What is Pelvic Health Physical Therapy?

When most patients first walk into my office, they’re hesitant. They avoid eye contact, their voices soft. They wonder if it’s okay to talk about things like bladder leaks, painful periods, or even discomfort during intimacy. It’s not the kind of thing you casually chat about, right? But here’s the truth: these conversations are not just okay—they’re necessary.

What you’re experiencing may be common, but it’s not normal. You don’t have to accept discomfort, pain, or embarrassment as part of your everyday life. And you’re not alone. Physical Therapy can help—without the need for medication or surgery—so you can get back to what you love.

Once we break the ice, something beautiful happens. My patients start to open up. They share their frustrations, their struggles, and the toll it’s taken on their lives—whether it’s missing workouts, struggling to care for their families, or feeling disconnected from themselves. Sometimes, there are tears. But what follows is a sense of hope and determination. Together, we create a plan tailored to their goals and dreams.

What Is Pelvic Health Physical Therapy?

Your pelvic floor is more than just a group of muscles. It’s your foundation for stability, organ support, continence, and sexual function. When these muscles aren’t working as they should, it can impact your daily life in ways you never imagined.

Did you know? 1 in every 3 women will develop pelvic floor dysfunction in their lifetime.

While it is very common, it’s certainly not normal and not something that you have to live with.

Symptoms include:

• Leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, or laugh.

• Constantly feeling like you “have to go.”

• Pain during intercourse or tampon use.

• Pelvic or low back pain.

• A heavy or full feeling in your pelvis.

The good news? These issues are treatable, and you don’t have to live with them.

Pelvic Health Physical Therapy: Supporting You Before and After Pregnancy

Pregnancy and childbirth are transformative—beautiful, yes, but also physically demanding.

Prenatal Care: During pregnancy, your body undergoes incredible changes. Pelvic health physical therapy can help prepare you for these changes with exercises, hands-on techniques, and education. We can ease discomfort, improve muscle function, and set you up for a smoother labor and recovery.

Postpartum Recovery: After delivery, many women face challenges like incontinence, pelvic pain, or diastasis recti (abdominal separation). Physical therapy helps rebuild strength, promote healing, and restore confidence.

Why Choose Us for Pelvic Health?

Not every physical therapy clinic offers specialized pelvic health care—but we do. At Advanced Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, our team is trained to provide compassionate, individualized care. We proudly serve Neenah, Appleton, and Ripon, WI, helping women reclaim their lives with confidence and strength.

Taking the First Step

We know it’s hard to make that first call. It can feel overwhelming to admit that you need help, let alone schedule an appointment. But we’re here to support you every step of the way. Your first visit is a chance to share your story and get your questions answered by a caring professional.

You are not alone. Taking that first step is the beginning of your journey toward healing and empowerment.

Call us at 920.991.2561 for Appleton locations, 920-251-6552 for Neenah and 920-896-0430 for Ripon to schedule your appointment today.

Dr. Madeline Kehler, PT, DPT, specializes in Pelvic Health at our Neenah clinic. Her passion is helping women of all ages navigate these challenges with expertise, compassion, and encouragement.

Let's talk about Urinary Incontinence

Since no one wants to talk about urinary incontinence, we will break the ice.

Yes, it can be an uncomfortable and personal topic, but we want you to know that you have options.

And we’re here to support you in any way that we can as you navigate your journey with leakage, urgency, or experience while you are going or attempting to go to the bathroom.

First, let’s learn about what urinary incontinence is.

What is Urinary Incontinence?  

Urinary incontinence refers to the inability to control the urine flow, which can cause slight to significant leakage.  

Many women and men mistakenly believe it's an inevitable part of aging, but it's not!  

With the help of a trained pelvic health physical therapist, you can gain the necessary strength and learn techniques to minimize or prevent urinary incontinence. 

There are 4 main types of Urinary incontinence: Stress, Urge, overflow, and functional.  

Stress Incontinence is classified by the inability to control the flow of urine with increased intraabdominal pressure or higher-impact activities. It occurs during activities like coughing, laughing, jumping, running, or lifting.  

Urge Incontinence is classified by a sudden, intense need to urinate, often leading to leakage on the way to the bathroom. This urgency can significantly affect confidence in public situations.  

Overflow Incontinence occurs when you leak urine because your bladder is too full. It may feel that you haven't completely emptied your bladder at the time of voiding. Overflow incontinence can be caused by a blockage in the urinary system, other medical conditions, or dysfunction of your pelvic floor muscles.   

Functional Incontinence involves the sensation of needing to urinate but being unable to get to the bathroom in a timely manner due to factors such as muscle weakness, poor balance and coordination, dysfunctional movement patterns, or even a cluttered household.  

Life’s too short; there’s no time to worry about leakage or urgency. 

So much can be done in pelvic health physical therapy to address these issues. 

Contact us to schedule an appointment with a trained pelvic health physical therapist!

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Madeline at our Neenah clinic on Commercial St., call (920) 215-6225.

We also have therapists specializing in pelvic health at our Appleton North clinic on Enterprise Dr.