Leaking when you laugh is common, but it is not normal. Pelvic heaviness after standing for an hour is common, but it is not something you simply have to endure. Pain during intercourse is common, but it is not inevitable.
These symptoms are not the price of having a body, giving birth or growing older. They are clinical problems with identifiable causes and effective treatments, and pelvic floor physiotherapy is often the first and best one.
What is the pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments and connective tissue at the base of the pelvis, running from the pubic bone to the tailbone. It supports the bladder, bowel and, in women, the uterus. It controls when you pass urine and open your bowels, and it plays a role in sexual function, core stability and breathing.
Problems pelvic floor physiotherapy treats
- Stress urinary incontinence: leaking with coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercise
- Urgency and frequency, and getting up at night to pass urine
- Pelvic organ prolapse: heaviness, pressure or a bulge
- Pelvic pain and pain during intercourse
- Leakage after prostate surgery in men
- Constipation, straining and faecal leakage
Men are affected too
Men's pelvic health problems are less talked about but just as real. Leakage after prostate surgery is very common, and starting pelvic floor rehabilitation early can shorten recovery. Chronic pelvic pain in men is often driven by tight pelvic floor muscles and responds well to physiotherapy.
What happens at an appointment
The first appointment is unhurried and private. We listen to your story, assess posture, breathing and the muscles around the pelvis, and, only with your consent, may examine the pelvic floor internally to understand its strength and coordination. Treatment is then matched to what we find: strengthening for a weak pelvic floor, relaxation for a tight one, and coordination training with biofeedback.
Why people delay, and why they should not
Embarrassment keeps many people from seeking help for years. Yet problems treated early respond better, before habits and anxiety build up. There is no level of severity you have to reach first. The right time to get help is whenever symptoms are affecting your life.
This article is general information and does not replace a personal assessment by a qualified clinician.