A new year is the perfect time to prioritize your health, including often-overlooked areas like the pelvic floor — the muscles and tissues that support your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. Between 25% and 50% of women experience pelvic floor issues during their lifetime, which often result in symptoms like urinary incontinence and painful sex.
Skilled OBGYNs Daniel McDyer, MD, and Julian Stephen Suhrer, MD, at Florida Woman Care of Jacksonville, specialize in identifying and addressing pelvic floor disorders. We provide personalized solutions to restore function, comfort, and confidence.
Don’t let uncomfortable, embarrassing symptoms stand in the way of your goals this year. Let’s look at three resolutions for better pelvic health in 2026.
Specific factors like pregnancy, obesity, and chronic constipation can strain the pelvic floor muscles, causing them to loosen and weaken. Aging and menopause also play a role. For many women, the resulting loss of support leads to issues like pain, incontinence, and prolapse (when one or more pelvic organs shift or drop from their normal position).
Targeted exercises, like Kegels, help strengthen the pelvic floor. To improve control and prevent uncomfortable symptoms, aim for one set of 10 Kegels — holding each for three seconds — twice daily.
But Kegels aren’t the only type of exercise that benefits your pelvic health. Staying active helps you maintain a healthy body weight, which reduces overall pressure on the pelvic floor. Regular physical activity also promotes proper bowel function, helping you avoid straining at the bathroom, which can damage your muscles and ligaments.
Many common foods and beverages irritate the lining of the bladder, leading to overactivity and frequent, intense urges to urinate. This issue can result in an overly tight (hypertonic) pelvic floor, as the muscles tense up to prevent leaks and may eventually lose the ability to relax on their own.
Known irritants include caffeine, artificial sweeteners, spicy foods, and acidic fruits and vegetables like oranges, grapefruit, and tomatoes. You don’t need to eliminate these items from your diet, but moderation is key to keeping symptoms at bay.
To soothe your bladder, prioritize plain, still water for hydration, along with low-acid veggies and fruits, such as carrots, melons, and bananas. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, nuts, and seeds, help decrease systemic inflammation that can worsen bladder irritation.
Annual well-woman exams are an essential part of your wellness routine, and there’s no better time to make an appointment than the start of a brand new year. These routine checkups allow us to assess your overall pelvic health and discuss any subtle changes you may have noticed in bladder, bowel, or sexual function.
Once we determine the underlying cause of the problem, our team develops a personalized treatment plan for you, which may include lifestyle changes, strengthening exercises, biofeedback therapy, and/or medications. With consistent care, most patients can regain control and proper function within several months.
Contact Florida Woman Care of Jacksonville for comprehensive, compassionate care if you experience new or worsening symptoms, such as urinary or fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, or difficulty urinating. Call us or click today to schedule an appointment with our providers.
