Beyond Pregnancy and Postpartum: Why Pelvic Floor Health Matters at Every Stage of Life
When most women hear the phrase pelvic floor physical therapy, they immediately think of pregnancy or postpartum recovery. And while pelvic floor PT is incredibly valuable during those stages, the truth is this:
Your pelvic floor matters during every chapter of your life — long before pregnancy, long after postpartum, and even if you never plan to have children at all.
At Empower Physical Therapy & Wellness, we see women of all ages and backgrounds. Their stories may differ, but the underlying theme is almost always the same:
They want to feel strong, confident, supported, and connected to their bodies, not just during baby-related seasons, but throughout life.
Read along to learn why pelvic floor awareness matters beyond pregnancy and postpartum, and how caring for it can improve your health in powerful ways.
The Pelvic Floor: Your Lifelong Support System
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support some of the most important functions in your body. They help you:
Control your bladder and bowels
Stabilize your core and spine
Maintain comfortable sexual function
Support pelvic organs
Move, lift, twist, and breathe efficiently
These muscles are always working, even when you’re not thinking about them. They don’t suddenly become important during pregnancy — they’re quietly supporting you from childhood into late adulthood.
To learn more about the pelvic floor you can read our blog: Your Pelvic floor: What it is and why it matters.
Common Pelvic Floor Changes at Every Life Stage
Early Adulthood:
Long hours of sitting, athletic activity, stress, or hormonal shifts can lead to pelvic floor tension or weakness. Many women in their 20s and early 30s experience painful intercourse, leaking during workouts, tailbone pain, or core imbalance — often without realizing it’s treatable.
Pregnancy & Postpartum:
Growth, pressure, hormonal changes, delivery, and recovery naturally challenge the pelvic floor. This is often when symptoms become noticeable, but they don’t begin or end here.
Perimenopause & Menopause:
As estrogen levels change, tissues become more sensitive, bladder urgency can increase, and pelvic organ support may shift. Many women develop symptoms fairly suddenly these years, likely due to changes in hormones that can highlight underlying muscle imbalances
Older Adulthood:
Strength, balance, and tissue integrity evolve as we age. Maintaining healthy pelvic floor function supports mobility, confidence, continence, and independence.
No matter the age, pelvic floor changes are common but NOT normal and we can help you regain control of your body
Pelvic Floor PT Isn’t Just About Symptoms — It’s About Whole-Body Health
While many women come to us for leaking, pain, or prolapse concerns, pelvic floor PT offers benefits far beyond symptom relief.
It can help you:
Improve posture and alignment
Reduce back or hip pain
Enhance breathing and core coordination
Move more confidently and efficiently
Increase strength in everyday activities
Improve comfort and pleasure during intimacy
Support active lifestyles like running, lifting, or yoga
Your pelvic floor doesn’t function alone, it works with your diaphragm, deep core, hips, and spine. When one area is out of balance, the effects can show up in unexpected ways, such as low back pain contributing to leaking or your chronic hip pain that is actually the reason behind you pain with intimacy
This is a big reason why kegels are not enough and women deserve pelvic floor care the includes an assessment of their entire body
It’s Not Too Early or Too Late to Start
One of the biggest myths we hear is:
“I did have a baby so I cant have pelvic floor dysfunction.”
“I thought I waited too long."
“I thought leaking was just a part of life.”
The good new is, regardless of if you have had symptoms for days or decades, we can help!
Whether you're:
A college student dealing with pelvic tension
A mom years postpartum
Navigating perimenopause
Healing after surgery
Hoping to stay strong and independent as you age
pelvic floor PT can help you reconnect with your body and feel your best.
When Should You Consider an Evaluation?
You don’t have to wait for something to feel wrong. But here are signs you’d likely benefit from an appointment:
Leaking (even “just a little”)
Pelvic pressure or heaviness
Pain with intercourse
Low back, hip, or tailbone pain
Difficulty fully emptying your bladder or bowels
Core weakness or doming
Painful periods
Tightness or tension in the pelvic area
Feeling disconnected from your core or breath
feeling like you have a “small bladder”
Even subtle symptoms are your body’s way of asking for support.
Your Pelvic Floor Deserves Lifelong Care
Your body is strong, adaptive, and always capable of healing. You don’t need to settle for discomfort, hide symptoms, or assume it’s “just part of being a woman.”
Pelvic floor therapy is a powerful tool for lifelong wellness, not just during pregnancy and postpartum.
If you’re curious, concerned, or simply want to feel more connected to your body, we’d love to support you.
This year, let’s go beyond pregnancy and postpartum and embrace pelvic health as an essential part of a woman’s entire life story.
Hi! We are Dr.Aimee and Dr. Lauren
We are the owners of Empower Physical Therapy and Wellness. We are pelvic floor physical therapists who specialize in helping women from pregnancy, into postpartum and through perimenopause, menopause and then beyond! We believe all women deserve to do all of the things they love without symptoms!
You can contact us via our website, email at hello@weempowerpt.com or social media!
The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or symptoms. Never disregard professional medical advice or p in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any medical or healthcare institutions.
