Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Women: Causes, Symptoms, and How Physical Therapy Can Help

Katie Beckham • June 4, 2025

Ever felt like something just isn’t quite right down there, but couldn’t explain it? Maybe it’s a sudden leak when you laugh or sneeze, a deep ache you can’t locate, or discomfort during intimacy that no one ever warned you about. You’re not alone — and more importantly, you’re not stuck this way.

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is more common than most women realize. It shows up in different ways, sometimes subtle, sometimes loud, but always disruptive. Beckham Physical Therapy & Wellness specializes in helping women get real answers — and real relief — through one-on-one, holistic pelvic floor care in a private home setting.

If you’re seeking women’s pelvic floor dysfunction treatment in Memorial or care for endometriosis, prolapse, or sciatica around Spring Branch or Bunker Hill Villages, this guide is for you.


What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissue that support the bladder, uterus, rectum, and urethra. These muscles help you control urination, bowel movements, posture, core strength, and sexual function.

Pelvic floor dysfunction happens when these muscles aren’t coordinating properly — sometimes they’re too tight, sometimes too weak, and sometimes they’re just not working when they should. It results in a wide range of symptoms that can affect your entire body and quality of life.


Types of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (and What They Mean)

Pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t a single condition — it’s a group of problems that fall into a few main categories:

1. Overactive (Hypertonic) Pelvic Floor

Muscles are too tight or in spasm, often without you realizing it. This can cause:

  • Painful sex or tampon use
  • Constipation or straining to empty
  • Urinary urgency or frequency
  • Deep aching in the pelvis, hips, or tailbone

Common diagnoses here include:

  • Levator ani syndrome: a deep ache or pressure in the pelvic floor that’s hard to pinpoint
  • Coccygodynia: persistent tailbone pain, especially when sitting
  • Proctalgia fugax: sudden, sharp rectal pain that comes and goes
  • Paradoxical puborectalis contraction: a fancy way of saying your muscles squeeze when they should relax during a bowel movement

2. Underactive (Hypotonic) Pelvic Floor

These muscles are too weak or stretched out to do their job. You might notice:

  • Leaking urine when you laugh, sneeze, or run
  • Pelvic pressure or the sensation of something "falling down"
  • Pelvic organ prolapse — when the uterus, bladder, or rectum bulges into the vaginal canal
  • Rectocele — when part of the rectum pushes into the vaginal wall, making bowel movements difficult
  • Obstructed defecation — needing to strain or press near the vagina to pass stool

3. Poor Coordination

Some women don’t have tightness or weakness — their muscles just don’t fire in sync. That can make it hard to fully empty your bladder or bowels and can cause chronic straining, pain, or urgency.


What Causes Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

It’s rarely just one thing. Often it’s a perfect storm of physical, hormonal, and emotional factors. Here are the most common:

  • Pregnancy and childbirth (both vaginal and C-section deliveries)
  • Endometriosis and related pelvic inflammation
  • Surgical trauma (like hysterectomy or pelvic repairs)
  • Chronic constipation or straining
  • Heavy lifting, high-impact exercise, or prolonged sitting
  • Menopause, due to hormonal tissue changes
  • Stress and trauma, which can cause muscles to reflexively tighten

Many of the women I work with in Spring Branch and Bunker Hill Villages have lived with symptoms for years, unsure where to go or what to call it. That’s what I am here for.


Common Symptoms — You Don’t Have to Live With These

Pelvic floor dysfunction can show up in ways you might not connect to your pelvic muscles. If any of this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with PFD:

  • A feeling of heaviness or bulging in your pelvis
  • Leaking urine when you sneeze, laugh, or exercise
  • Pain during intercourse
  • Trouble emptying your bladder or bowels
  • Constipation or needing to strain or push
  • A deep aching in the hips, lower back, or tailbone
  • Burning or stinging in the pelvic region
  • Sciatica-like pain in the glutes or down the leg

Sometimes PFD coexists with conditions like interstitial cystitis, IBS, or endometriosis, making it even harder to untangle. That’s why a whole-body, individualized approach is essential.


How Physical Therapy Can Help

At Beckham Physical Therapy & Wellness, pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t treated in isolation. I don’t look at just your symptoms — I look at your whole story. From how you breathe to how you walk, from your birth history to your nervous system tone, everything is connected.

In my one-on-one sessions, I take the time to understand how your body is working and then work gently to restore function and safety.

