Understanding the importance of pelvic floor therapy for women

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. (InvestigateTV) - It’s a condition that can affect women at any age whether they’ve had children or not.

Doctors say one in three women experience a pelvic floor disorder in their lifetime, but getting treatment can drastically improve their quality of life.

With every throw, jump and stretch, Mackenzie Devine is strengthening muscles, including important ones that aren’t visible.

It’s exercise, physical therapy and personal time all rolled into one. For her, it’s a top priority.

“For me pelvic floor therapy is non-negotiable for my time and schedule,” Mackenzie Devine said.

Devine has quite the schedule. She’s a mother of five, including two sets of twins.

“I’ve got two sets of twins. One set is 10 months old, the other set just turned four. And then a 5-and-a-half-year-old,” Devine said.

She said pelvic floor therapy has been a helpful tool throughout all of her postpartum journeys. Pelvic floor therapy is a treatment for the group of muscles in the pelvic girdle.

“I think it’s huge with regard to your overall confidence in motherhood. For example, if you don’t know how to engage your pelvic floor, just putting your baby into the crib can be painful,” Devine said.

Dr. Jessica Hund, founder of The Floor PDX in Lake Oswego, works with women of all ages and stages who come to her seeking relief from common ailments that are not commonly spoken of, even among close friends.

“It’s not normal to be like hey, let’s go grab lattes and tell you about how sex has been killing me for 10 years,” Hund said. “Or I don’t feel confident in anything down below my waistband since having a kiddo, or perimenopause is wrecking me and this part of me is not what I knew it to be before.”

Hund said many people have the wrong idea about pelvic floor therapy.

“I think there has been a long-held misconception that if something is leaking or broken that you need to do Kegels or pelvic floor contractions and that’s all you need to do. The problem with that is your pelvic floor is a dynamic system that’s supposed to involuntarily react to the tasks you’re doing,” Hund said.

When patients come in for the first time, Hund said it usually starts with a quick internal assessment.

“We can feel all these muscles and see how are they resting, are they acting really guarded, are they able to move, are we touching pain points you’ve never experienced before,” Hund said.

But patients actually spend most of their time strength training.

“That’s why we’re in the gym because that’s how life is being lived, with the load that’s being passed to you when you’re jumping and landing and going back to the things you’re doing in real life, which is our greatest goal,” Hund said.

Whether someone is five months postpartum or five years, Hund said it’s never too late.

Hund said there’s a close connection between pelvic floor health and mental health.

“This area of your body also matters, and it’s so closely tied to mental health presentation of I don’t feel worthy, I’m not meeting exercise goals I want, my relationship is struggle because I can’t connect on an intimate level I want to,” Hund said.

Rachael Adair also reached out for help after giving birth to her baby boy, Finnegan.

“He entered the world in a bit of a dramatic fashion, and I found myself needing pelvic floor therapy,” Adair said.

Adair said a weakened pelvic floor played into a weakened sense of self-esteem. For a new mother already facing changes, she knew she didn’t want to face it alone.

“I left the hospital in shambles and tears — and the shift to motherhood has been a big one for me, but having the support from this team and being able to understand my body better and who I am has built a lot of confidence and love for myself which has changed a lot for me,” Adair said.

Pelvic floor therapy is often covered by insurance.