Pelvic Floor Health: Why It Matters — For Every Body
By Dr. Lauren Davenport, PT, DPT | Uplift Pelvic Health & Performance
Have you ever leaked while laughing, felt pressure “down there,” experienced low back or hip pain, or struggled with constipation or urgency? If so, you’re far from alone. These symptoms often point to pelvic floor dysfunction — a common, treatable issue that affects millions of people, yet remains largely in the shadows.
What’s more, pelvic health is not just a women’s health issue. It matters at every age, for every gender, and every body.
What Is the Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of deep muscles forming a supportive hammock across the bottom of the pelvis. They work tirelessly — often without our awareness — to carry out five essential roles:
🔹 Support – Holding up the bladder, rectum, reproductive organs, and pelvic structures.
🔹 Sphincter Control – Helping you stay dry and continent by opening and closing the urethra and anus as needed.
🔹 Sexual Function – Enhancing arousal, orgasm, and blood flow; contributing to sensation, support, and pleasure.
🔹 Stability – Working with your core, hips, and diaphragm to keep you balanced and aligned during movement.
🔹 Circulation (Sump Pump) – Assisting with fluid and lymphatic movement to reduce swelling and improve circulation in the lower body.
Common Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone — men, women, athletes, new parents, desk workers, and beyond. Symptoms may include:
- Leaking with sneezing, laughing, jumping, or lifting
- Pelvic pressure, bulging, or heaviness
- Pain during intimacy, tampon use, or pelvic exams
- Constipation, straining, or incomplete emptying
- Difficulty starting urination
- Frequent and/or urgent trips to the bathroom
- Erectile dysfunction or tailbone pain
- These symptoms may be common, but they are not something you have to live with.
Why Awareness Matters: The Numbers
- 1 in 3 women experience pelvic floor disorders like incontinence or prolapse
- Up to 25% of men experience pelvic symptoms, including ED and pelvic pain
- Over 40% of pregnant people leak urine
- Nearly half of adolescent female athletes experience incontinence
- 50% of women will develop pelvic organ prolapse
- Erectile dysfunction affects over 50% of men ages 40–70
- 46% of women stop exercising due to pelvic floor symptoms — increasing their risk for preventable health conditions like diabetes, obesity, and depression
- Still, less than 25% of people seek help, often due to embarrassment or simply not knowing pelvic PT exists.
So, What is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?
Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized, whole-body approach that helps restore function, relieve symptoms, and support long-term well-being.
Your care plan is designed with both your current needs and long-term goals in mind—whether that’s running a marathon without pelvic heaviness, returning to bootcamp classes without leakage, lifting your grandkids without pain, or feeling confident in intimacy again.
Here’s what your care might include:
✅ Manual Therapy – Techniques like soft tissue work, cupping, or dry needling to release tension, improve circulation, and support healing
✅ Movement & Postural Retraining – Building awareness of how your body moves and breathes, and how that influences pelvic health
✅ Pelvic Muscle Coordination & Core Training – Because strong hips and a well-connected core lay the foundation for a resilient pelvic floor
✅ Bladder & Bowel Coaching – Addressing daily habits that impact urgency, leakage, or constipation
✅ Sexual & Reproductive Health Support – From postpartum recovery to menopause and prostate care
Pelvic floor therapy helps you return to the activities that matter most—workouts, intimacy, work, and daily life—with less fear, fewer symptoms, and more confidence.
"I have loved my experience at Uplift and 100% recommend it! Dr. Lauren has been so helpful through the middle of my pregnancy and postpartum. She helped me get prepared for labor and I attribute my smooth labor and delivery to all the exercises she taught me! I really like that this practice is more holistic. She evaluates your lifestyle and how you move your body on a daily basis and how everything is tied together to promote healing. She makes you feel comfortable at each visit. Love her!"
"Uplift PT has been a wonderful resource and support during my pregnancy. Dr. Lauren is so knowledgeable and can explain everything in a way that is so easy to understand. She helps me problem solve ways to continue exercising in the way I love while managing how my body changes in pregnancy. I would highly recommend checking them out!"
"Uplift PT has been an absolute game changer for me during this pregnancy. It’s my first so I didn’t know what to expect and when I started to experience hip pain Dr. Lauren was able to get me pain free and back to doing some of the things that I love. She does a great job educating patients and is very supportive of our goals. I can’t recommend her enough!"
