Everyone knows how important it is for a house to have a strong foundation. If a foundation is weak or it has problems, the house will begin to tilt or sag, water might come in, and the house could even collapse if not corrected. A foundation supports and holds everything in place and the same thing happens in our bodies.

Our bodies need to have a strong foundation in order to have good health and this starts with our core, but most of us don’t realize that is far more than our abdominal muscles. Our core is a complex group of muscles that includes nearly every part of our body except for arms and legs. Now that was new information to me until recently! Your pelvic floor is the foundation that holds up and supports your core.

To help us learn more about this topic is my good friend and very own pelvic floor therapist, Poonam McAllister. Poonam attended school in Bombay, India for a Bachelor’s degree in physical therapy. She opened Central Illinois Institute of Balance (CIIB) in 2007 and added pelvic floor therapy to her offerings in 2008.

This topic is a little different from our normal content but it’s one that has benefitted me personally and I believe more of us need to understand it!

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• Some of the symptoms that require pelvic floor therapy
• What pelvic floor therapy may look like
• How your pelvic floor impacts your relationships
• And much more!

I hope you learn some important things about your health!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• American Physical Therapy Association
• Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute
• Connect with Poonam on her Instagram, Facebook, or website
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.

My Key Takeaways:

1) All humans have a pelvic floor. That’s right! Although we most often hear about the pelvic floor associated with women and birth, every human has a pelvic floor and can benefit from pelvic floor therapy. Our pelvic floor holds the bladder, uterus (for females) or prostate (for males), digestive tract, and more!

2) Symptoms treated by pelvic floor therapy are vast. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Up to 25% of adults have urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, pelvic pressure, sexual problems or pelvic organ prolapse.” Everyone can benefit from at least getting a baseline appointment to get familiar with their body. Some of the symptoms that can be helped with pelvic floor therapy include bladder leakage, trouble controlling your urine flow, incontinence, pressure in the pelvis, prolapse, painful intercourse, sexual dysfunction, not being able to use a tampon or diva cup, tailbone pain, constipation, and more.

3) Pelvic floor issues can affect your relationships. Pelvic floor issues often go untreated, aren’t talked about, and people often suffer in silence instead of seeking treatment. Your marriage can suffer if pain during intercourse goes untreated. You don’t have to remain in pain or discomfort, consider finding a pelvic floor therapist to help get to the heart of your issues.

About Poonam McAllister:

Poonam McAllister is the founder of Central Illinois Institute of Balance (CIIB), a physical therapy practice that treats a variety of symptoms from pelvic pain and dysfunction, dizziness and balance issues, and recovering from injury and surgery. She attended one of India’s best medical schools for a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy (physical therapy). She founded CIIB to provide physical therapy that would treat the whole person. Poonam enjoys spending time with her children, walking outdoors, and Bible Study Fellowship.

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