{"id":14443,"date":"2025-06-12T17:01:07","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T10:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=14443"},"modified":"2025-06-12T17:01:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T10:01:07","slug":"your-pelvic-floor-explained-a-candid-qa-with-floored-author-dr-sara-reardon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=14443","title":{"rendered":"Your Pelvic Floor, Explained: A Candid Q&#038;A with Floored Author Dr. Sara Reardon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-316861 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/sp-ao.shortpixel.ai\/client\/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_509,h_679\/https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"509\" height=\"679\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-316861 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"509\" height=\"679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-640x853.jpg 640w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shutterstock_2567218395-150x200.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 509px) 100vw, 509px\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-6 ai-optimize-introduction\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to pelvic floor health, women are typically not well educated about how their bodies function. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-6 ai-optimize-introduction\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a young age we\u2019re taught that vagina\u2019s are dirty and a shameful part of our bodies. We\u2019re told vaginas are smelly and gross by boys, then later men, who want to make out with us but don\u2019t care much about our actual pleasure. When we go to doctors about peeing when we jump or painful sex, we\u2019re often dismissed and told that these are normal things that happen in a woman\u2019s body, so just get used to it, babe. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-6 ai-optimize-introduction\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many women don\u2019t even know that their pelvic floor is an essential part of their anatomy and that good pelvic floor health can be life changing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-7\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/thevagwhisperer.com\/\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">Dr. Sara Reardon<\/a> wants to change that. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-7\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Known as \u201cThe Vagina Whisperer\u201d on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@thevagwhisperer\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">TikTok<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/the.vagina.whisperer\/\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">Instagram<\/a>, Dr. Reardon has spent countless hours online educating people on the basics of <a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/03\/restricted-words-womens-health-research\/\">female health<\/a>, since this is a topic that isn\u2019t really ever covered in health class. Now, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harpercollins.com\/products\/floored-sara-reardon?variant=43118704427042\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\">her new book Floored<\/a>, she wants to give women essential information about pelvic floor health so they can take the power back into their own bodies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-6\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Dr. Reardon explains in the book is that pelvic floor health isn\u2019t just for postpartum or <a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/05\/perimenopause-profit-and-pills-the-truth-about-menopause-supplements\/\">perimenopausal<\/a> women, but that pelvic floor health is a fundamental part of good health care for anyone with a pelvic floor \u2013 so basically, all of us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-7\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But for women who are more familiar with medical professionals gaslighting them about how their bodies feel \u201cdown there,\u201d this book can give them valuable information about their bodies that is often overlooked by medical professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this Q&amp;A, Dr. Reardon answers questions about why pelvic floor health is so important, how you can recognize it in yourself, and how to take care of your pelvic floor \u2013 including tips for continuing to exercise with pelvic floor dysfunction \u2013 so you can feel better in your body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-9\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Floored is out NOW. Get a little taste of what to expect from the book in our interview here!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-9\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harpercollins.com\/products\/floored-sara-reardon?variant=43118704427042\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-316857 alignright lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/sp-ao.shortpixel.ai\/client\/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_331,h_365\/https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sara-Reardon-Author-Photo.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"331\" height=\"365\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-316857 alignright lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sara-Reardon-Author-Photo.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"331\" height=\"365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sara-Reardon-Author-Photo.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sara-Reardon-Author-Photo-272x300.jpeg 272w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sara-Reardon-Author-Photo-929x1024.jpeg 929w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sara-Reardon-Author-Photo-768x846.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sara-Reardon-Author-Photo-150x165.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 331px) 100vw, 331px\"\/><\/a>Naomi: In your book you write, \u201cAlthough <a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2024\/10\/podcast-episode-140-dispelling-myths-about-pelvic-floor-dysfunction-with-dr-melissa-oleson\/\">pelvic floor<\/a> issues are common, they are not normal.\u201d Can you explain what you mean by this?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-10\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: Many women experience pelvic floor issues like urinary leakage or painful sex after pregnancy, birth, and menopause. So yes, these issues are common but they are not normal for the pelvic floor. <span class=\"OYPEnA font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">leakage or pain<\/span> and we need to normalize pelvic floor conversations so women know solutions are available instead of normalizing pelvic floor problems.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-11\"><strong>Naomi: Why do you think we\u2019ve created the belief that pelvic floor issues are simply a normal part of life for women?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-12\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: First off, the majority of medical research has always been done on men and by men, so it\u2019s difficult to know what women are experiencing and to prioritize that research. Also as women, the narrative has always been that these are normal issues but we also don\u2019t know what normal is because we aren\u2019t educated about this part of our body. We may get some sex education or period education as young women but we don\u2019t get pelvic floor education and that\u2019s what I hope to achieve with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harpercollins.com\/products\/floored-sara-reardon?variant=43118704427042\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Floored<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-12\"><strong>Naomi: What are some common signs of pelvic floor dysfunction, other than just peeing when you run or jump?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-14\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: Urinary leakage with coughing, running or jumping is common and other common bladder symptoms are frequent urination during the day or night, difficulty starting your urine stream or incomplete bladder emptying. Other signs are painful sex, difficulty achieving orgasms, bowel issues like constipation or hemorrhoids, pelvic organ prolapse and even low back pain and hip pain.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-15\"><strong>Naomi: Many women avoid exercising because of pelvic floor issues, worried they\u2019ll leak when running or jumping or even squatting. But should women actually avoid exercising if they have pelvic floor dysfunction?