Pelvic floor health impacts your quality of life, whether you know it or not. Actually, when it stops being healthy, you’ll know it.

Peeing, pooping, sexual satisfaction – being successful at these things requires a healthy pelvic floor, and as we age, the muscles that make up that floor can weaken. Because it’s so important to keep this “hammock” of muscles strong and responsive, we talked to physiotherapist Dr. Susie Gronski, “your doc for all things down there.” She gave us the low down on our down-unders: what happens when things are out of whack and how to get them back.

Have a listen to part I of this conversation, “to your pelvic health, our talk with dr. Susie Gronski, part 1.” Then continue on below, where Jill talks to Dr. Susie about pain, the role our pelvic floor plays in our sexual health, and the Big Os:

1:18 Orgasms, pain, and pelvic floor health

Experiencing sexual pleasure all the way to orgasm can be more challenging for women, and nearly impossible if there’s pain involved. We asked Dr. Susie how women can relieve the pain and get their desire back. Spoiler alert: help is out there. Dr. Susie fills us in on bringing pleasure and intimacy back into our lives.

6:08 Dr. Susie’s 6-day course for pelvic health

In this hands-on (yep), one-on-one course, Dr. Susie teaches students to explore their bodies, interpret what they see and feel, and ultimately, treat and heal themselves. With Dr. Susie’s expert guidance, students learn what the muscles look like, what they do, and how to heal the pain they’re experiencing. Transformation is tough, says Dr. Susie, and everyone should have a support system to get through it.

10:22 Pelvic floor health: giving your body 6 days

We wanted to know how the course worked – is it in-person, or can it be done virtually? The six days are in person, Dr. Susie says, because it’s necessary to touch the person, show them how to touch themselves, what to feel for, what they’re feeling when they find it, and so on.

11:15 What do women need to be mindful of when it comes to pelvic floor health?

Dr. Susie says, remember, you’re not the only one who leaks in Zumba class! Incontinence and other issues are common, and there’s help. Also, it’s not all about kegels; there’s a network of things happening throughout your body, so it’s important to learn beyond kegels (if you want to try, we recommend Elvie Kegels). Finally, Dr. Susie reminds us that we can’t be shy when seeking help. It’s your quality of life on the line – get over your “vagina phobia!”

Here’s to happy private parts!

Thanks again to Dr. Susie for her expert information on how to keep or regain your healthy pelvic floor. You can find more from Dr. Susie on her website.

Have you had professional help and training to regain pelvic floor function? We’d love to hear about it and how it helped you get your quality of life back. Please share with us in the comments below (you’re welcome to comment anonymously), email us at info@gennev.com, or let us know on Gennev’s Facebook page or in Midlife & Menopause Solutions, Gennev’s closed Facebook group.  If you haven't yet, be sure to check out Part 1 of the series.