What Is the Pelvic Floor (and Why Should You Care)?

What Is the Pelvic Floor (and Why Should You Care)?

The pelvic floor can sound like an intimidating topic, but in reality, it's simply a group of muscle and these muscles that do a lot more than most people realize.

These muscles form a supportive "hammock" at the base of your pelvis. They help hold up your organs, contribute to your core stability, and control bowel and bladder function. They also play a key role in sexual health and performance. When the pelvic floor isn't working properly, everything from digestion to back pain to bladder control can be affected.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is made up of two main groups of muscles:

• Anterior (front) muscles: These muscles help regulate urine output and provide core support. When the bladder is emptying, these muscles relax to allow urine to pass. When the bladder is filling, they contract to prevent leakage. They also contribute to healthy sexual function.
• Posterior (back) muscles: These support the spine and sacrum while also helping regulate bowel movements. If you struggle with constipation, difficulty holding back gas, or lower back tension, your posterior pelvic floor might be involved.

When the Pelvic Floor Needs Support

Just like your quads or biceps, pelvic floor muscles can be weak, tight, or uncoordinated. When that happens, you might experience symptoms like:

• Urinary leaking or urgency
• Pelvic pain or pressure
• Constipation or incomplete emptying
• Pain with intercourse
• Low back, hip, or tailbone pain

The good news? These muscles can be retrained. At Pinyon Physical Therapy, our pelvic health physical therapists use evidence-based techniques to assess and treat pelvic floor dysfunction — helping you restore balance, coordination, and confidence in your body.

How Physical Therapy Can Help

Through a combination of movement assessment, breathwork, manual therapy, and guided exercise, pelvic floor PT helps improve both strength and relaxation. Treatment is individualized, private, and designed to address your goals — whether that's returning to sport postpartum, managing menopausal changes, or just feeling more at ease in your body.

How To Get Started

Feel free to book a Pelvic Floor Initial Consult using our online booking tool. Or if you aren't sure we can help, we would love to chat with you. You can book a free 15-minute phone consultation to answer any questions you might have.