What To Wear To Pelvic Floor Therapy
What Happens at Pelvic Floor Therapy
Pelvic floor physical therapy looks at the whole movement system and how the pelvic floor is integrated with your functional and foundational movement patterns. We work with symptoms that involve the abdomen, pelvis, hips, low back, tailbone, and the nerves that travel from the low back into the legs.
A pelvic floor physical therapist helps address symptoms by restoring:
Posture and intra-abdominal pressure management
Breathing and core coordination
Hip flexibility and stabilization strength
Pelvic stability during daily movement
Pelvic floor coordination: mobility, strength, endurance, and relaxation
Your comprehensive 75-minute initial evaluation gives you time to slow down and be heard. Together, we:
Review your medical history and clarify your goals
Explore how your body moves through walking, squatting, balancing, and spinal rotation
Assess hip mobility, muscle tone, and tissue mobility through touch (with your consent)
Observe how your breath and abdominal system respond during movement and exercise
With your consent, hands-on treatment may be part of your session.
We assess breathing, posture, and movement patterns, and (when appropriate and consensual) use touch to better understand your system. This can include the spine, diaphragm, abdominal wall, and visceral fascia. We may also screen for diastasis recti or hernias, check the. mobility of any abdominal and pelvic scars, assess hip strength and mobility, and observe how your feet load and interact with the rest of your body.
Internal pelvic floor assessment (vaginal or rectal) is always optional. We can begin with external work, mirror therapy, self-touch, and orienting practices.
Pelvic health PT is not an OBGYN visit. We are not here to “find what’s wrong with you.” The intention is to help you understand your anatomy and reconnect with your body—so you can feel how your spine, pelvic and hip muscles respond during daily life, especially when something feels painful or off.
Why Clothing Choice Matters
What you wear can support how we work together.
To understand your movement, your clothes need to be flexible. To assess tissue mobility, they need to allow access and visibility. Jeans, for example, tend to limit both.
Think about what you would wear to a yoga or movement class:
Soft, flexible fabrics
Layers you can adjust
The option to wear shorts so we can see your knees and feet
If you are postpartum, recovering from abdominal or pelvic surgery, or experiencing low back pain, wearing layers can help us assess your ribs, spine, and abdominal wall more clearly.
All sessions take place in a private treatment room. You are always welcome to bring a support person or chaperone.
Bottoms That Work Well for Appointments
Flexible
Soft
Easy to move in
Shorts (when possible)
Underwear Considerations
Underwear is optional, especially if you anticipate an internal pelvic floor assessment.
Internal pelvic floor therapy can be part of a comprehensive evaluation to better understand the root contributors to your symptoms.
“Internal” refers to consensual intra-vaginal or intra-rectal touch performed with a gloved, lubricated finger. This work is slow, collaborative, and guided by your comfort. It is never rushed or pathologizing.
Footwear and Accessories
You will likely be asked to remove your shoes so we can observe how your feet interact with your hips and pelvis. You are welcome to keep your socks on.
Wear accessories you feel comfortable moving and exercising in.
What to Avoid Wearing
Jeans or stiff, restrictive clothing
Belts
One-piece outfits (unless you’re comfortable removing them as needed)
We also ask that you limit strong fragrances, as some clients are sensitive to smell.
How to Feel More Comfortable During Your Visit
Your comfort matters, and your session can always be adapted to meet you where you are.
If you prefer to keep your skin covered, consider wearing clothing that is:
Close-fitting
Flexible
Thin enough to allow us to understand your movement patterns
We co-create a space that feels safe, respectful, and collaborative—so you can explore and learn about your body with more ease.
