Pilates and Pelvic Floor Health: Foundations of Holistic Wellness

At TerraLuna, we believe true health is more than the absence of pain—it’s the presence of vitality. This is especially true when we consider the role of the pelvic floor, a group of muscles often overlooked until discomfort demands attention. But what if you could support these essential muscles before symptoms appear? What if you could restore function, cultivate awareness, and build strength that improves your entire life?

This is where Pilates and pelvic floor health intersect—offering a path not just to physical healing, but to holistic wellness.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor: Your Body’s Foundation of Support

The pelvic floor is a hammock of muscles that supports your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. When these muscles are too tight, too weak, or uncoordinated, the effects ripple throughout the body. Symptoms may show up in surprising ways:

Conditions Commonly Mistaken for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

According to the Cleveland Clinic, signs of pelvic floor dysfunction can masquerade as other conditions:

“Many people mistake pelvic floor dysfunction for other problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), interstitial cystitis (a chronic bladder condition), or endometriosis.”

You might notice:

• Pain during sex

• Frequent urge to urinate

• Difficulty starting or completing a bowel movement

• Hip, lower back, or tailbone pain

Often, these symptoms go ignored or misdiagnosed. But healing begins with awareness.

Why Kegels Are Not the Answer

You’ve likely heard that Kegels are the go-to solution for pelvic floor health. But doing more Kegels isn’t always the right approach—and in some cases, can even make things worse.

“Kegels are often overprescribed and misunderstood,” explains Nebraska Medicine. “If you're constantly contracting your pelvic muscles, you may actually be causing the dysfunction you're trying to fix.”

Just like any muscle group, the pelvic floor needs to lengthen, release, and rest—not only contract. This is what we call down-training, a powerful yet gentle approach that helps restore balance and function to this vital area.

How Pilates Supports Pelvic Floor Health

Function Over Force

Pilates doesn’t isolate the pelvic floor—it integrates it. Every breath, every movement begins at your center. The breathwork and core engagement we learn in Pilates are foundational tools for improving both pelvic floor strength and functionality.

Unlike high-impact exercises that often increase intra-abdominal pressure, Pilates:

• Focuses on coordinated breathing that supports pelvic mobility

• Encourages neuromuscular re-education, teaching your body how to move efficiently

• Works the entire kinetic chain, supporting pelvic health through posture, hip strength, and core stability

  
  

TerraLuna: Holistic Wellness, One Class at a Time

At TerraLuna, we’re not just teaching a 50-minute class—we’re offering you tools to enhance the rest of your day, your week, your month, your life.

Our mission is rooted in holistic wellness, where the mind, body, and spirit are equally honored. We create:

• Educational opportunities- more on that in a moment

• Healing environments- where movement is restorative, not punishing

• Community connections- because healing happens best in safe, affirming spaces

We want to give you tools for strengthening your body, choices for your healing, and confidence in your daily life.

For more encouragement, this guide from Rose Physical Therapy Group is a must-read: “Pelvic floor dysfunction is not something you should just live with.”

Real Women, Real Empowerment

In our March blog, we explored the life-changing power of joining a fitness community that uplifts and motivates women. That truth continues here: when you feel safe, when you're seen, when you're supported—you begin to heal.

Looking ahead, don’t miss our September blog: “Why Holistic Wellness is the Key to Sustainable Fitness for Women.” Because longevity isn't built in bursts—it's built in balance.

Join Our Upcoming Pelvic Floor Workshop

Ready to learn more? We're thrilled to share that we're offering a workshop on Thursday, July 24 at 10:00am in partnership with Dr. Rebekah Slafka, PT from Restore Physical Therapy.

Dr. Slafka will share her expertise on how to maintain optimal health during the hormones shifts of peri-menopause and post-menopause. We will also learn about down-training tension, building functional strength, and bringing your pelvic health into alignment with your overall wellness goals.

Seats will be limited. Reserve yours soon on our in-Studio sign up sheet.