If you’re searching for pelvic floor therapy in Sioux Falls, SD because of leaking, pelvic pressure, painful sex, or lingering lower back pain, you’re not alone and have come to the right place. These symptoms are incredibly common for women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s — especially during postpartum years or active seasons of life — but common doesn’t mean normal.
April is known for fresh starts and clearing out what no longer serves us. So this spring, instead of just cleaning closets, let’s talk about the symptoms many women quietly sweep under the rug. Early signs of pelvic floor dysfunction are often subtle, but addressing them early with pelvic floor physical therapy in Sioux Falls can make a significant difference.
Spring Cleaning for Your Pelvic Floor
It’s no joke that April is known for fresh starts, open windows (hopefully, we live in South Dakota so we could be in a false spring IYKYK), and clearing out what no longer serves us. But there’s one area many women quietly brush under the rug when it comes to “spring cleaning”: their pelvic floor. Girlfriend, I’m right there with you. A thousand and one things on your list of things to accomplish for the day: work stress, marriage to put effort into, kids to keep fed because those applesauce pouches from Costco aren’t filling the endless tank of their little bellies. The last thing on your mind is yourself because as women we are chemically wired to be the nurture person, just like a man is wired to “fix” things, and guess what that is totally ok! However, if you are constantly giving to everyone else, your tank is slowly depleting and becoming something you are sweeping under the rug.
If you’re a woman in Sioux falls dealing with mild leaking, pelvic pressure or discomfort that “isn’t bad,” you’re not alone. Many of the women we see at Prosper Physical Therapy and Pelvic Rehab for pelvic floor physical therapy waited months if not if not years to finally put themselves first. You’ll never believe what they say in some paraphrase way “I wish I would have done this sooner,” or “I never knew this was even possible to not experience.”
This month, let’s stop sweeping those little dust bunnies under the rug and clean them up before they become a bigger issue
Why Am I Leaking When I Run?
We hear this often: “It only happens when “x scenario” happens” Some examples are, when you run, during a high impact workout, when you sneeze, at the end of the long day, or gosh dang it I couldn’t make it to the bathroom and piddled in my pants. Since its so minimal, its so easy to minimize. Unfortunately, leaking urine, even in those small occasional moments are warning signs that your pelvic floor muscles aren’t coordinated well with your pressure management system of your core. Is this common? Yes. Is this normal? Absolutely not. Is it fixable without surgery? More than likely.
Urinary Leakage & Constipation
Pain Only in Certain Positions
Another spring-cleaning item that constantly gets brushed under the rug is pain with intercourse. You may be telling yourself “It’s just hormones,” “maybe I just need to relax more or have more wine,” “it’s not every time, so it’s probably fine.” Positional pain can indicate muscle tension, scar restriction or coordination issues within the pelvic floor. Raise your hand if you’ve ever faked the Big O?! Talk about a buzz kill. These are all treatable with pelvic floor physical therapy. Remember above how we talked about women being nurturers and men being the fixers? Guess what, if your partner only understood how much fear-avoidance you had because it hurt, he more than likely would want you to “get it fixed.” You don’t have to wait until it’s severe to seek help.
Heaviness or Pressure at the End of the Day
Let me ask you this: Do you ever feel a dragging sensation down south? Pelvic pressure after being on your feet? Increased pelvic pressure on Day 2 of your cycle? Like something feels “different” by the evening? These signs of heaviness can be an early sign of pelvic organ prolapse or pelvic floor fatigue/weakness. The earlier it’s addressed, the better the outcomes. Again, even if it’s been present for years, there is still work that can be done with pelvic floor therapy.
Lower Back Pain That Won’t Fully Resolve
You’ve tried “all the things”: stretching, chiropractic care, core workouts, massage, and even traditional PT and yet, your back pain keeps returning. Your pelvic floor might be the missing piece to the puzzle. What I love about being a Doctor of Physical Therapy with advanced training in pelvic health, I am able to look at more than just isolated symptoms. The pelvic floor works as part of your deep core system. You have the diaphragm up top, abdominal muscles and mid and low back muscles making the “trunk” and your pelvic floor down south, literally holding it all together. If the pelvic floor is underactive, overactive, or poorly coordinated, it can contribute to ongoing lower back discomfort. This is how pelvic floor therapy at Prosper Physical Therapy in Sioux Falls can offer a more comprehensive solution by not missing any of the puzzle pieces.
Tampon Discomfort or Difficulty Inserting
Who wants to talk about a tampon? Not many, so instead you resort to Google for questions and answers. If tampons feel uncomfortable, don’t sit right, are difficult to insert (or remove), or cause pain of any sort. This is information you should not ignore. The same can be true for period discs, or period cups. Often this is linked to pelvic floor tension or coordination challenges that is absolutely treatable. Let’s make the cycle a more beautiful, cramp-free and pain-free time for you because we have plenty of other duties to worry about than mother nature’s flow.
Why Women in Sioux Falls Wait to Seek Pelvic Floor Therapy
We hear this all the time:
“I thought it was normal after kids.”
“I didn’t think it was bad enough.”
“I just assumed it was part of getting older.”
“My mom went through the same thing so I thought it was normal.”
If this sounds familiar, I promise you are not crazy or foolish. You’ve just never been taught differently. You only know what you know, and now you know more than you did 5 minutes ago from reading this blog. Pelvic floor therapy isn’t just for postpartum recovery or severe issues. It’s proactive care for women who want to move, exercise and live confidently (without spending money on Depends).
When Should You See a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist in Sioux Falls, SD
Remember, you don’t need: severe symptoms, a referral (South Dakota is a direct access state, yay!), or recently had a baby to truly benefit from pelvic floor PT. You simply need curiosity about why your body is giving you these signals you’ve swept under the rug. We truly love educating women on their body and connecting the dots. At Prosper Physical Therapy in Sioux Falls, SD, we work with women ages 25-45 who want answers, not just more pads, darker leggings, sweeping their symptoms under a rug or give “just deal with it” advice. So this spring, lets reset.
~ Dr. Sara Panek PT, DPT, PCES
Imagine This Instead
Running without worrying about leaking- Wearing your fun light-colored leggings
- Intimacy without fear or avoidance
- Standing at the end of the day without pressure
- Confidence in your workouts
Ready to Stop Sweeping It Under the Rug?
If you’re searching for pelvic floor therapy in Sioux Falls, SD because something feels “off,” this is your sign to explore it. Schedule your personalized evaluation today and take the first step towards feeling strong, supported, and confident in your own skin again.