Here’s what women’s pelvic floor physical therapy in Spring Branch and surrounding areas often includes:

  • Hands-on internal and external manual therapy to release tension, improve blood flow, and support muscle balance
  • Fascial and scar tissue work, especially important after C-sections, episiotomies, endometriosis, or pelvic surgery
  • Breath retraining and postural cueing, to reconnect your diaphragm, core, and pelvic floor
  • Manual lymphatic work to reduce inflammation and fluid congestion
  • Dry needling (when appropriate) to reset overactive muscles and release deep trigger points
  • Functional movement retraining, to help you sit, stand, move, and lift without symptoms
  • Bladder and bowel education, tailored to your habits and rhythms
  • Nervous system support techniques for those holding tension from trauma, stress, or pain conditioning

For women navigating endometriosis in Bunker Hill Villages, pelvic physical therapy helps reduce protective muscle guarding, improve fascial mobility, and decrease pain flares.

And if you’re dealing with sciatica pain in Spring Branch, pelvic-focused therapy may be the missing piece, especially when the culprit is deep pelvic or hip rotator muscle tension (like the obturator internus or piriformis), not your spine.


Why My Approach Is Different

This isn’t a clinic with fluorescent lights, a crowded schedule, or awkward conversations behind thin curtains.

At Beckham Physical Therapy & Wellness, I offer private, one-on-one care in a comfortable home setting. Every session is intentional, trauma-informed, and built around trust.

I’ve worked with women who’ve gone years without answers — women who’ve had children, surgeries, trauma, or just persistent pain they’ve been told to live with. Here, you’re seen as a whole person, not a pelvic floor.

This is physical therapy — but more grounded, more personal, and more whole-body than you’ve likely experienced before.


You Don’t Have to Tolerate Pain, Leaks, or Pressure

Pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t just “something women live with.” It’s something I treat. With real results, not just reassurance.


If you’re ready to explore women’s pelvic floor dysfunction treatment in Memorial or get care for endometriosis, prolapse, or sciatica pain in Spring Branch or Bunker Hill Villages, I am here to help.



You deserve to feel strong, supported, and at home in your body. Let’s begin there.