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-16\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: Instead of avoiding exercise completely, I would actually modify exercise. That means decreasing the amount of weight you\u2019re lifting, the distance or speed you\u2019re running, or modifying movements so that leakage, pain or pressure don\u2019t occur. Then you can train your pelvic floor by working on strengthening, relaxation or coordination and gradually increase your speed or intensity once your pelvic floor is stronger and more functional.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-17\"><strong>Naomi: Within the fitness world, there is often a lot of misinformation about health and wellness. What are some of the more outlandish claims that are sometimes made about pelvic floor health that people should ignore and avoid?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-18\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: The amazing thing about the internet and social media right now is that there is a wealth of information, but as you mention, a lot of it is by uncredentialed individuals and not backed by science and research. Certain things like the idea that how tight your pants are or peeing in the shower can cause pelvic floor issues, or that sitting on a vibrating Kegel chair or steaming your vulva and vagina to fix your pelvic floor issues, are all myths. Pelvic floor healthcare is much more nuanced, and it\u2019s important to recognize the difference between wellness and healthcare and that some of these practices could cause your problems to get worse versus get better.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-19\"><strong>Naomi: Why is there such a stigma around talking about women\u2019s health, particularly about vaginal and pelvic floor health?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-20\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: As young women and girls we\u2019re never educated about this part of our body and a lot of conversations can circle around the belief it is smelly or gross or private or inappropriate to talk about. So if issues arise, we may feel embarrassed or ashamed to discuss them or not even know where to go to get help. I always say <\/span><b>we want to normalize pelvic floor conversations instead of normalizing pelvic floor problems.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This body part is like any other body part and it deserves proactive, preventative, and timely care instead of dismissing issues as normal.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-21\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harpercollins.com\/products\/floored-sara-reardon?variant=43118704427042\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-316858 lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/sp-ao.shortpixel.ai\/client\/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_370,h_562\/https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Floored-Cover.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"370\" height=\"562\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-316858 lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Floored-Cover.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"370\" height=\"562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Floored-Cover.jpeg 843w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Floored-Cover-198x300.jpeg 198w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Floored-Cover-674x1024.jpeg 674w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Floored-Cover-768x1166.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Floored-Cover-150x228.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px\"\/><\/a>Naomi: What is something you wish every woman knew about her pelvic floor?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-22\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: Starting with the basics, I think most women may not even know that they have a pelvic floor. And that at every stage of a woman\u2019s life, from menstruation to becoming sexually active, from pregnancy to postpartum, and from perimenopause to well beyond menopause, your pelvic floor care requires something different. Your pelvic floor is connected to core support, bladder and bowel function, sexual function, menstruation, childbirth and menopause. If you\u2019re experiencing any issues in these areas your pelvic floor is likely involved and needs to be addressed. No matter how long you\u2019ve experienced a pelvic floor problem, it\u2019s never too late to get help. Progress is possible. Also, Kegels are not the Holy Grail of pelvic floor care. Kegels are for pelvic floor strengthening and many women need pelvic floor relaxation, so performing Kegels could actually make an issue worse if it\u2019s not the appropriate treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-23\"><strong>Naomi: If someone thinks they might have pelvic floor dysfunction, what steps should they take to improve their pelvic floor health?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-24\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: I would start seeking treatment and options right away. These issues typically don\u2019t get better with time and so the longer you wait to address them the harder or more timely it may be to see progress. The great thing about medicine right now is you have options you can seek in person care from a pelvic floor therapist, you can do a telehealth session, you can do an online workout program like the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thevagwhisperer.com\/membership\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">V-Hive,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or you can read my book <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thevagwhisperer.com\/floored\" class=\"external\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Floored<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to start getting tips and guidance to do at home.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-25\"><strong>Naomi: Women\u2019s health is often neglected by doctors and their pain dismissed. What can we do to better advocate for ourselves in those situations?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-26\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: Medical providers will often not ask about these issues so it\u2019s important that we bring them up ourselves and if they are dismissed as normal or we are told to give it more time I would push harder to get a referral to another medical provider seek one out myself or proactively check in with a pelvic floor therapist. Unfortunately many medical providers have not been educated on how to screen, refer or treat these issues. Do not let being dismissed be the end of your story; you only get one pelvic floor and you have to advocate for its care.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-27\"><strong>Naomi: Why did it feel so important for you to write this book?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-28\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Reardon: One in three women will experience a pelvic floor issue at some point in their lifetime. Urinary leakage is more common than osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension. Yet women are less likely to get treatment for a pelvic floor problem. It\u2019s not that these issues don\u2019t exist, it\u2019s that as a medical community we\u2019re not prioritizing addressing them. I hope that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Floored<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> not only helps women be more educated about their bodies but also that their medical providers gain an understanding of how to better support women and their pelvic floor health across the lifespan.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ai-optimize-6\"><strong>So if something feels off down there, don\u2019t shrug it off\u2014your pelvic floor deserves your attention, and you deserve care that actually listens. <\/strong><em>\u2013Naomi<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/fitbottomedgirls.com\/2025\/06\/pelvic-floor-health-with-dr-sara-reardon\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to pelvic floor health, women are typically not well educated about how their bodies function. From a young age we\u2019re taught that vagina\u2019s are dirty and a shameful part of our bodies. We\u2019re told vaginas are smelly and gross by boys, then later men, who want to make out with us but &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14443\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}