Do you ever find yourself in a rush and wanting to force urine out of the bladder? Maybe you don’t push in the beginning of a void, but you push at the end to ensure you are empty? These are common habits that, if not corrected can result in other issues. The bladder works best if you can relax your muscles (pelvic floor) allowing urine to naturally flow out. Bearing down or pushing by using the abdominal muscles can weaken and strain your pelvic floor. Men who have troubl

Do you routinely go to the bathroom before you leave the house, go into a meeting, go to bed, workout etc…? You may be training your bladder to signal your brain that it is time to empty before the bladder is actually full. A healthy adult bladder can hold up to 2 cups or 16 ounces of urine during the day and can stretch more at night while you are sleeping. When the bladder is about halfway full, stretch receptors from the bladder muscle stimulate a reflex telling your bra

Every person with a uterus will experience menopause during their lifetime as a normal part of aging. Menopause marks the end of a woman's reproductive years. It typically happens naturally in a woman’s late 40s to early 50s, but it can also be triggered by surgical removal of the ovaries. What is GSM? Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a relatively new term that describes the various genital, sexual, and urinary signs and symptoms that can occur during menopause as

During pregnancy and delivery, natural changes occur that impact the pelvic floor and abdominal wall due to poor spinal alignment, shortened and imbalanced muscles and changes in mobility. These changes can result in pain and loss of function (walking, squatting, prolonged sitting or standing). Postural changes can also lead to back/hip/pelvic pain as well as abdominal separation (diastasis rectus abdominus), pelvic organ prolapse, urinary urgency, frequency and leakage. Many

It seems like every time that I mention I am pelvic physical therapist, another friend or colleague pulls me aside in a whisper to tell me they are having bowel issues. It’s super common and should NOT be a taboo subject! Pelvic physical therapists work with patients who are suffering from constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (all types), fecal incontinence, bloating, hemorrhoids, and rectal prolapse. PTs can help with behavioral changes like diet and the role of fiber, wa

The floor of the pelvis is made up of layers of muscle and other tissues. These layers stretch like a hammock from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone in front. A man's pelvic floor supports his bladder and bowel. The urethra and the rectum pass through the pelvic floor muscles. A man's pelvic floor muscles can be weakened by: prostate gland surgery straining to empty your bowel (constipation) heavy lifting a cough that goes on for a long time (such as smoker's cough,

Newsflash: Most have heard that peeing during workouts is NOT normal, but what we haven’t learned is that just “doing your kegals” is no