If you have ever crossed your legs before you sneezed, skipped a workout because something felt off, experienced pain during sex and assumed it was just part of life — this episode is for you.
Jenn and Laura sit down with Dr. Allea Francis, pelvic floor physical therapist and co-founder of Tonic and Phasic in Costa Mesa, California, for a conversation that is long overdue on this show. This is a topic that touches nearly every woman — and almost nobody is talking about it honestly.
Dr. Allea shares her own decade-long journey with chronic pelvic pain before discovering pelvic floor physical therapy — a field she has now dedicated her career to. Jenn opens up about seeing Dr. Allea as a patient herself: what began as debilitating back pain she was convinced required a neurologist turned out to be a pelvic floor issue. One session brought relief she hadn't felt in over a year.
This conversation covers the pelvic floor in full — anatomy, symptoms, hormonal connections, and the exercises that actually help. Whether you have classic symptoms or none at all, you will leave this episode understanding your body in a way you likely never have before.
What You'll Learn
-
What the pelvic floor actually is — and why it is so much more than Kegels
-
The full range of symptoms that indicate a pelvic floor issue (many will surprise you)
-
Why back pain, hip pain, and sciatic pain can all be pelvic floor problems in disguise
-
How leakage is common — but not inevitable — and what you can do about it
-
How hormones across every life stage (pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause) directly affect pelvic health
-
Why strength training and flexibility are equally important — and which muscles most moms are unknowingly neglecting
-
What to expect at your first pelvic floor PT appointment
-
How to find a qualified pelvic floor physical therapist near you
-
Why it is never too late to address pelvic health — even in your 80s
-
The specific blood work Dr. Allea recommends and why timing in your cycle matters
Links & Resources
Find Dr. Allea Francis
Costa Mesa, California | Also offering virtual appointments
Find a Pelvic Floor Therapist Near You
Dr. Allea recommended these two accredited directories:
Mentioned in This Episode
Connect With MAAM
