Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Awareness Month: Why Clinician Training Matters

How Widespread Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction is one of the most common and least treated conditions in health care. In the landmark national prevalence study, 23.7 percent of United States women, nearly 1 in 4, had at least one symptomatic pelvic floor disorder, and prevalence climbed with age to roughly half of women 80 years and older.¹ The burden is growing: the number of American women with at least one pelvic floor disorder is projected to rise from 28.1 million in 2010 to 43.8 million by 2050.²

The need does not stop with adult women. Men experience pelvic pain, urinary and bowel dysfunction, and post-surgical pelvic floor issues, and research suggests as many as 1 in 7 school-aged children struggle with some form of pelvic floor dysfunction, including constipation, daytime and nighttime incontinence, and voiding dysfunction.³ The pelvic floor plays a vital role in supporting the bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs, and when these muscles do not function properly, symptoms such as urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, painful intercourse, and pelvic organ prolapse can significantly affect quality of life at any age.

Why Does Clinician Training Matter So Much?

Clinician training matters because the provider shortage is severe. According to the American Physical Therapy Association's Academy of Pelvic Health, fewer than 10,000 pelvic health providers exist nationwide to serve an estimated 40 million or more Americans affected by pelvic floor conditions.⁴ Patients routinely face months-long waits, incorrect referrals, or advice to simply live with their symptoms. Every clinician who adds pelvic health training to their practice directly expands access to care in their community.

Awareness campaigns work: when public understanding of pelvic floor dysfunction grows, more patients recognize their symptoms and seek help. That makes Awareness Month a double call to action for the profession, because a wave of newly aware patients needs somewhere to go.

What Can Clinicians Do During Awareness Month?

• Screen for pelvic floor symptoms in your existing caseload. Patients with low back, hip, or sacroiliac pain, postpartum patients, and older adults frequently have unreported pelvic floor involvement.
• Normalize the conversation. Patients often will not raise leakage, pelvic pain, or pain with intimacy unless a clinician asks directly and without judgment.
• Know your referral pathways to trained pelvic health providers in your area, and be the clinician who connects patients to care instead of another dead end.
• Consider becoming the resource yourself. Specialized pelvic health training is a defined, achievable pathway, and demand for trained providers far outstrips supply.

How Can Clinicians Start Building Pelvic Health Skills?

The entry point to pelvic rehabilitation practice is Pelvic Function Level 1 from the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute, a foundational course in evaluating and treating the pelvic floor that requires no prior pelvic health experience. Upcoming Pelvic Function Level 1 courses include:

Pelvic Function Level 1 - Cape Cod, Massachusetts - September 19-20, 2026
Pelvic Function Level 1 - Coral Gables, Florida - September 19-20, 2026
Pelvic Function Level 1 - Chicago, Illinois - September 19-20, 2026
Pelvic Function Level 1 - San Luis Obispo, California - September 19-20, 2026
Pelvic Function Level 1 - Mission Hills, California - September 19-20, 2026

References

1. Nygaard I, Barber MD, Burgio KL, et al. Prevalence of symptomatic pelvic floor disorders in US women. JAMA. 2008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18799443/

2. Wu JM, Hundley AF, Fulton RG, Myers ER. Forecasting the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders in U.S. women: 2010 to 2050. Obstet Gynecol. 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19935030/

3. Prevalence of urinary incontinence and lower urinary tract symptoms in school-age children. 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25015605/

4. Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, American Physical Therapy Association. https://www.aptapelvichealth.org