Pelvic Floor Power: The Missing Link in Women’s Health That No One Talks About

by Dr. LaSonya Lopez, MD

March 25, 2025

For most women, pelvic floor health is an afterthought—until something goes wrong. Conversations around fitness, wellness, and preventive healthcare often overlook one of the most foundational aspects of women’s health: the pelvic floor. It’s the invisible support system that affects bladder control, core strength, sexual function, and even mental resilience.

Despite its profound influence on quality of life, pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) remains a silent epidemic. Millions of women suffer from symptoms such as bladder leakage, pelvic pain, painful sex, and prolapse without ever being told that these issues are preventable and treatable. The silence around pelvic health is costing women their confidence, strength, and vitality.

This article aims to break the cycle of misinformation and neglect. We’ll explore why pelvic floor health matters, the mind-body connection, the impact of stress, and how women can reclaim their power through education, advocacy, and action.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor: More Than Just Muscles

The pelvic floor is not just a group of muscles—it’s a dynamic, integrated system that supports the body’s core functions. The muscles of the pelvic floor form a hammock-like structure that spans from the pubic bone to the tailbone, supporting the bladder, uterus, and rectum. These muscles must contract, relax, and coordinate with surrounding muscles, the diaphragm, and the deep core.

The pelvic floor doesn’t work in isolation—it connects with the nervous system, breathing patterns, and even emotional regulation. A healthy pelvic floor moves in harmony with the body, ensuring optimal bladder and bowel function, postural stability, and sexual well-being. However, when it becomes too weak, too tight, or uncoordinated, problems arise.

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) affects an estimated one in three women at some point in their lives (National Institute of Health, 2022), yet most suffer in silence. Symptoms are often dismissed as “normal” after childbirth or menopause, but the reality is that these issues are treatable and preventable with the right interventions.

The Most Overlooked Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD)

Women often don’t realize that the symptoms they’re experiencing are linked to pelvic floor dysfunction. Common indicators include:

• Bladder leakage (stress urinary incontinence): Leaking urine when coughing, laughing, sneezing, or exercising.

• Urgency and overactive bladder: Sudden, strong urges to urinate that can’t be ignored.

• Pelvic pressure or heaviness: A sensation that something is “falling out” (often a sign of prolapse).

• Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia): Discomfort or sharp pain that makes intimacy difficult.

• Chronic pelvic pain: Ongoing pain in the lower abdomen or groin with no clear cause.

• Bowel dysfunction: Constipation, straining, or difficulty emptying the bowels completely.

• Lower back pain and poor posture: Weakness in the pelvic floor can contribute to instability in the core.

• Difficulty achieving orgasm: The pelvic floor plays a key role in sexual function and pleasure.

Despite the high prevalence of these symptoms, many women don’t seek help—often because they don’t know that solutions exist.

Breaking the Myth: “Just Do Kegels” Isn’t Always the Answer

For years, Kegels have been touted as the one-size-fits-all solution for pelvic floor problems. However, this advice is outdated and, in many cases, harmful. While Kegels can be beneficial for certain women, they’re not a cure-all—and they’re not always performed correctly.

Why Kegels Aren’t Always Effective:

1. Some women have a tight pelvic floor. If the muscles are already too tense or overactive, adding more contractions can make the problem worse.

2. Many women do them incorrectly. Poor technique, breath-holding, or clenching the wrong muscles leads to no real benefit.

3. Pelvic floor function is about coordination, not just strength. It needs to contract and relax efficiently—not just be "strong."

A more effective approach to restoring pelvic floor health includes proper assessment, breath-work, posture correction, and sometimes even physical therapy.

The Mind-Body Connection: How Stress & Trauma Affect the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is deeply connected to the nervous system. When we experience stress, the body enters “fight or flight” mode, triggering muscle tension—including the pelvic floor muscles. Chronic stress can create a hypertonic (overactive) pelvic floor, leading to pain, urgency, and dysfunction (Harvard Mind-Body Institute, 2022).

Additionally, emotional trauma—particularly experiences related to sexual trauma, childbirth, or medical procedures—can lead to unconscious muscle clenching. Women with past trauma often develop chronic pelvic pain or tightness, even if they aren’t aware of the connection.

Ways to Release Pelvic Tension & Improve Function:

✔ Diaphragmatic breathing: Helps relax the pelvic floor and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

✔ Pelvic floor-focused meditation: Reduces stress and encourages awareness of the body’s natural relaxation response.

✔ Somatic therapy & trauma-informed pelvic floor therapy: Addresses both physical tightness and emotional stress stored in the muscles.

Addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of pelvic health is key to full recovery.

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy: Why Every Woman Should Consider It

In France, pelvic floor therapy is standard care for all postpartum women—but in the U.S., many women don’t even know it exists. Research shows that pelvic floor physical therapy (PT) is one of the most effective treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction (American Physical Therapy Association, 2021).

What Happens in Pelvic Floor Therapy?

• Comprehensive assessment of pelvic floor muscle function.

• Internal and external manual therapy to release tension or strengthen muscles.

• Biofeedback training to improve muscle coordination.

• Education on bladder and bowel habits, posture, and core stability.

• Customized movement exercises for restoring strength and function.

Pelvic floor PT is not just for postpartum recovery—it’s beneficial for all women at any stage of life who want to maintain strength, confidence, and long-term wellness.

How to Proactively Support Your Pelvic Health

Women don’t have to wait until they have symptoms to start caring for their pelvic health. Preventive strategies can make a significant difference in long-term function, bladder control, and core stability.

Daily Habits for a Healthy Pelvic Floor:

✔ Incorporate functional movement: Exercises like squats, hip bridges, and deep core engagement naturally support pelvic health.

✔ Practice mindful bladder habits: Avoid holding urine for too long, and fully empty the bladder without straining.

✔ Stay hydrated & eat fiber-rich foods: Supports digestive health, reducing constipation (a major contributor to PFD).

✔ Breathe properly: Engage in diaphragmatic breathing to improve pelvic floor coordination.

✔ Manage stress effectively: Since stress directly impacts the pelvic floor, integrating mindfulness, therapy, and relaxation techniques is crucial.

Final Thoughts: Your Pelvic Floor is the Foundation of Resilience

Women’s health has long been shaped by silence, stigma, and misinformation. For too long, symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction have been dismissed as "just part of being a woman." The truth is, bladder leakage, painful sex, and pelvic pain are not normal—they are treatable.

Understanding and advocating for pelvic health isn’t just about avoiding discomfort—it’s about reclaiming control, confidence, and vitality. Whether you’re an executive balancing high performance or a mother navigating postpartum recovery, your pelvic health matters.

By breaking the silence, normalizing care, and seeking real solutions, women can step into a new era of strength, self-advocacy, and resilience.

Pelvic floor power is self-empowerment. It’s time for every woman to reclaim her strength.

References & Citations

Harvard Mind-Body Institute (2022) – Stress & the Pelvic Floor

American Physical Therapy Association (2021) – Pelvic Floor Dysfunction & Therapy

National Women’s Health Network (2023) – The Role of PT in Women’s Health