Pelvic floor disorders: Specialized care for sensitive issues

Your pelvic floor is easy to ignore—until it stops working correctly.

The pelvic floor is a bowl-shaped structure that supports your lower internal organs. When there is damage or weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, ligaments or connective tissues, many conditions involving the bladder, bowel, uterus, vagina and rectum can occur. These conditions can cause discomfort and embarrassing symptoms that disrupt your daily life. Many factors may increase your risk of developing a pelvic floor disorder at some point during your lifetime, such as childbirth, aging, repetitive heavy lifting, chronic diseases and genetics.

These issues are more common than you might think: More than 50% of individuals with female pelvic organs will experience a pelvic floor disorder during their lifetime, becoming more common after 55 years of age. But this doesn’t have to be a “normal” part of aging. With the right treatment and care, our multidisciplinary team of experts can help you manage your symptoms and take back your life.

Our multidisciplinary team are experts in obstetrics, gynecology, reconstructive surgery, urology and pelvic floor physical therapy and specialize in diagnosing and treating pelvic floor disorders for individuals of all ages. With sensitivity and compassion, our experts will develop a personalized treatment plan to help you manage your condition so you can resume your daily activities without stress or discomfort.

When you need expert care for pelvic floor disorders, UW Health is here for you. Choose from several locations throughout Madison, including the new Eastpark Medical Center, or our location in Rockford, IL.

Eastpark Medical Center, located on Madison’s east side, is the main location for the Integrated Specialty Care for Women program, which houses multiple specialties under one roof, making it more convenient for you and easier for your health care team to collaborate when discussing your preferred treatment course. Learn more about Eastpark Medical Center.

Below are additional trusted resources that may be helpful to better understand your symptoms.

Health Facts for You

Health Facts for You has detailed information about conditions and treatments at UW Health. Search support materials

Healthwise® Knowledgebase

The Healthwise® Knowledgebase features a wide range of topics about health conditions and treatments. View patient resources

Voices for PFD

This website managed by the American Urogynecological Society offers a wealth of additional resources:

Fact sheets on conditions and treatments (in English and Spanish)

Voices for PFD YouTube channel

Information for new moms

Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction

The Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) offers resources on bladder problems, prolapse, pelvic floor muscle training and more. View patient resources

International Urogynecological Association

The International Urogynecological Association offers detailed information on many pelvic floor conditions and treatments. Information is available in several languages. View health topics