Earlier this month Pandora Health welcomed board‑certified pelvic floor physical therapist Dr Elizabeth Stryker for an insightful webinar titled “Not Just Kegels: Real Talk on Pelvic Floor Health.”

In just under an hour she walked our community through smart breathing drills, bathroom hacks, and why doing more squeezes isn’t always the answer. The session was full of “aha!” moments – proof that pelvic floor wisdom is long overdue in women’s wellness.

Missed the session (or want the Cliff Notes)? We’ve distilled the 8 insights our audience loved most, plus a two‑minute daily challenge you can start right now. Dive in below!

1. Pelvic floor issues are common — and fixable – Up to 40‑50 % of women leak or develop prolapse at some stage, yet many think it’s “just normal.” Early pelvic floor PT can spare years of bother.
2. It’s more than Kegels – The floor must both relax and contract; many women live in a constant clench (Dr Stryker’s “elevator stuck on the 3rd floor” analogy). Blindly adding squeezes can worsen pain or leakage.
3. Breathing is therapy – Practice “360‑degree rib breathing” so the diaphragm and pelvic floor move together; it taps the calming vagus‑nerve pathway. Try a high- vs low‑pitched hum to feel the lift‑and‑drop.
4. Bathroom posture matters – Feet up on a stool (hello, Squatty Potty) straightens the “slide,” and limiting scroll‑time to < 5 min prevents hemorrhoids and prolapse strain.
5. Core > crunches – Target the transverse abdominis (“zip‑up‑your‑jeans” brace) three times a week; endless sit‑ups can worsen diastasis or leakage.
6. Know when to call a pro – Persistent leakage, constipation, pain with tampons/sex, or tricky postpartum recovery are green lights for a Herman & Wallace‑trained pelvic floor PT. Expect a 60‑min, education‑rich first visit.
7. Female vs male pelvic floors — why women need extra love – Women’s pelvic floors span three passages (urethra, vagina, rectum) versus two in men, bear monthly hormonal shifts, and must stretch for pregnancy and birth; tissue also thins after menopause. Those structural and life‑stage stresses explain why women report far higher rates of leakage and prolapse.
8. Presence & mindfulness: the rehab superpower – Dr Stryker urges 5–10 minutes of daily meditation or mindful breathing to “check the clench,” soften jaw‑to‑pelvic tension, and reset the nervous system. Less doing, more noticing – your floor relaxes when your mind does.

Quick challenge: Twice a day, pause for 2 minutes of 360‑degree rib breathing plus three gentle brace‑and‑release core activations – your future pelvic floor will thank you!

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