Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction stems from pressure mis-managed pressure in the core and low pelvic organs. All day we are exposed to increased pressure from our lives and daily activities. Almost everything increases the pressure in the core- talking, laughing, sneezing, moving, walking, running, lifting and more. If the core muscles are unable to appropriately manage this repetitive daily pressure, the load is taken by the organs instead of the muscles, leading to compressed and low organs. When the pelvic organs are low- they compress the pelvic floor muscles and deprive them of blood flow. When the pelvic floor muscles are deprived of blood flow, a wide variety of symptoms can manifest. If this situation persists overtime, pelvic floor dysfunction is the result. 

The most common pelvic floor muscle problem is muscle spasm.

A muscle spasm is when a muscle gets stuck in a contraction and can’t relax on its own. The technical term for this is pelvic floor hypertonicity. Another way to say it is a pelvic floor that is “too tight”. During pelvic floor muscle spasm, the pelvic floor muscles are essentially frozen; they can’t move up and they can’t move down. They also have difficulty closing and opening around the sphincters. A muscle with a shortened range of motion like this is weak and unable to function properly. When the pelvic floor muscles are weak, the pelvic fascia becomes chronically loaded, and it weakens as well.

In over a decade of treating people with pelvic floor dysfunction, I have come to see that 99% of people with pelvic floor dysfunction have a pelvic floor that is too “tight”. I know what you’re thinking - “Don’t we want a tight pelvic floor? Isn't a tight muscle stronger?” The answer is NO. If a muscle is too “tight” or stuck in a contraction, also known as a spasm, then it does not get as much blood flow, it cannot move through its full and necessary range of motion, and is therefore much weaker.

When the pelvic floor doesn't have the blood and oxygen supply necessary to perform its duties, symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction start to manifest.

Open the next question to learn all the signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction. 

Pelvic floor dysfunction manifests in so many different ways that you may not even realize are connected to your pelvic health! Here are the top symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction:

• Hip, back, pelvic, abdominal or tailbone pain

• Leaking of bladder or bowel

• Difficulty emptying bladder or bowel

• Urgency or frequency

• Constipation

• Prolapse

• Varicose veins in the legs or perineum

• Bloating

• Recurrent UTIs

• Recurrent yeast or bacterial infections

• Painful periods

• Menstrual irregularities and fertility issues

• Asthma or chronic coughing

• Pain with sex

• Difficulty achieving orgasm

Kegels are often prescribed as the go-to solution for pelvic floor dysfunction, but they fail to address the root cause of the problem. In many cases, pelvic floor dysfunction is caused by muscle spasms, poor posture, improper breathing, and fascia imbalances—issues that Kegels can actually make worse.

Since the majority of pelvic floor muscle fibers are involuntary, you must go through the involuntary nervous system to train and rehab them. Kegels use the voluntary nervous system to activate the voluntary muscle fibers of the pelvic floor- which is only 20% and completely misses 80% of the pelvic floor. You can not rehab an involuntary problem (pelvic floor dysfunction) through the voluntary nervous system. 

In order to activate and rehab 100% of the pelvic floor muscle fibers, you must elicit their reflexive activation. And this reflexive activation of the pelvic floor is triggered by posture and breathing (not Kegels!) Too many kegels can actually inhibit the reflexive activation of the pelvic floor and will make the pelvic floor even weaker. 

True healing requires a whole-body approach that retrains your breath and posture to always trigger optimal core and pelvic floor muscle activation all day long without you thinking about it! 

The Core Recovery Method® goes beyond Kegels, using proven techniques that target reflexive activation of the deep core, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and nervous system to unlock lasting relief. 

There is so much you can do to heal the pelvic floor dysfunction! Here are the top 6 practices that I teach inside The Core Recovery Method® that heal pelvic floor for good: 

1. Restore optimal posture and breathing patterns. Since the pelvic floor muscles are comprised of primarily involuntary muscle fibers, the majority of their functional activation throughout our day is triggered by reflexes in our bodies. And the reflexes that trigger proper pelvic floor muscle activation are POSTURE and BREATHING. So in order to rehabilitate a pelvic floor that is dysfunctional, postural and breath training are absolutely non-negotiable. Without posture and breath training, pelvic floor and core exercises will not transfer functionally to your day to day life.

2. Focus on lifting and centering your pelvic organs. Organ position is often not taken into consideration in medicine and rehab, but it is a major contributing factor to all pelvic health issues! The position of your pelvic organs will influence their function, as well as the function of your pelvic floor muscles. When your pelvic organs are in their best position in your body- they receive optimal blood flow, lymph flow and nerve flow- and therefore, their function will improve. If your pelvic organs are sitting too low, and/or are leaning to one side of your pelvis or the other- they pelvic floor muscles become compressed, they don’t get as much oxygen, and overtime become weak. So lifting and centering your pelvic organs will greatly improve the function of your pelvic floor muscles.

3. Be sure to regularly reduce intra-abdominal pressure. The mis-management of pressure in your abdomen is the biggest leading cause of pelvic floor muscle spasm and subsequent pelvic floor dysfunction. The diaphragm and the pelvic floor are the two structures responsible for management of intra-abdominal pressure. Their coordinated movement is what keeps the pelvic organs in place and stabilizes the spine when the pressure increases in our abdomen. As humans walking around upright against gravity, the pressure is constantly increasing in our abdomen. The pelvic floor and the diaphragm need to manage this pressure appropriately, and if they don’t, a host of pelvic floor dysfunctions can occur. So in order to successfully treat pelvic floor dysfunction, the pressure in the abdomen must be reduced on a regular basis.

