If you are struggling with pelvic pain, you may feel like you have tried everything without finding lasting relief. Maybe your pain makes it uncomfortable to sit through work, exercise, walk long distances, or even complete simple daily activities. You may have been told your symptoms are “normal” after having a baby or that you simply have to live with them. The good news is that many cases of pelvic pain can be successfully treated with pelvic floor physical therapy.
One of the most common questions people ask is, “Can physical therapy help with pelvic pain?” For many people, the answer is yes. Physical therapy addresses the underlying cause of the pain instead of simply masking the symptoms. By improving the function of the pelvic floor muscles, surrounding joints, and supporting muscles, patients often experience significant improvements in pain, movement, and overall quality of life.
At Empower Physical Therapy, our experienced pelvic floor specialists provide compassionate, individualized care for both men and women experiencing pelvic pain. Whether your symptoms developed after pregnancy, surgery, an injury, or for no obvious reason at all, our team is here to help you get back to living comfortably.
What Is Pelvic Pain?
Pelvic pain refers to pain or discomfort felt anywhere throughout the lower abdomen, pelvis, hips, groin, tailbone, or surrounding muscles. The discomfort may be constant or intermittent. Some people notice pain only while sitting, exercising, lifting, or using the restroom, while others experience symptoms throughout the day.
The pelvis is one of the most complex regions of the body. The bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, connective tissues, and internal organs all work together to provide stability, movement, bladder control, bowel function, and support for the reproductive organs. Because so many structures interact with one another, identifying the true source of pelvic pain requires a thorough evaluation.
This is where pelvic floor physical therapy can make a tremendous difference. Rather than focusing only on where the pain is located, a pelvic floor physical therapist evaluates how your entire body moves to determine why your symptoms developed in the first place.
Common Causes of Pelvic Pain
There are many reasons someone may develop pelvic pain, and every patient’s situation is unique. Sometimes the pelvic floor muscles become weak, while other times they become overly tight and unable to relax properly. Joint restrictions, previous injuries, scar tissue, pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, and movement dysfunctions may also contribute.
Some of the most common conditions associated with pelvic pain include:
- Tight pelvic floor muscles
- Pregnancy related pelvic pain
- Postpartum recovery
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Endometriosis
- Pain during intimacy
- Tailbone pain
- Constipation related pelvic floor dysfunction
- Hip dysfunction
- Low back dysfunction
- Scar tissue after surgery
- Male pelvic floor dysfunction
A comprehensive evaluation helps determine which factors are contributing to your symptoms so treatment can be customized specifically for you.
How Can Physical Therapy Help with Pelvic Pain?
One of the greatest advantages of physical therapy is that treatment is never based on guesswork. Your therapist performs a detailed evaluation to understand how your muscles, joints, breathing patterns, posture, and movement patterns work together.
Many people assume they simply need to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles, but that is not always the case. In fact, many patients with pelvic pain actually have muscles that are too tight and unable to relax. Strengthening already tight muscles can sometimes increase discomfort rather than relieve it.
Your treatment plan may focus on improving muscle coordination, restoring flexibility, reducing excessive muscle tension, improving hip mobility, increasing core stability, correcting movement patterns, and teaching you strategies to reduce unnecessary stress on your pelvic floor during daily activities.
Education is another important part of treatment. Understanding how everyday habits affect your symptoms allows you to make small changes that often lead to significant improvements over time. Your therapist will also provide exercises and strategies you can continue at home to support long term recovery.
Pelvic Pain in Women
Women commonly experience pelvic pain during different stages of life. Pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes, previous surgeries, and even certain exercise routines can all affect how the pelvic floor muscles function.
Some women experience a feeling of heaviness or pressure. Others notice discomfort while sitting, exercising, or during intimacy. Some develop pelvic pain months or years after having children and assume it is simply something they have to accept.
The truth is that these symptoms are often very treatable. Pelvic floor physical therapy identifies the specific muscles and movement patterns contributing to your discomfort and develops a personalized treatment plan designed around your individual goals. Every woman’s body is different, which is why individualized care is so important.
Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy
Pregnancy creates remarkable changes throughout the body. As your baby grows, your posture changes, your center of gravity shifts, and additional pressure is placed on your pelvic floor. These normal changes can sometimes lead to significant discomfort.
Many pregnant women experience pain while walking, rolling over in bed, climbing stairs, standing for long periods, or exercising. While some soreness may be expected, severe pelvic pain is not something you simply have to live with.
Pelvic floor physical therapy can help improve movement, reduce discomfort, promote healthy muscle function, improve posture, and prepare your body for labor and delivery. Many women find they are able to remain more active and comfortable throughout pregnancy with specialized care.
Postpartum Pelvic Pain
Recovering after childbirth takes time, but persistent pelvic pain should not be ignored. Following delivery, the body continues healing while adapting to new physical demands such as lifting your baby, feeding, carrying car seats, and returning to daily activities.
Pelvic floor physical therapy can help improve core strength, restore coordination, decrease pain, improve scar mobility when appropriate, and help you safely return to exercise. Whether you delivered recently or several years ago, many women continue to benefit from treatment.
Many mothers tell us they wish they had started therapy sooner after realizing how much better they could feel with the right guidance.
Pelvic Pain in Men
Although pelvic floor therapy is often associated with women’s health, men experience pelvic pain as well. Tight muscles, prolonged sitting, athletic activities, previous surgeries, prostate related conditions, and movement dysfunction can all contribute to symptoms.
Men may notice discomfort while sitting, exercising, urinating, or performing everyday activities. Because these symptoms are not discussed as frequently, many men are surprised to learn that pelvic floor physical therapy can be an effective treatment option.
A personalized evaluation allows your therapist to determine whether the pelvic floor muscles, surrounding joints, hips, or spine may be contributing to your symptoms before developing an individualized treatment plan.
What Happens During Your First Appointment?
Many patients delay treatment because they are unsure what their first visit will involve. At Empower Physical Therapy, your first appointment begins with a detailed discussion about your symptoms, medical history, daily activities, and personal goals.
Your therapist will evaluate posture, breathing patterns, flexibility, mobility, strength, coordination, and overall movement to better understand what may be contributing to your pelvic pain. Depending on your symptoms and only with your informed consent, an internal examination may be discussed if clinically appropriate. However, an internal examination is not required for every patient, and treatment is always based on your comfort level and individual needs.
Our goal is to ensure you feel comfortable, informed, and confident throughout every step of your care.
Why Choose Empower Physical Therapy for Pelvic Pain?
At Empower Physical Therapy, we believe every patient deserves personalized care from providers who specialize in pelvic floor rehabilitation. Our therapists understand that discussing pelvic pain can feel uncomfortable, which is why we work hard to create a welcoming, respectful, and supportive environment.
At our Andover location, Dr. Demi Kraus, DPT specializes in treating men, women, and prepartum and postpartum patients experiencing a wide variety of pelvic floor conditions. Her compassionate approach and specialized training help patients feel comfortable while working toward meaningful, long term improvements.
At our Newton location, Dr. Connor Racette, DPT, Dr. Kailey Durksen, DPT, Dr. Morgan Kaufman, DPT, and Dr. Adam Rutherford, DPT provide expert pelvic floor physical therapy for patients experiencing pelvic pain and other pelvic floor disorders. Together, they are committed to providing individualized care that helps patients reduce pain, improve function, and return to the activities they enjoy most.
Many people spend months or even years living with pelvic pain because they believe nothing can be done. Fortunately, many causes of pelvic pain respond very well to specialized physical therapy. The sooner you receive an evaluation, the sooner you can begin addressing the underlying cause of your symptoms and working toward lasting relief.
If you have been asking yourself, “Can physical therapy help with pelvic pain?”, the answer is often yes. With the right diagnosis, individualized treatment plan, and guidance from an experienced pelvic floor physical therapist, you can take meaningful steps toward living with less pain and greater confidence.
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📍 Andover
826 E. Founders Pkwy STE 100
Andover, KS 67002
📞 316-201-6051
📍 Newton
715 Medical Center Dr. STE 300
Newton, KS 67114
📞 316-283-7187
