Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy: what it is and why it matters

Pelvic pain is an invisible struggle for many women, often misunderstood, dismissed, or simply endured in silence. For those navigating this deeply personal health challenge, pelvic floor physical therapy offers hope—not as a quick fix, but as a medically grounded, empowering path toward lasting relief.

Pelvic pain can be disruptive and isolating. It affects how you move, sit, exercise, go to the bathroom, or engage in intimacy. It can shadow your everyday life, silently impacting your well-being and confidence. But here’s the truth: pelvic pain is common, and more importantly, treatable. One of the most effective and evidence-based treatments available today is pelvic floor physical therapy.

This guide is designed to help you understand what pelvic floor therapy is, how it works, and why it might be the solution you've been searching for. You deserve answers, and more importantly, you deserve care.

What is the pelvic floor and why does it hurt?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues that form a supportive base across the bottom of your pelvis. These muscles are responsible for vital functions.

The pelvic floor supports your bladder, uterus, and bowel, and plays a key role in continence, sexual function, and stability in your core and hips. Like any other muscles in the body, the pelvic floor can weaken, tighten, or stop functioning properly, leading to pain and dysfunction.

Pelvic pain can stem from various causes. Childbirth is a significant factor for many, especially if there was tearing, extended pushing, or the use of instruments during delivery. Surgery in the pelvic region, such as a C-section or hysterectomy, can also affect the muscles and nerves in the area. Hormonal changes, especially during perimenopause and menopause, can influence tissue health and muscle tone. Sometimes, trauma (both physical or emotional) can lead to chronic pelvic tension that causes pain over time.

Other times, the exact source of the pain is harder to pinpoint. The discomfort may come and go or persist for months or years. Regardless of the cause, the message remains the same: pelvic pain is valid, and it’s worth treating.

How pelvic floor physical therapy works

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a specialized form of therapy that focuses on the muscles, joints, and nerves of the pelvic region. It is tailored specifically to help women manage and reduce pelvic pain by addressing the underlying dysfunction in these tissues. This kind of therapy is delivered by Pelvic Health Specialists, each holding a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.

During treatment, the therapist works with you to retrain how the pelvic floor muscles engage, relax, and coordinate with the rest of the body. This may include learning how to properly contract and release these muscles, improving posture and breathing patterns, and strengthening surrounding areas such as the hips and core. Manual therapy techniques performed externally or internally may also be used to release muscle tension or improve tissue mobility. The process is gradual and respectful of your comfort at every step.

Every therapy plan is highly personalized. No two bodies are the same, and neither are the treatment journeys.

Some women may focus on calming overactive muscles, while others work on building strength and stability. What ties it all together is the commitment to helping you feel more in control of your body—and less defined by your pain.

The benefits of PFPT for pelvic pain

One of the most powerful outcomes of pelvic floor therapy is simply relief. Women can find relief from pain that has lingered too long without answers. But the benefits extend beyond discomfort. Many women experience improved bladder and bowel control, reduced pressure or heaviness in the pelvis, and more comfortable or enjoyable intimacy. Others find they can return to exercise or daily movement without fear or hesitation.

This kind of therapy doesn’t just treat a symptom; it addresses the root causes behind that symptom. By restoring function in muscles that are either too tight, too weak, or uncoordinated, PFPT offers sustainable progress. It empowers women to move through life with greater confidence, both physically and emotionally.

Why many women don’t get the care they need

Despite its effectiveness, pelvic floor physical therapy remains underutilized. A key reason is lack of awareness. Many women don’t know that their symptoms—like painful sex, persistent pressure, or urinary urgency—are treatable conditions with names, diagnoses, and solutions. They’ve been told it’s “just part of being a woman” or something to accept as a normal part of aging or motherhood.

Stigma and discomfort around talking about pelvic health also play a role. These conversations can feel awkward, even taboo. But that silence often leads to prolonged suffering. Access is another barrier. In some areas, pelvic health specialists are few and far between, and waiting lists can stretch for months. Transportation, child care, and work obligations can make regular in-person appointments hard to maintain.

The result? Too many women are left trying to manage their pain alone, navigating a fragmented healthcare system that doesn’t always prioritize their unique needs.

Digital pelvic health care is the discrete and simple alternative 

Digital pelvic health programs have emerged as a powerful solution to close these gaps in care. By combining expert clinical support with the convenience of technology, these programs allow women to access high-quality pelvic floor recovery programs from home. 

That means no long commutes, no crowded clinics, and no need to rearrange your schedule to get support. Women are able to complete their exercises from home or any place that suits their needs. 

