When to see a pelvic floor specialist (and what they do).

We make a pelvic floor app, so it might seem odd for us to write a whole page about when to skip the app and see a professional. But it's the honest thing to do, and the important thing. An app is a great way to practise once you know that strengthening is what you need. It is not a way to diagnose what's wrong, and there are situations where doing more Kegels is exactly the wrong move. If any of the signs below sound like you, a specialist is a better first step than a training routine, and we'd genuinely rather you got the right help.

The signs it's time

Book an appointment if you have any of these. Pain: pelvic pain, pain during sex, or pain when you try to contract or exercise. A sense of heaviness, dragging, or something bulging low down, which can point to prolapse. A pelvic floor that feels tight and that you struggle to relax. Leakage that's significant, came on suddenly, or involves your bowels. Symptoms after birth that aren't settling over the weeks. And the quiet but telling one: no improvement after several weeks of doing your exercises correctly. None of these means something is seriously wrong, but all of them mean it's worth getting assessed before you train.

What a pelvic floor physiotherapist actually does

Many people don't realise this specialty exists, which is a shame, because it's often the missing piece. A pelvic floor (or pelvic health) physiotherapist assesses how your pelvic floor is actually working, usually through conversation and, with your consent, an internal examination. From that they can tell whether your floor is weak, too tight, or poorly coordinated, three different problems that can feel the same from the outside. Then they build a plan for your situation: teaching correct technique, hands-on treatment, help learning to release a tight floor, guidance for prolapse, postpartum recovery, or preparing for and recovering from surgery. It's the personalised assessment an app simply can't provide.

Who else can help

A pelvic floor physiotherapist isn't the only door. Your GP or doctor is a sensible first port of call: they can rule out other causes, treat things like infections, and refer you on. For prolapse or more complex issues, a urogynaecologist is the specialist doctor. Some areas have continence nurses or specialist clinics. The point isn't which title you reach first, it's that you reach someone who can assess you, rather than guessing and hoping.

How to find one

Start by asking your GP or doctor, who can often refer you and may be able to get it covered. Beyond that, national physiotherapy associations usually have directories where you can search for a "pelvic health," "women's health," or "pelvic floor" physiotherapist near you. If in-person options are limited, telehealth pelvic floor physiotherapy has become widely available and can be a good way in. Whichever route, look for that specific specialisation rather than a general physiotherapist, since the training is distinct.

Where an app fits

To be clear about our own tool: Kegelia is for practising, not diagnosing. Once you know that strengthening is the right goal, whether you worked that out yourself with straightforward mild leakage or a specialist confirmed it, an app earns its place by helping you do the exercise consistently and correctly, which is where most people fall down. It paces the rhythm and marks the lift so you're training the movement rather than guessing. What it can't do is assess your body or replace a professional, and we won't pretend otherwise. If you're weighing tools rather than getting assessed, signs of a weak pelvic floor and reverse Kegels are useful next reads.

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