4. Treat the entire Core. Don’t isolate the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is only one part of a whole system that contributes to the pelvic health. The other muscles that play a major role in pelvic floor dysfunction are: the diaphragm, the abdominals, the spinal muscles, the muscles of the rib cage and shoulder blades, the muscles of the hips, and the glute muscles. Treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction needs to address all of these other muscles and ensure they are working in unison with the pelvic floor- to manage pressure in the abdomen, keep the organs in their ideal position, and stabilize the spine.

5. Eliminate trigger points in the core and pelvic floor muscles. Trigger points are areas in a muscle where the muscle fibers are stuck in a “knot.” Trigger points deprive the muscle of adequate blood flow and oxygen, reduce the muscle’s ranges of motion, decrease the muscle’s strength, and can cause pain other sensory symptoms. So eliminating trigger points in the core and pelvic floor muscles will lead to improved neuromuscular function and strength. Trigger points can be eliminated through a variety of methods including manual therapy, rolling and stretching.

6. Strengthen the core muscles and core fascia through reflexive coordinated rhythmic activation. Targeting the involuntary nervous system through breath work is the absolute key to successfully treating pelvic floor dysfunction. Since the pelvic floor has very unique anatomical characteristics - it’s primarily involuntary and mostly fascia- the way we strengthen it needs to reflect that. Breathing is the way we create reflexive core and pelvic floor muscle activation, and posture is how we unload the pelvic floor and strengthen its fascia. When core and pelvic floor muscle activation is rhythmically elicited through these reflexes, while optimal postural endurance is strengthened - true pelvic floor rehab occurs. 

When these 6 components are implemented together to treat pelvic floor dysfunction - pelvic floor muscle spasm is resolved, optimal tone of the pelvic floor muscles is restored, and pelvic floor dysfunction is truly rehabilitated because the root cause of pelvic floor dysfunction is addressed.

Unlike many generic programs, The Core Recovery Method® was created by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and has been tested and proven by thousands of patients over the past decade. Designed by a mom, for moms, this method delivers real results—helping you reclaim your body, confidence, and strength without endless workouts or temporary fixes.

The secret? Organ positioning. If you’ve struggled with bloating, a stubborn low belly pooch, or persistent pelvic floor issues—even after PT—your organ alignment may be the missing link. The Core Recovery Method® focuses on realigning, elevating, and detoxifying your organs, giving you lasting relief from leaks, pressure, and core weakness so you can feel strong, supported, and symptom-free for good.

The Core Recovery Method® is a proven, science-backed, step-by-step program that restores pelvic floor function by addressing the root cause—not just the symptoms. Through a combination of breathwork, targeted abdominal massage, trigger point release, and postural training this method helps heal your pelvic floor muscles, improve bladder control, optimize digestion and elimination, relieve pressure, and eliminate pain—naturally.

I’ve witnessed thousands of my patients resolve pelvic floor dysfunction through the combination of techniques taught The Core Recovery Method®.

No! Too many Kegels can actually make pelvic floor muscle dysfunction worse! Especially if you have a tight pelvic floor (which most people do). The pelvic floor muscles never activate in isolation, so training them to activate in isolation (like is done in Kegels) will do nothing to solve the problem. 

The pelvic floor muscles are the base of a coordinated and amazing system called the "core unit". To heal the pelvic floor, it must be integrated back into the core unit through reflexive activation. The single best exercise for achieving this is hypopressive training. You can learn this technique and more inside The Core Recovery Method®. 

Healing your pelvic floor is actually involves your entire body- from your head to your toes. The comprehensive protocol taught in The Core Recovery Method® helps you assess your pelvic floor function and uses powerful exercises to restore strength, function, and coordination—whether your muscles are weak, tight, or misaligned.

Yes! Bladder leaks (stress incontinence) and pelvic organ prolapse are always associated with, pressure mismanagement, and weak or imbalanced pelvic floor muscles. The Core Recovery Method® teaches you exactly how to re-train your core muscles to lift and center your organs with every breath you take, allowing your pelvic floor muscles to function properly so you can regain control and confidence.

The entire Core Recovery Method® protocol is centered around lifting your organs and restoring circulation, function and strength to your pelvic floor. I have seen thousands of women heal prolapse permanently, and live leak-free with this protocol. And that's why I made it into an online program- so that I could share it with women everywhere. 

Every body is different, but most women start feeling improvements in just a few weeks. Often there is noticeable temporary relief immediately following the first few sessions, and the more repetitions you have of the protocol, the longer the relief lasts, until it becomes permanent. 

If you stick to the protocol, you can experience lasting relief from leaks, pain, and pelvic floor weakness in as little as 2-12 weeks. The key is consistency. Progress over perfection—this method is designed to fit into your lifestyle for sustainable healing.

Absolutely! Whether you’re postpartum (weeks, months, or years later), have had a C-section, hysterectomy, or pelvic surgery, The Core Recovery Method® is designed to gently and effectively rebuild strength and function at any stage of life. The program adapts to your body’s needs, helping you heal safely and effectively—no matter where you’re starting from.