By Katie Beckham May 28, 2025
Most men rarely think about their pelvic floor—until something starts to feel off. Whether it's persistent groin pain, frequent trips to the bathroom, discomfort during intimacy, or unexplained lower back or hip pain, these issues are often silently endured and misunderstood. What many don’t realize is that these symptoms may be tied to a condition called pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) . This condition is more common than most people—and many healthcare providers—realize. Thankfully, with the right care, it’s also highly treatable. What Is Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction? The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue at the base of your pelvis. In men, these muscles support important organs, including the bladder, rectum, and prostate, and are critical for bowel and bladder control, sexual function, and core stability. Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when these muscles are too tight, too weak, or poorly coordinated . Instead of relaxing properly to allow urination or bowel movements, the muscles stay tense, leading to a wide range of symptoms that may affect everyday life. Common Symptoms in Men Pelvic floor dysfunction can show up differently for each person, but most symptoms fall into one or more of the following categories: Urinary Issues Frequent urge to urinate with little output Hesitation or difficulty starting the urine stream A sensation of incomplete bladder emptying Pain or burning during or after urination Dribbling after urination Bowel Dysfunction Constipation or straining during bowel movements A feeling of incomplete evacuation Pain before, during, or after bowel movements Gas or stool leakage Sexual Dysfunction Pain with arousal or ejaculation Erectile dysfunction or trouble maintaining erections Testicular, penile, or perineal pain Numbness or decreased sensation during sex Musculoskeletal Pain Pain in the perineum, tailbone, or sit bones Lower abdominal or groin pain Hip, lower back, or sacroiliac joint discomfort Tightness in the inner thighs or pelvic muscles These symptoms can be confusing and deeply personal, often leading men to delay seeking help. At Beckham Physical Therapy and Wellness, I frequently work with individuals who have struggled in silence for months or even years. Why the Condition Often Goes Undiagnosed One of the most frustrating realities of male pelvic floor dysfunction is how often it’s misdiagnosed . Many men are treated repeatedly for prostatitis , often with rounds of antibiotics—even when there’s no infection present. Unfortunately, most urologists receive little or no training in pelvic floor disorders during medical school, which means they may not recognize when muscle dysfunction, not infection, is the root cause. In fact, studies show that men with pelvic pain often spend up to seven years seeking an accurate diagnosis. During this time, symptoms may worsen, and quality of life may decline. This is why finding a knowledgeable pelvic floor therapist for men in Bellaire, Texas, is so crucial. What Causes Male Pelvic Floor Dysfunction? The causes of pelvic floor dysfunction can vary. Often, multiple contributing factors are at play. Some of the most common include: Post-surgical trauma (such as prostatectomy or vasectomy) Orthopedic injuries (spine, hip, or pelvic injuries) Excessive exercise or poor lifting mechanics Chronic constipation or habitual straining Long hours of sitting or a sedentary lifestyle Psychological stress, anxiety, or trauma Practices like jelqing or attempts at genital enhancement Not every case is tied to a dramatic event—sometimes, it’s the accumulation of stress, poor posture, or muscular imbalance over time. How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Helps The good news? Pelvic floor dysfunction is highly treatable, without surgery or medication. Working with a trained pelvic floor specialist allows men to address the root of the problem, not just the symptoms. As a leading pelvic floor physical therapist in Memorial, Texas , my approach includes: Manual therapy to release tight or spastic muscles Neuromuscular retraining to improve muscle coordination Breathwork and core training to restore pelvic stability Education on bladder/bowel habits, posture, and stress management Personalized exercise programs to support recovery at home I treat each individual holistically, recognizing that the pelvic floor is interconnected with the rest of the body—and that healing often involves addressing emotional and psychological components, too. Why Choose Beckham Physical Therapy and Wellness At Beckham Physical Therapy and Wellness, I specialize in one-on-one pelvic health care for both men and women. My setting in West Memorial is private, welcoming, and designed to put patients at ease. Many of my male clients tell me it’s the first time they’ve felt truly heard and understood. I’m proud to be a trusted pelvic floor therapist for men in Bellaire, Texas , offering: Over 40 years of clinical experience More than 15 years dedicated exclusively to pelvic health Gentle, evidence-based techniques Individualized treatment plans in a relaxed home-based setting And while this blog focuses on men’s health, I also offer expert care from a pelvic floor physical therapist for women in Memorial, TX , addressing conditions such as postpartum recovery, incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, intercourse pain, endometriosis, and more. Whether you're navigating new symptoms or have been searching for answers for years, I am here to support your journey. Take the First Step Toward Relief If you’re experiencing pelvic pain, urinary urgency, bowel issues, or sexual discomfort, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to keep guessing. These are treatable conditions, and recovery is absolutely possible. Connect with a compassionate, experienced pelvic floor physical therapist in Memorial, Texas, who understands the unique challenges men face. At Beckham Physical Therapy and Wellness, I’m here to help you get back to living fully and comfortably. Relief begins with the right support. Schedule your consultation today.
By Katie Beckham February 24, 2025
HOUSTON – The pelvic floor is a set of muscles that works as a support system for the organs of the pelvis, including the bladder and the uterus. As those muscles weaken, the organs can fall south. However, new therapies allow for physical therapists to teach patients how to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and eliminate a lot of problems. During a consultation for pelvic floor physical therapy, Katie Beckham, Houston Methodist West Hospital pelvic floor physical therapist, tells women how it works. She said weakening or over-tightening of the pelvic floor can happen after having children, after cancer treatments or simply with age. “One of the biggest mistakes people make, trying to pull up and exercise the pelvic floor but they’re holding their breath,” Beckham explained. ‘Then we perform the activity like picking up our grandchild carrier seat, we have to let that pressure out somewhere or we’re going to dribble.” Lacking support in the pelvic floor can lead to lower back pain, urine urgency or difficulty emptying the bladder. “A physical therapist that specializes in this, teaches a patient how to maintain its proper pressures, how to use body mechanics properly, how to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, how to let them go, how to let things in and out,” Beckham said. Beckham teaches that by showing patients which lower ab muscles to strengthen. “Tightening two big sets of muscles, the lower abs, which I teach as skinny jeans,” she explained. “So, if you want to put on a pair of size 2 jeans and you really need a 12, you’re going to have to hollow out your belly, you’re going to have to pull your belly button towards your spine.” Showing patients with an internal exam is an option. Although maybe awkward, Beckham said it leads to fast, positive results. “Then the other big set, I teach it like an elevator, it’s the pelvic floor muscles, those are the muscles that shore up and close the opening to the urethra in the vagina and the rectum. So, we want to pull those up, it’s as if I had an exam finger in your vagina and I asked you to close the door of the elevator and pull the elevator up into your belly.” This kind of physical therapy can take anywhere from three weeks to three months. There are pelvic floor physical therapists at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas and these locations for Houston Methodist.