Fixing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Fixing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction at Home

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common condition that affects women of all ages, especially after pregnancy or childbirth. It occurs when the pelvic floor muscles — the group of muscles that support your bladder, bowel, and pelvic organs — become weak, tight, or uncoordinated. This can lead to symptoms such as leaking, constipation, pelvic pain, or a feeling of pressure or heaviness in the pelvis.

The good news is that fixing pelvic floor dysfunction is absolutely possible. With the right pelvic floor exercises, breathing, and awareness, you can improve your pelvic floor function and regain confidence in your body.

If you’re looking for safe, step-by-step Pelvic floor dysfunction treatment at home, my Pelvic Floor Freedom and Pelvic Floor Release & Relax programs are designed to help you strengthen your pelvic floor or release tightness depending on what your body needs most. These programs make it easy to start treating pelvic floor dysfunction from home with guided pelvic floor training, gentle breathing exercises, and posture work to improve pelvic health naturally.

Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

The symptoms of Pelvic floor dysfunction can vary from person to person, depending on whether your pelvic floor is too weak or too tight.

Common signs include:

  • Urinary incontinence or leaking when coughing, sneezing, or exercising

  • Difficulty with bowel movements or chronic constipation

  • Pelvic or lower-back pain

  • A feeling of heaviness or pressure in the pelvic area (possible prolapse)

  • Discomfort during intimacy or when using tampons

  • Trouble fully emptying the bladder or bowel

These symptoms are your body’s way of saying your Pelvic floor muscles need attention.

 If you’re unsure whether you have a weak Pelvic floor or tight Pelvic floor muscles, that’s an important distinction to know so that you can make sure you are doing the correct exercises. Take my Pelvic floor Quiz to find out:

Take This Quiz to Find Out

 Understanding how to coordinate your pelvic floor muscles helps you choose the right approach — whether to relax the Pelvic floor muscles or to begin Pelvic floor strengthening work.

Causes of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

There are many causes of Pelvic floor dysfunction, and often it’s a mix of physical and lifestyle factors.

Common causes include:

  • Pregnancy and childbirth, which can stretch or weaken the muscles in the Pelvic floor

  • Chronic constipation or straining during a bowel movement

  • Heavy lifting or repetitive high-impact activity

  • Surgery or injury in the pelvic region or pelvic area

  • Hormonal changes and aging

  • Stress or holding tension in the muscles of the pelvic floor

When the Pelvic floor is a set of muscles that’s either too weak or too tight, it can’t properly control your Pelvic floor muscles during daily activities like lifting, coughing, or going to the bathroom. Identifying your personal pelvic floor disorder triggers is key to building an effective treatment plan and finding relief.

Exercises and At-Home Treatment

Gentle, consistent exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor can make a big difference. But it’s important to understand that not everyone needs the same type of pelvic floor muscle exercises — some women need to build strength, while others need to relax and coordinate their pelvic floor first.

To Kegel or Not to Kegel

Kegel exercises (sometimes called pelvic floor muscle exercises) are one way to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, but they’re not right for everyone. If you have tight pelvic floor muscles, doing kegels can make symptoms worse. Start by focusing on relaxation, breathing, and posture instead.

How to do a Kegel

If your pelvic floor is weak, Kegel exercises can help strengthen the muscles that support your pelvic organs — but only when done correctly. To perform a Kegel properly:

1. Start with an empty bladder and sit or lie comfortably with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Take a slow breath in through your nose and feel your pelvic floor relax as you inhale.

3. As you exhale, gently bring the front and back of your pelvic floor together (as if stopping pee and gas at the same time), then imagine lifting that contraction upward — like sucking up a blueberry through a straw.

4. Hold for a few seconds, then completely relax the pelvic floor on your next inhale.

5. Repeat several times, focusing on smooth coordination with your breath and keeping your glutes, abs, and thighs relaxed.

This version activates all four quadrants of the pelvic floor muscles — front, back, and sides — helping you develop real strength and coordination without over-tightening.

More At-Home Exercises and Stretches

Beyond Kegel exercises, there are many other exercises that can help your Pelvic floor. Movements like bridges, squats, and core exercises that include breathing and posture work can help improve your Pelvic floor strength. These exercises and stretches not only target the pelvic muscles but also the surrounding hips, glutes, and lower back — which all affect how your pelvic floor muscles function.

When performing a bridge, for example, press your feet flat on the floor and gently lift your hips, engaging your core and pelvic floor. Imagine lifting the floor muscles as you lift your hips — this helps you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles while keeping good alignment.

However my FAVOURITE workouts for the pelvic floor are movement based ones, as these get your body ready for everyday activities – coughing, side steping, lifting, running and jumping. If you have never done this type of Pelvic floor workout before then give this one a go.

Pelvic Floor Therapy and When to Seek Help

For many women, Pelvic floor therapy at home and consistent practice are enough to improve Pelvic floor function. But sometimes, additional help is needed.

A Pelvic floor physical therapist can help identify whether your pelvic muscles are weak, tight, or uncoordinated. Through Pelvic floor physical therapy, they can:

  • Provide hands-on physical therapy techniques to release tension in the pelvic area

  • Guide you through Pelvic floor training and strengthening exercises

  • Help you retrain breathing and posture to coordinate your Pelvic floor effectively

If you have a more advanced pelvic organ prolapse, chronic pain, or ongoing urinary or bowel issues, your doctor may recommend medical treatment options such as biofeedback, medication, or surgery to restore function.

When in-person help isn’t possible, my Pelvic Floor Freedom and Pelvic Floor Release and Relax programs use the same evidence-based methods taught by a physical therapist, giving you safe, effective tools for treating Pelvic floor dysfunction from home.

In Summary

Pelvic floor dysfunction is common, but it’s not something you have to live with. Whether you’re dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction caused by childbirth, aging, or stress, your body is capable of healing and change.

By understanding the symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, identifying your specific causes, and following the right exercises to strengthen or relax pelvic floor muscles, you can rebuild connection, control, and confidence.

Consistency is key — and even a few minutes of focused pelvic floor training can help improve how your body feels and functions. A strong pelvic floor not only supports your bladder and bowel, but also helps prevent incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and even erectile dysfunction in some cases.

If you’re ready to take care of your Pelvic floor and help improve your Pelvic floor strength, start with:

Both programs can help you improve your pelvic floor health, regain control, and feel stronger in your everyday life. Healing truly starts when you understand your body and give it the right kind of support — one breath, one movement at a time.

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If you have any questions, please comment below. If this was useful for you, please share this article. Don’t let other mommies wonder WHY they can’t regain their flat belly?

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