'Say no to power peeing' and other good tips from a pelvic floor physical therapist
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Painful sex. Urinary leakage. Constipation. Weak orgasms. What do these unpleasant experiences have in common?
They can all be symptoms of a pelvic floor dysfunction in women, says Sara Reardon, a pelvic floor physical therapist who has been in the field for nearly two decades. She is the author of Floored: A Woman's Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage, published in June.
The pelvic floor is a basket of muscles that sits at the bottom of your pelvis and has an important role, Reardon says. It supports organs like your bladder, bowels and reproductive system. It also works with your abdominal muscles to support your spine.
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But for as much as we use our pelvic floor, "many of us don't know these muscles exist," she says. "Therefore, if a problem arises, [we don't know] how to evaluate it and get treatment for it."
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