Pelvic Health Toolbox

Thoughtfully Chosen Tools to Support Your pelvic health Recovery

by Dr. Brittany Schroeder, PT, DPT, WCS, NCPT, PCES

One of the most common questions we hear in the clinic is:

"Is there something I can buy that will help?"

Sometimes the answer is yes.

More often, the answer is, "Maybe—but first let's understand what your body needs right now."

At Core Moves, we don't recommend products because they're popular or promise a quick fix. We recommend them when they support a specific goal in your recovery.

That's because the same product that is incredibly helpful for one person may be completely unnecessary—or even counterproductive—for someone else.

Our recommendations are guided by the same treatment philosophy we use throughout physical therapy: Reset. Retrain. Reload.

Understanding where you are in that process helps explain not only what a tool does, but when it might actually be useful.

Recovery Isn't Linear

Although we describe recovery in three phases, healing rarely follows a perfectly straight line.

Most people begin by spending more time in Reset, gradually transition into Retrain, and eventually progress into Reload as their confidence, strength, and capacity improve.

But recovery isn't a staircase.

A stressful week, poor sleep, illness, travel, hormonal changes, or simply doing more than your body was ready for can temporarily increase symptoms. That doesn't mean you've gone backwards. It simply means your body may need a little more support before it's ready to continue progressing.

It's completely normal to move between phases—even within the same week.

One day you may need strategies that calm your nervous system and settle an irritable pelvic floor. The next day you may be ready to work on movement coordination, and by the weekend you may be lifting weights, hiking, or chasing your kids around the backyard.

The phases simply help us identify what your body needs most today, not label where you are permanently.

The Three Phases of Recovery

Reset

When symptoms are loud, we start by calming the system.

The goal of Reset isn't to make you stronger—it's to help you feel safer and more comfortable in your body.

Depending on the person, this may include reducing muscle guarding, calming an overprotective nervous system, improving tissue mobility, managing pain, or making everyday activities feel less threatening.

Many of the strategies we use during Reset are completely free: breathing, positioning, gentle movement, pacing, and nervous system regulation.

Sometimes, though, a thoughtfully designed tool can make those same strategies more comfortable, more convenient, or more efficient.

Retrain

Once symptoms become more manageable, we begin rebuilding movement.

This phase focuses on improving coordination, pressure management, muscle timing, and confidence. Rather than simply strengthening the pelvic floor, we help it work together with the diaphragm, abdominal wall, hips, spine, and the rest of your body.

Some tools in this phase provide temporary support while your body learns new movement patterns. Others help you gradually build tolerance to activities that previously felt painful or impossible.

Reload

The final phase is about building resilience.

This is where we progressively return to the things that matter most to you—whether that's lifting heavier, running farther, hiking, gardening, intimacy, or simply living your life without constantly thinking about your symptoms.

By this stage, many tools become less necessary because your body has developed the capacity to do the work on its own.

The goal has never been dependence on a product.

The goal has always been independence.

Important to remember

Most pelvic health recovery doesn't happen because of a gadget.

It happens because your body gradually learns that movement is safe again. It happens through thoughtful loading, improved movement patterns, nervous system regulation, and consistency over time.

That said, there are tools that can make that process easier.

Sometimes they're more comfortable than a free alternative. Sometimes they're more convenient. Sometimes they're simply a more efficient way to accomplish something we're already working on together in physical therapy.

For example, many people can perform internal pelvic floor release with a clean, lubricated finger. Others may find that a purpose-designed pelvic wand allows them to reach the appropriate muscles more comfortably or with less strain. Neither approach is inherently "better." The best choice is the one that helps you perform the technique safely, consistently, and without increasing symptoms.

That's the philosophy behind this series.

Before You Buy Anything...

A few things are worth remembering.

• Most people do not need every tool on this list.

• Many people don't need any of them.

• Nearly every tool has a free or inexpensive alternative.

• None of these products replace an individualized assessment or treatment plan.

• More expensive does not automatically mean more effective.

Our goal isn't to sell products.

Our goal is to help you understand why a tool exists, who it might help, and when it probably isn't necessary.

Our Approach to Reviewing Products

Every product in this series will include:

• What the tool is

• Who might benefit

• Who it probably isn't appropriate for

• The physiology behind how it's intended to work

• An honest review of the current research

• Free alternatives that accomplish similar goals

• Companies that manufacture or sell the product

• Safety considerations

• Our clinical perspective as pelvic floor physical therapists

You'll notice something missing from these reviews:

We don't give five-star ratings.

Very few things in rehabilitation deserve that.

Instead, we'll tell you exactly what the evidence supports, where the evidence is lacking, and how we think about using the tool in real clinical practice.

Reset Tools Currently in the pelvic health Toolbox

As this library grows, we'll continue adding new tools and updating existing reviews as new research becomes available.

Muscle Relaxation & Pain Modulation

• Pelvic Wand (coming soon)

• TENS Unit (coming soon)

• KIWI Vibratory Massage Tool (coming soon)

• JOVI Patch (coming soon)

Tissue Mobility

• Silicone Cupping (coming soon)

• Red Light Therapy / Photobiomodulation (coming soon)

Nervous System Regulation

• Scalp Massager (coming soon)

• Facial Massage / Gua Sha (coming soon)

Retrain Tools Currently in the pelvic health Toolbox

Some tools can provide support while you're learning new movement patterns. We will continue to update this list as we learn of more potentially helpful items.

• Pelvic Floor Dilators (coming soon)

  Gentle, progressive tools used to improve tissue tolerance and reduce pain with penetration.

• Poise Impressa® (coming soon)

  An over-the-counter bladder support that can temporarily reduce stress urinary incontinence during higher-impact activities.

• Ohnut® (coming soon)

  A wearable depth-limiting buffer that can help make intimacy more comfortable for individuals experiencing deep pelvic pain.

• SI Joint Belts (coming soon)

  External pelvic support that may be helpful for pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, hypermobility, or temporary pelvic instability.

• Vaginal Weights (coming soon)

  A tool that may be appropriate for carefully selected individuals working on pelvic floor strength and endurance—but not everyone with pelvic floor dysfunction.

• Splinting Devices (coming soon)

  Tools designed to support bowel emptying in individuals with certain types of pelvic organ prolapse or obstructed defecation.

Reload Tools Currently in the pelvic health Toolbox

As our library grows, we'll continue to review products that may support higher-level movement and return to activity, including home gym equipment that is accessible and supportive of building strength, endurance, power, and capacity.

(coming soon)

A Final Thought

One of the biggest misconceptions in rehabilitation is that recovery comes from the right piece of equipment.

In reality, recovery comes from your body's incredible ability to adapt.

Tools don't create healing.

They simply remove barriers that sometimes make healing easier.

If a product helps you move with less pain, reduces fear around movement, or makes it easier to perform the exercises and techniques we've recommended, it may be worth considering.

If you can achieve the same result with your own hands, a towel, your breath, or a few pillows, that's wonderful too.

Our job isn't to convince you that you need another gadget.

It's to help you make informed decisions based on your goals, your symptoms, and the best available evidence. This pelvic health toolbox is a just reference to help you narrow down the right support for you. Remember, you don't have to do this alone. We strongly advise getting some professional support and guidance to assist in making decisions regarding your recovery.

Next Article

Pelvic Wands for Pelvic Floor Tension: Do They Actually Work?