Pelvic Floor Therapy 

7 Conditions Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Treat

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue spanning the base of the pelvis that supports the bladder, bowel, uterus, and rectum while playing a central role in urinary control, bowel function, sexual health, and core stability. When the pelvic floor is not functioning properly – whether due to weakness, excessive tightness, injury, or neuromuscular dysfunction – the effects reach into nearly every area of daily life. Santa Fe pelvic floor therapy with licensed physical therapist and certified specialist Jacqueline Maestas, DPT at Santa Fe Pelvic Therapy offers effective, noninvasive treatment for a wide range of conditions rooted in pelvic floor dysfunction. Here are seven of the most common conditions that pelvic floor therapy treats successfully.

#1. Pelvic Floor Therapy for Urinary Issues

Urinary problems are among the most frequently treated conditions in Santa Fe pelvic floor therapy – and among the most life-altering when left unaddressed. Stress urinary incontinence, which causes leakage with sneezing, coughing, laughing, or physical activity, occurs when the pelvic floor muscles are insufficient to support the urethra under sudden increases in abdominal pressure. Urge incontinence produces a sudden, intense need to urinate that is difficult to defer and often results in leakage before reaching a restroom.

Frequent urination and difficulty fully emptying the bladder are also common presentations of pelvic floor dysfunction. Pelvic floor therapy addresses these conditions through targeted strengthening, coordination training, bladder retraining techniques, and manual therapy to restore the neuromuscular control that healthy urinary function requires. Research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has found that pelvic floor physical therapy reduces stress urinary incontinence symptoms in the majority of women who complete a full course of treatment.

#2. Pelvic Floor Therapy for Bowel Dysfunction

The pelvic floor plays an equally important role in bowel function as it does in urinary control, and pelvic floor dysfunction is a common and underrecognized contributor to bowel problems including chronic constipation, fecal incontinence, and pain during bowel movements. Paradoxical puborectalis syndrome – a condition in which the pelvic floor contracts instead of relaxing during defecation attempts – is a frequent cause of chronic constipation that pelvic floor therapy addresses directly through biofeedback, manual techniques, and coordination retraining.

Fecal incontinence, which can result from childbirth injury, rectal prolapse, or pelvic floor weakness, responds well to the strengthening and neuromuscular retraining components of Santa Fe pelvic floor therapy. Jacqueline Maestas, DPT provides a thorough assessment of each patient’s specific bowel dysfunction pattern before developing a treatment plan targeted precisely at the underlying pelvic floor contributors.

#3. Pelvic Floor Therapy for Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain – including pain in the tailbone (coccydynia), pubic bone, hip region, or throughout the lower pelvis – is one of the most challenging and frequently mismanaged conditions in women’s health, often going undiagnosed or undertreated for years. Pelvic floor therapy is a frontline treatment for many forms of chronic pelvic pain, addressing the muscular and fascial tension, trigger points, and nerve sensitization that drive persistent discomfort.

Conditions including endometriosis, vulvodynia, provoked vestibulodynia, interstitial cystitis, and pelvic floor hypertonia all have pelvic floor physical therapy components that meaningfully reduce pain and improve quality of life. At Santa Fe Pelvic Therapy, Jacqueline Maestas uses a combination of internal and external manual therapy, soft tissue mobilization, and neuromuscular techniques to systematically address the specific sources of each patient’s pelvic pain.

#4. Pelvic Floor Therapy for Sexual Function

Painful intercourse (dyspareunia), vaginismus, and reduced sexual sensation are all conditions with direct pelvic floor contributions that respond well to specialized Santa Fe pelvic floor therapy. Vaginismus – the involuntary contraction of vaginal muscles in anticipation of or during penetration – is one of the most treatable causes of painful sex, yet one that many women suffer with for years without receiving an accurate diagnosis or appropriate referral.

Pelvic floor therapy for sexual dysfunction uses progressive desensitization, myofascial release, neuromuscular re-education, and dilator therapy to systematically restore comfortable function and help patients reclaim intimacy. A systematic review published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine confirmed that pelvic floor physical therapy produces significant improvements in pain, sexual satisfaction, and overall sexual function in women with dyspareunia and related disorders.

#5. Pelvic Floor Therapy for Pregnancy and Postpartum

Pregnancy and childbirth place extraordinary demands on the pelvic floor, and Santa Fe pelvic floor therapy is valuable both in preparing the body for delivery and in restoring function afterward. During pregnancy, pelvic floor therapy addresses round ligament pain, pubic symphysis dysfunction, sacroiliac joint pain, and urinary leakage – all common complaints that respond well to manual therapy and targeted exercise.

Prenatal pelvic floor preparation, including perineal massage and relaxation training, has been shown to reduce the risk of severe perineal tearing during vaginal delivery. Postpartum pelvic floor therapy supports recovery from vaginal births and cesarean sections alike, addressing scar tissue mobilization, diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and bowel dysfunction, and the return to comfortable sexual activity. Jacqueline Maestas, DPT guides Santa Fe patients through every phase of this transition with individualized, evidence-based care.

#6. Pelvic Floor Therapy for Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when one or more of the pelvic organs – the bladder, uterus, or rectum – descends from its normal position due to weakened pelvic floor support, creating sensations of pressure, heaviness, or bulging in the vaginal area. Prolapse is extremely common, affecting an estimated 50% of women who have delivered vaginally to some degree, according to research published in the International Urogynecology Journal. Pelvic floor therapy for prolapse focuses on rebuilding the supportive capacity of the pelvic floor muscles through progressive strengthening, posture and pressure management education, and functional movement retraining to reduce the intra-abdominal forces that worsen prolapse over time.

While pelvic floor therapy does not reverse structural prolapse, it can significantly reduce symptoms, slow progression, and in many cases allow patients to avoid or delay surgical repair. Jacqueline Maestas provides expert prolapse-specific pelvic floor therapy for women throughout Santa Fe, NM.

#7. Pelvic Floor Therapy for Surgical Recovery

Gynecological and abdominal surgeries – including hysterectomy, myomectomy, cesarean section, bladder suspension procedures, and prolapse repair surgeries – all create scar tissue and disrupt the neuromuscular patterns of the pelvic floor in ways that can persist long after the surgical incision has healed. Pelvic floor therapy following these procedures addresses internal and external scar tissue adhesions that restrict movement and cause pain, restores coordinated muscle function that surgical trauma may have altered, and rebuilds the pelvic floor strength and control needed for full return to daily activities, exercise, and intimacy.

Beginning pelvic floor therapy at the appropriate point in the post-surgical healing timeline – as determined by the treating physician and Jacqueline Maestas, DPT in collaboration – consistently produces better long-term functional outcomes than surgery followed by no specialized rehabilitation.

Pelvic Floor Therapy | Santa Fe, NM

Schedule Your Pelvic Floor Therapy Evaluation with Jacqueline Maestas, DPT

If any of the conditions described above are affecting your quality of life, Santa Fe pelvic floor therapy may be the most effective and least invasive treatment available to you. Jacqueline Maestas, DPT at Santa Fe Pelvic Therapy brings advanced clinical training, genuine expertise, and a compassionate approach to every patient evaluation and treatment. Schedule an appointment today and take the first step toward better function, less pain, and a higher quality of daily life.

Santa Fe Pelvic Floor Therapy: 505-988-4922