Privacy is a significant advantage. The sensitivity of meeting a clinician in person in an unfamiliar setting can discourage people from seeking help. Some women are more comfortable starting their pelvic health journey from the safety and discretion of home. 

Digital care platforms like Sword Bloom also offer consistent access to pelvic health specialists, so patients still get access to expert care and ongoing support. With Bloom,  every step of the treatment plan is guided by a pelvic health specialist. Rather than the in-clinic visit, therapists communicate with their patients through the Bloom app, reconfiguring programs based on the progress over time.

More than anything, digital pelvic health care makes it easier, faster, and less intimidating to access treatment. Digital alternatives to traditional in-clinic pelvic health physical therapy like Sword Bloom bring a compassionate and accessible option. This means less women avoid treatment, and program adherence increases over time, leading to stronger recovery rates (and lower healthcare costs).

How Bloom by Sword Health works

Bloom is Sword Health’s digital pelvic health solution, designed specifically for women navigating issues like pelvic pain, bladder leaks, and postpartum recovery. What sets Bloom apart is its blend of clinical excellence, personalized care, and privacy-first design.

When you start with Bloom, you’re matched with a Pelvic Health Specialist holding a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Together, you’ll create a treatment plan tailored to your body, your symptoms, and your goals. Through the app, you’ll access guided exercises, education, and one-on-one support—all from the comfort of home. There’s no guessing or generic advice—just science-backed care designed around you.

Bloom is built to be discreet, supportive, and clinically sound. Whether you’ve been struggling for years or are just starting to seek answers, Bloom is a safe and empowering place to begin.

Bloom’s 4-step pelvic health treatment process

1. Check your benefits coverage: members check if they are covered. If yes, they complete the enrollment form.
2. Meet your Pelvic Health Specialist: next you will meet virtually with a specialist to give some more details about your pain or discomfort so that your program can be tailored to your specific health goals.
3. Bloom kit is shipped: your kit is shipped to your door, including the Bloom Pod, which is then paired with the Sword Health app.
4. Recovery begins from the comfort of home: members work on their tailored recovery program to find relief from pelvic symptoms 

Is PFPT right for you?

If you’ve been living with pelvic pain, whether it’s occasional or persistent, you might be wondering if pelvic floor physical therapy could help. 

The answer is often yes.

PFPT is appropriate for a wide range of symptoms and conditions. These include pain during or after sex, discomfort while sitting, urinary urgency or leaking, feelings of pressure or heaviness in the pelvis, and lingering postpartum issues. It’s also a valuable tool for women preparing for childbirth or recovering afterward.

What makes PFPT especially impactful is its holistic approach. It doesn’t just address one part of the body in isolation. Instead, it looks at how your entire musculoskeletal system works together and how tension, weakness, or imbalance in the pelvic region affects your overall function and well-being. If you’ve seen multiple providers, tried different treatments, or been told there’s nothing wrong despite ongoing discomfort, PFPT could offer the clarity and results you’ve been missing.

Many women don’t realize that these symptoms aren’t just common, they are treatable. Living with pelvic pain isn’t something you need to normalize or push through. 

You deserve answers, and you deserve care that listens, responds, and evolves with you. Whether your symptoms are new or long-standing, gentle and consistent therapy can help restore comfort and confidence in your everyday life.

A digital pelvic health solution like Bloom is so easy to use, eliminating the barrier of scheduling and appointment, commuting to a clinic, and working through a challenging conversation in an unfamiliar environment.Many women have Sword Bloom treatment covered through their employer with no additional payment required. You can check your eligibility in moments. 

Find out if you’re eligible for Bloom

If any part of this resonates with you, it might be time to take the next step. Pelvic floor physical therapy has helped thousands of women reclaim comfort and control. And now, thanks to digital solutions like Bloom, access to this care has never been more achievable.

Bloom by Sword Health combines expert clinical guidance with privacy, flexibility, and convenience. There’s no need to wait months for an appointment or rearrange your life to get care. Instead, you can begin from home with one-on-one support from lyour matched pelvic health specialist and a personalized plan built around your goals.

You might even be eligible to access Bloom through your existing healthcare benefits. Sword partners with health plans and employers to provide this program at no cost to many members. To see if you qualify, check your eligibility online in just a few minutes.

Take the next step toward relief.

Check your coverage to find out if Bloom is available to you at no cost through your health plan. You don’t have to live with pelvic pain. Help is here and it starts with one simple check.