique – Athletes, listen up! If you’re not using your deep core the right way when lifting or working out, your pelvic floor is probably paying the price.
Clenching – If you find yourself squeezing your glutes and/or abs all day, you’re probably squeezing your pelvic floor too. Let it goooo (*cue Elsa voice*).

So yes—even if you haven’t had kids, you still need to take care of your pelvic floor! If you notice any of these, it’s time to start pelvic floor physical therapy:

Leaking (any amount with any activity)
Urgency or peeing too frequently
Pain with intercourse
Chronic constipation
Feeling like you’re not emptying your bladder or bowels completely
Hip, back, SI joint, or tailbone pain

During and After Pregnancy

Are you pregnant? Did you have a baby (recently or not so recently)? Then yes, you should ABSOLUTELY start pelvic floor physical therapy.

Our pelvic floor muscles are incredibly challenged during pregnancy and delivery—whether you had a vaginal delivery or C-section. Doesn’t matter if your watermelon came through the hammock or was lifted off the hammock, it still sat on the hammock for 9+ months.

I love seeing pregnant and postpartum women for several reasons:

Preventing or addressing pain, leaking, or heaviness during pregnancy
Labor and delivery prep – learn how to relax those muscles and avoid severe tearing—not just push and pray
Postpartum recovery – restore pelvic floor and core function early so you can avoid long-term issues
Return to activity guidance – because your body deserves a thoughtful comeback, not a rushed one
Postpartum symptoms – leaking, heaviness, pain… whether you’re 1 month or 10 years postpartum, we can help.

Perimenopause

Most women associate pelvic floor issues with childbirth, but perimenopause and menopause can be major players too. As estrogen and progesterone drop (over years), your pelvic tissues change—and not always in fun ways. The pelvic floor can lose some of its strength and elasticity, which might show up as:

Leaking
Heaviness
Pain with intercourse
Urgency or frequency
Waking at night to pee (ugh, the worst)

So if you’re in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, starting pelvic floor physical therapy can help you stay ahead of symptoms or manage them gracefully as your body changes.

So… When’s the Best Time to Start Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?

Basically: always.

Whether you have symptoms or just want to prevent them, starting pelvic floor physical therapy can be a total game-changer.

I even have women in Oconomowoc who come in just to get a baseline check—kind of like a “pelvic floor report card.” Then we create a plan to keep things healthy and functioning well long-term.

Honestly, that’s the move. Prevent, don’t just react.

Your pelvic floor is a VIP—treat it like one!