Why Pelvic Floor Therapy Is About More Than Just Your Pelvic Floor
When most people hear pelvic floor therapy, they picture internal exams and endless Kegels.
If that has been your experience in the past, you only received part of the picture.
The truth is that your pelvic floor doesn't work alone. Even when we're talking about symptoms like leaking urine, pelvic organ prolapse, painful intimacy, or feelings of heaviness and pressure, the pelvic floor is just one member of a much larger team.
Meet Your Inner Core Team
Think of your core as a canister made up of four key players:
Your Pelvic Floor: A group of muscles that supports your pelvic organs, helps control your bladder and bowels, and contributes to sexual function.
Your Deep Abdominals (Transversus Abdominis): Your body's natural corset. This muscles provide stability and help manage pressure throughout the abdomen.
Your Multifidi: small but important muscles along your spine that support posture and spinal stability.
Your Diaphragm: the primary muscle for breathing that also plays a major role in core function and pressure management.
Each member of this team has a specific job. When one isn't functioning well, the others often compensate. Over time, those compensations can contribute to symptoms like back pain, pelvic pressure, leaking, or difficulty returning to exercise.
Pregnancy Changes Everything
During pregnancy, the demands on your inner core team shift dramatically.
Your pelvic floor has more to support as your baby grows.
Your abdominal muscles stretch and become less effective at providing stability.
Your posture changes as your center of gravity moves forward.
Your diaphragm has less room to move as your baby grows upward into your rib cage.
None of these changes are bad—they're normal adaptations to pregnancy. But they do change how your body manages pressure, movement, and stability.
This is one reason why symptoms often appear during pregnancy or after birth, even in women who were active and symptom-free before.
Why Breath Matters More Than Most People Realize
One of the first things we assess in pelvic floor therapy isn't the pelvic floor itself.
It's breathing.
Effective breathing allows the entire inner core team to work together.
Ideally, your rib cage should expand in all directions when you inhale—front, sides, and back. This is often called 3D breathing.
Try it right now:
Place your hands around your rib cage with your thumbs in back and fingers in front. Take a slow breath in without shrugging your shoulders or arching your back. Then fully exhale.
Where did you feel movement?
Many women notice that they primarily breathe into the upper chest or the front of their ribcage, especially during pregnancy and postpartum.
When breathing mechanics are limited, pressure is often directed downward toward the pelvic floor. Over time, that can contribute to symptoms such as leaking, feelings of heaviness, or difficulty returning to higher-level activities.
It's Not About Weakness
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is:
"My core is weak."
In reality, the issue is often not strength—it's coordination.
Pregnancy and birth change how your muscles work together. After delivery, your body has to learn an entirely new strategy for breathing, stabilizing, and managing pressure.
That process takes time, practice, and individualized guidance.
The goal isn't to "fix" your body. The goal is to help your body reconnect and function efficiently again.
What About Internal Exams and Kegels?
Internal assessment and treatment can be valuable. An internal exam can provide useful information and help some women reconnect with their pelvic floor. However, it is not required for successful pelvic floor therapy.
At Inner Strength, we never perform internal assessments or treatment because someone feels obligated or thinks it's something they "have to do it." A skilled therapist should be able to help you make meaningful progress with or without internal work.
The same goes for Kegels.
Kegels can be helpful in specific situations, but they are not a one-size-fits-all solution. If your body isn't managing pressure effectively during everyday movement, doing more Kegels alone won't address the root cause of your symptoms. They might actually make things worse.
Pelvic floor health is about how your entire system works together.
Pregnancy and postpartum bring tremendous physical changes, yet many women are expected to navigate them without guidance.
You deserve support that helps you understand your body, move with confidence, and feel prepared for each stage of motherhood.
At Inner Strength Pelvic Health & Wellness, we provide the St. Cloud area's only in-home pelvic floor therapy service designed specifically for pregnancy and postpartum.
With in-home care, you'll receive:
Hands-on guidance to help you connect with your pelvic floor and inner core team
A customized plan based on your body, symptoms, and goals
Support throughout pregnancy and postpartum so you can feel strong, confident, and prepared for the activities that matter most to you
You don't have to figure it out on your own.
Ready to Feel Stronger From the Inside Out?
Book your free consultation today to see how Inner Strength can help you!
