She Stopped Ignoring Her Pelvic Floor Pain & You Should Too
Pelvic pain isn’t always loud - it can start as a whisper, something you push through, especially if you're an active woman, a mom, or both. For over a decade, our client ignored hers. As a long-distance runner who returned to training just a week after childbirth, she chalked up the sharp, seizing pain in her pelvic floor to just another hurdle. She didn’t know pelvic floor specialists even existed, let alone that they could change everything. This is the story of how our client went from managing pain to running a 100-mile ultramarathon without a single pelvic floor flare-up - and why we want other women to stop waiting and start healing.
What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Pelvic floor dysfunction refers to a range of issues related to the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue in the pelvic region. These muscles support the bladder, bowel, and uterus, and when they’re not functioning properly, you might experience symptoms like:
Deep pelvic pain
Pain with running or other high-impact activity
Leaking urine during workouts
A feeling of pressure or heaviness
Pain during sex
Difficulty fully emptying or controlling your bladder or bowels
While pelvic pain can be triggered by pregnancy or childbirth, it’s also common among runners and athletes. High-impact activities like running place repeated stress on the pelvic floor. Without the right support and recovery, this can lead to chronic pain or dysfunction, which is often dismissed as “normal” by the medical system.
She Ignored Her Pelvic Floor Pain for Over a Decade
After having her first child 12 years ago, our client started feeling pain in her pelvic floor. She was a lifelong runner - including throughout 2 pregnancies - and just a week after giving birth, she was back at it. (Please note, this is NOT something we recommend. Check out THIS blog for a realistic postpartum timeline and return to running). The pain would come and go, and though it sometimes worsened to the point of seizing up during runs, she kept pushing through.
"I came after ignoring pelvic floor issues for more than a decade. In truth, I didn’t even know there was even pelvic floor specialists. I am a runner and have been for a long time. I ran long distances through my pregnancy and gave myself a week after childbirth and started running again. After having my first child, 12 years ago, I started experiencing pelvic floor pain.”
The Turning Point: Why She Finally Took Action
When she started training for ultramarathons - 50- to 100-mile races - it became clear the pain wasn’t going away. It began interfering with her stride, her focus, and her performance. More importantly, she worried about the long-term effects on her body. That’s when she made a choice: it was time to figure this out for real.
Her Frustrating Experience with Traditional Physical Therapy
She tried three different physical therapists. They were all part of large, insurance-covered operations, but none of them delivered meaningful results. She still felt like she was managing pain instead of healing. She was given generic exercises that didn’t touch the root of her pain.
Discovering Specialized Pelvic Floor Therapy at OWN
Through a friend, she found us at OWN Your Pelvic Health. Through out of network benefits, services weren’t completely covered by insurance, and that gave her pause, but it also meant she could finally get one-on-one, personalized care without restrictions. From the first visit, she knew it was different.
“This was the first time someone really listened. The evaluation was thorough, the plan was tailored to me, and I finally felt hopeful. It wasn’t just about exercises-it was about understanding how my body works and what it needs to heal.”
How My Pelvic Floor Recovery Changed Her Running Life
She started the process knowing very little about pelvic health but was laser-focused on results. We worked together on strategies, exercises, and awareness to retrain her body from the inside out. We focused on breathwork, core and hip coordination, posture, load management, and most importantly - how running and pelvic floor health are deeply connected. It was hard for her to imagine that her body was still holding onto pregnancy and postpartum related imbalances that were contributing to her current pain. But as we started peeling back layers and getting to the root of her symptoms, she started feeling stronger and much more confident. During her most recent 100-mile race, none of her pelvic floor issues resurfaced. That’s something she never imagined was possible.
“During my last 100 mile race, my previous pelvic injuries did not surface at all.”
Why Investing in the Right Pelvic Floor Care Is Worth It
Real pelvic floor healing takes time, support, and the right approach. At OWN, we don’t use one-size-fits-all protocols. Healing your pelvic floor isn’t just about doing a few exercises-it’s about understanding your body, retraining patterns, and creating long-term change, which is why we take a comprehensive, whole-body approach.
The process starts with a deep dive into your symptoms, movement patterns, and goals. We spend time understanding not just what hurts, but why. From there, we create a treatment plan tailored to your life - whether you're training for an ultramarathon, recovering from childbirth, or just trying to feel like yourself again.
That often includes:
Hands-on manual therapy
Breath and core retraining
Postural and movement assessments
Strength and mobility programming
Lifestyle and load management strategies
A clear plan to support running and pelvic floor health over time
Many clients come to us after years of trying everything else-chiropractic care, general PT, online programs-and not seeing meaningful progress. While those options may offer temporary relief, they often miss the root of the issue.
Here’s the ROI: When you invest in specialized pelvic floor therapy, you’re not just treating symptoms - you’re restoring function, preventing injury, and setting yourself up for years of strength and confidence. Our clients regularly tell us they’ve saved time, money, and energy in the long run by finally getting the right help.
“This was the first time I felt seen, supported, and like things were actually changing. I only wish I had done this sooner.”
Your pelvic floor is central to so much - running, lifting, sex, core strength, even daily activities. Taking care of it is not an indulgence. It’s a foundation for your entire life.
Committing to the process changed everything. The difference between generic PT and specialized, caring support is massive. If you’re dealing with pain, especially as a runner or postpartum mom, don’t wait. Get the help you actually need.
“As I continue to work and do specific exercises to keep my pelvic floor strong, we have worked together to address other issues. The experience has been and continues to be an individualized one with caring people who are producing outcomes.”
Ready to Stop Ignoring Your Pelvic Floor Pain?
If you’ve been pushing through discomfort, thinking it’s “just part of being a woman,” it’s time to rethink that. You deserve care that actually works—not just generic PT or temporary fixes. At OWN Your Pelvic Health, we offer individualized, holistic pelvic floor therapy that supports your goals—whether that’s running a marathon, picking up your kids pain-free, or simply feeling strong again. We also collaborate with your care team, including your postpartum doula, to ensure a truly comprehensive recovery experience.
