Pelvic Floor Rehab Therapy – What Exactly Is It?

Bladder and bowel leakage, constipation, pelvic pain and sexual problems or pain – these are just a few symptoms you may experience if your pelvic floor muscles are tight, weak or not working optimally. Thankfully, Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) is here to help. We have a whole team of physical therapists who specialize in pelvic rehabilitation, a safe and effective treatment provided by expert health care professionals who prioritize your comfort and privacy every step of the way.

The pelvic floor – a group of muscles situated at the base of the pelvis – is often described as a hammock that holds your bladder, uterus and vagina (in women) or prostate (in men), urethra, intestines and rectum in place. In addition to supporting key organs, this group of muscles stabilizes the pelvis and spine, controls bowel and bladder functions and even influences sexual health. So, overall, these muscles are extremely important.

If your pelvic muscles aren’t working properly because they are too tight or too loose, you may experience:

• Frequent need to urinate
• Trouble starting to pee
• Constipation or difficulty emptying your bowels
• Pain during intercourse
• Low back or hip pain without a known cause
• Persistent pelvic pain or pressure
• General discomfort or “bulging” in your genitals

This can happen because of several reasons, including:

• Injury to the pelvis or tailbone
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Menopause and aging
• Endometriosis
• Abdominal or pelvic surgery
• Stress
• Nutrition and habits

“Just like you wouldn’t ignore a knee injury, you shouldn’t neglect issues with your pelvic floor either,” says LVHN pelvic health therapist Carole High Gross. “Ignoring your pelvic issues can significantly impact your quality of life. It’s best to address any concerns you may be experiencing head-on through pelvic health physical therapy.”

Pelvic therapy is a specialized type of physical therapy that involves exercises and techniques designed to strengthen, relax and coordinate your pelvic muscles to alleviate your symptoms. Improving the function of these muscles helps you to regain control of your bladder and bowels, reduce pain and improve your quality of life while feeling more confident in your daily activities.

“At LVHN, our pelvic health physical therapists are nonjudgmental professionals who treat all genders and ages – from pediatric to senior females, males, LGBTQ+ and individuals undergoing gender affirmation surgery. Everyone is provided a safe space to get to the root cause of their pelvic issues,” says LVHN pelvic health therapist Karen Snowden.

Our pelvic health therapists personalize treatment plans to meet each person’s needs. “Not only do we work to optimize how the muscles and bones function, but we consider the whole person,” Snowden says. “This means that although we are evaluating our patient’s musculoskeletal function, we are also considering how the nervous system is affected by emotional, psychological and social stressors. Perhaps the person underwent radiation or was a victim of sexual assault – all needs to be considered to promote healing and wellness.”

At LVHN, our physical therapists are expertly trained to help you maximize function and minimize pain with pelvic health physical therapy techniques, such as:

• Pelvic floor coordination, relaxation and strengthening exercises
• Biofeedback, a noninvasive treatment to help bring awareness to the pelvic floor muscles (or how the pelvic floor muscles contract and relax)
• Stretching and relaxation exercises
• Manual therapy methods, such as trigger point release and soft tissue massage

“When it comes to pelvic health, we are looking at the whole person,” High Gross says. “Part of our expertise is our ability to recognize how the pelvis is part of the entire body. So rather than treating people exclusively inside the ‘pelvic box,’ we are looking at the whole package and really trying to make sure we’re addressing why a patient is with us. This involves evaluating other dimensions and how those are affecting the patient’s health.”

At LVHN, we have a reputation for having the highest excellence of care in pelvic floor therapy. People are welcome to make an appointment and get their questions answered.

“The pelvis is a private, personal area, and it holds a lot of memories and history,” Snowden says. “We truly respect how personal receiving treatment is. That’s why all patients are seen behind a closed door and continue care with the same therapist. As therapists, we are committed to our patients. We want them to feel safe and know we are going to take care of them.”

“We are trying to help people help themselves,” High Gross says. “Our goal is to provide ongoing education to ensure that we empower people to utilize the new ‘tools’ in their ‘toolboxes’ to achieve their goals.”

LVHN is proud to have opened a specialized practice with pelvic floor rehab therapies at LVHN–Cedar Point and is looking forward to opening the Women’s Health Center at LVHN–Tower Place in summer 2025, where women can receive pelvic therapy and other care in a more spa-like setting.

“Our goal is help everyone have the healthiest pelvis possible. We want people to have options and choices,” Snowden says. “But most importantly, we emphasize that all treatment we provide is with ongoing consent from our patients. We stand by the belief that the people we treat are the captain of their own ship, and we are here to help them steer it – toward a life that is free of pelvic problems.”