"Uplift PT has been a wonderful resource and support during my pregnancy. Dr. Lauren is so knowledgeable and can explain everything in a way that is so easy to understand. She helps me problem solve ways to continue exercising in the way I love while managing how my body changes in pregnancy. I would highly recommend checking them out!"
"Uplift PT has been an absolute game changer for me during this pregnancy. It’s my first so I didn’t know what to expect and when I started to experience hip pain Dr. Lauren was able to get me pain free and back to doing some of the things that I love. She does a great job educating patients and is very supportive of our goals. I can’t recommend her enough!"
"Lauren is so knowledgeable and helpful with pelvic floor healing and also preparing for having a healthy pelvic future. She listens to your goals and concerns, and tailors your program to work with your daily life and your activity level. Absolutely recommend Lauren!"
"Uplift PT has been an absolute game changer for me during this pregnancy. It’s my first so I didn’t know what to expect and when I started to experience hip pain Dr. Lauren was able to get me pain free and back to doing some of the things that I love. She does a great job educating patients and is very supportive of our goals. I can’t recommend her enough!"
"Lauren is so knowledgeable and helpful with pelvic floor healing and also preparing for having a healthy pelvic future. She listens to your goals and concerns, and tailors your program to work with your daily life and your activity level. Absolutely recommend Lauren!"
"Working with Lauren dramatically improved my c-section and general postpartum recovery. She even helped me with other aches and pains, and has a really wide span of knowledge for the practical recovery questions. I never heard a dismissive “that’s normal” to anything I said, and she consistently followed up on any remark I made, no matter how small."
"Lauren is so knowledgeable and helpful with pelvic floor healing and also preparing for having a healthy pelvic future. She listens to your goals and concerns, and tailors your program to work with your daily life and your activity level. Absolutely recommend Lauren!"
"Working with Lauren dramatically improved my c-section and general postpartum recovery. She even helped me with other aches and pains, and has a really wide span of knowledge for the practical recovery questions. I never heard a dismissive “that’s normal” to anything I said, and she consistently followed up on any remark I made, no matter how small."
"Highly recommend Dr. Lauren and Uplift! I started seeing her during the end of my pregnancy and she’s been wonderful. Extremely knowledgeable with all things related to pelvic health and is helping my body and mind feel more prepared for birth!"
"Working with Lauren dramatically improved my c-section and general postpartum recovery. She even helped me with other aches and pains, and has a really wide span of knowledge for the practical recovery questions. I never heard a dismissive “that’s normal” to anything I said, and she consistently followed up on any remark I made, no matter how small."
"Highly recommend Dr. Lauren and Uplift! I started seeing her during the end of my pregnancy and she’s been wonderful. Extremely knowledgeable with all things related to pelvic health and is helping my body and mind feel more prepared for birth!"
"Dr Lauren is absolutely amazing! She helped me so much during pregnancy and helped prepare for delivery with second child. Seeing her postpartum has helped with so many things I’ve had going on. I wish I would have had her with my first pregnancy/postpartum. I can’t recommend her enough to anyone looking for a pelvic floor therapist for any reason and tell everyone I know about her!"
Dr Lauren is absolutely amazing! She helped me so much during pregnancy and helped prepare for delivery with second child. Seeing her postpartum has helped with so many things I’ve had going on. I wish I would have had her with my first pregnancy/postpartum. I can’t recommend her enough to anyone looking for a pelvic floor therapist for any reason and tell everyone I know about her!
I have loved my experience at Uplift and 100% recommend it! Dr. Lauren has been so helpful through the middle of my pregnancy and postpartum. She helped me get prepared for labor and I attribute my smooth labor and delivery to all the exercises she taught me! I really like that this practice is more holistic. She evaluates your lifestyle and how you move your body on a daily basis and how everything is tied together to promote healing. She makes you feel comfortable at each visit. Love her!
"Uplift PT has been a wonderful resource and support during my pregnancy. Dr. Lauren is so knowledgeable and can explain everything in a way that is so easy to understand. She helps me problem solve ways to continue exercising in the way I love while managing how my body changes in pregnancy. I would highly recommend checking them out!"
"Uplift PT has been an absolute game changer for me during this pregnancy. It’s my first so I didn’t know what to expect and when I started to experience hip pain Dr. Lauren was able to get me pain free and back to doing some of the things that I love. She does a great job educating patients and is very supportive of our goals. I can’t recommend her enough!"
