Over the years women have silently adapted their lives to discomfort that they have considered as being normal. Yet suppose that these struggles so passively accepted and seldomly addressed do have a name, causes or remedy? Dr. Anjali Vyas, Paediatrician and Founder, RIITARA Wellness observed a trend during her years of clinical practice which was common and of great concern.
She told TheHealthsite.com that postpartum mothers and menopausal women would sit across her and tell her bits of their experiences but rarely the whole story. In her words, “They spoke carefully and laughed cautiousl even such a simple thing as laughter might cause embarrassment. Additionally most people did not exercise due to fear and not because of choice. There are those who live in pain regarding intimacy without ever complaining even to their partners. Others had always the sense of a weight in their pelvis thinking it was simply another side effect of becoming a woman after a baby or becoming older. What was most remarkable was not the condition itself but the silence thereof.”
According to the paediatrician some of these women had never been informed that what they were going through was not normal. She further adds that the worst part of this situation is that they were in most cases very ashamed to mention it during consultations. So women often do not demand assistance but try to fit in the society by changing their schedules, physical forms and even their self esteem while silently bearing the burden.
The goal of physiotherapy in treating dyspareunia is to:
➡️ Reduce vaginal pain by reducing the overactive pelvic floor musculature
➡️ Improve patient awareness and ability to control these muscles
➡️ Improve ability of the vaginal tissues to stretch pic.twitter.com/2jEhS36poR— ISCP (@_ISCP_) March 17, 2022
What exactly is the pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of deep muscles that form the base of your core which stretches like a hammock from your tailbone to your pubic bone. According to Dr. Vyas these muscles support your uterus, bladder and bowel that control continence, contribute to core stability, influence posture, affect sexual comfort and play a critical role in how a woman’s body functions through every stage of her life.
The doctor notes that when these muscles are strong and balanced most women don’t think about them at all but as they become weak, overstretched or dysfunctional then the impact is felt everywhere. For instance in the way she moves, exercises and experiences her own body.
What IS a pelvic floor? The hammock-shaped group of muscles supporting pelvic organs = controlling front + back passages #WCW18 #pelvicroar @GussieGrips @emma_physiomum @squeezyapp @pelvicroar #pelvicprolapse pic.twitter.com/AAuuUYvlYV
— Kegel8 (@kegel8) June 19, 2018
Who is affected by pelvic floor dysfunction?
Pelvic floor dysfunction is far more common than most women realise. Here are some instances according to Dr. Vyas on how pelvic floor dysfunction can affect adult women:
- Postpartum: Pregnancy and childbirth stretch pelvic muscles up to three times which is their normal capacity. According to Dr. Vyas, whether a woman delivered vaginally or via C-section her pelvic floor undergoes an enormous physical event but most women are discharged from postpartum care with no structured pelvic rehabilitation whatsoever. International guidelines from ACOG, RCOG and APTA consistently recommend early pelvic floor retraining after childbirth and in clinical practice it remains vastly left untreated.
- Women in perimenopause and menopause: As oestrogen levels decline the pelvic muscles weaken, bladder sensitivity changes and the risk of pelvic organ prolapse increases. According to the paediatrician many women in their 40s and 50s report incidences such as leakage, heaviness and sexual discomfort to “getting older” when in reality these are treatable conditions with significant evidence behind their management.
- Women trying to conceive: Pelvic tension, poor alignment and chronic tightness can affect blood flow to reproductive organs, sexual comfort and overall pelvic health. The doctor emphasizes addressing the pelvic floor dysfunction before conception as an act of preparation and not treatment. Dr. Vyas highlights that the reason only a few women seek help is due to a lack of awareness that the pelvic floor is something to care for proactively. And we were certainly never given the language to describe what was happening without feeling embarrassed.
What is pelvic floor therapy? And how can it help treat bladder function problems?
On #BladderCancerAwarenessDay, Roswell Park’s Dr. Renee Genereux unravels the mysteries behind this transformative therapy!
Read here: https://t.co/IT9w46E3TC pic.twitter.com/HctmpUoRuw
— Roswell Park (@RoswellPark) May 7, 2024
What is pelvic floor therapy?
Pelvic floor therapy is a structured and evidence based approach to strengthening, rehabilitating and rebalancing the pelvic floor muscles. It ranges from physiotherapist guided exercises to clinically validated technologies that support muscle retraining and recovery. One such technology i.e. High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) therapy uses electromagnetic stimulation to trigger thousands of supramaximal pelvic contractions per session. Experts notes that these are contractions far deeper and more precise than anything a woman can achieve through voluntary Kegel exercises alone.
If you’re wondering how effective HIFEM therapy is then it is FDA-approved, non-invasive, fully clothed and has clinical evidence supporting improvement in continence, muscle tone, core stability and quality of life. HIFEM therapy is not a cosmetic treatment but a rehabilitative one which is used in women’s hospitals and medical wellness centres across the US, UK, Europe and Southeast Asia. Dr. Vyas says that a standard protocol involves 6 to 10 sessions each approximately 20 to 30 minutes in about 2 to 3 days apart. According to the paediatrician, most women begin to notice improvements in bladder control, pelvic support and core awareness within 4 to 6 sessions.
3 Aasans for your #pelvic floor flexible.#wellness #wellnesstips #healthtips pic.twitter.com/bWihXZMGnj
— Dr. Sachita Yadav Khadga (BHMS, MAFN) (@DrSachita) September 30, 2025
Targets of pelvic floor therapy
Women who undergo structured pelvic floor therapy commonly report the result:
- Reduced or resolved urinary leakage
- Decreased pelvic heaviness
- Improved core stability and posture
- Greater comfort during intimacy
- A sense of internal support they hadn’t felt since before childbirth or hormonal transition
Dr. Vyas said, “Beyond the physical changes what really moves me as a doctor is that many women describe something harder to quantify i.e a return of confidence in their own body and feeling of being seen in a part of their health that had been invisible for years.
The paediatrician further notes, “Pelvic floor therapy is not a replacement for physiotherapy it works best alongside movement based rehabilitation. Additionally this therapy is not recommended during pregnancy for women with pacemakers or metal implants or during active pelvic infection. It is also not a quick fix but like any muscle group it requires consistent activation and time to heal. Women who commit to the process often see results that are real, measurable and life-changing.”
Who needs pelvic floor therapy?
If you have been leaking when you laugh, feeling heaviness in your pelvis, experiencing discomfort during intimacy or simply sensing that something in your core doesn’t feel right then you are not imagining. Dr. Vyas stresses that your pelvic floor is not a topic to be embarrassed about becuase they are the foundation of your physical strength, comfort and quality of life. It deserves the same attention and care as every other part of your health.
The content above is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.
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