We founded Threes Physiyoga to build bridges between the different disciplines and communities within the healthcare and wellness continuum. We believe doing so best supports our overall wellbeing. And our podcast, The Body Puzzle, is the latest place where we’re putting these pieces together. Each episode includes insights from experts and specialists who will empower and challenge our beliefs. They’ll also expand our foundational knowledge, and boost our relationships to our own bodies and each other.

We start with the pelvic floor: Shaped like a hammock that stretches between your pubic bone, tailbone, and both sides of your pelvis, this part of the body remains a puzzle to so many teachers and practitioners.  Together they form part of your deep core stabilizers and support the organs housed in your pelvic cavity. This includes your reproductive organs, as well as those responsible for urinary and bowel movements, including your bladder.

And while that anatomical description offers some idea of what the pelvic floor looks like, its purpose is often harder for people to fully grasp. This is why we’re launching our podcast with The Pelvic Four, a series of conversations with pelvic-floor experts who will unpack its function and how to maintain good pelvic floor health.

In this first episode, host Eric Lawrence, CYT, discusses pelvic health physical therapy with Liz Simons, DPT. Dr. Simons specializes in pelvic floor dysfunction in men, women, and children. Here, she sheds light on what pelvic floor dysfunction means, and provides some guidance for determining if your own pelvic floor is operating optimally.

“A lot of people won’t realize that they have pelvic floor dysfunction until something’s gone wrong to the point where they’ve noticed it,” says Dr. Simons. And oftentimes, at least for women, this is during pregnancy and menopause. “Those two times are just big hormonal shifts that can then lead to tissue changes,” she says.

But more frequently, pelvic floor dysfunction presents itself in less obvious ways. Listen in to Dr. Simons unpack the common signs to look out for. She’ll also describe what pelvic floor physical therapists can offer and when to see a pelvic floor PT.

The Pelvic Four

In this episode we gain a better understanding of pelvic health physical therapy. Dr. Liz Simons helps to shed light on what pelvic floor dysfunction means and provides some guidance for determining if your own pelvic floor is dysfunctional. Liz describes what pelvic floor physical therapists can offer and when to see a pelvic floor PT.