My Favorite Go-To Tools as a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist

As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I’m always looking for practical, accessible tools that empower my patients between sessions. While hands-on treatment and individualized exercise programs are essential, the right at-home tools can truly accelerate progress and build confidence.

Here are some of my favorite, patient-approved go-to items that I often recommend in the clinic.

1. Squatty Potty: A Simple Fix for Constipation

One of the most overlooked contributors to pelvic floor dysfunction is constipation and straining. The Squatty Potty is one of the easiest and most effective tools I recommend.

Elevating the feet, it helps place the body in a more natural squatting position, which:

Straightens the rectum
Reduces straining
Improves bowel emptying
Decreases stress on the pelvic floor

For patients dealing with pelvic pain, prolapse symptoms, or hemorrhoids, reducing straining can be a game-changer. It’s a small change with a big impact.

2. Lacrosse Ball: Pelvic Floor Tension Relief Anywhere

Pelvic floor tension doesn’t always stay in the pelvis. It often connects with the hips, glutes, and deep rotators.

A simple lacrosse ball is one of my favorite “on-the-go” tools. Patients can:

Sit on it to target gluteal trigger points
Use it against a wall for hip rotators
Apply gentle, sustained pressure to tight tissue

This can help reduce guarding, improve blood flow, and decrease overall pelvic tension. It’s affordable, portable, and incredibly effective when used properly.

3. Clean Love Lubricant: Supporting Comfortable Intimacy

Lubrication is often an under-discussed but essential component of pelvic health. I frequently recommend Good Clean Love products because they are formulated with clean, body-friendly ingredients and are designed to support vaginal health.

Using lubricant can:

Reduce friction
Decrease pain with penetration
Improve comfort and confidence
Support tissue healing

Normalizing lubricant use is part of removing shame and supporting healthy, pleasurable intimacy.

4. The OHnut: Comfort Without Compromise

The OHnut, made by The Pelvic People, is an innovative device developed specifically for individuals who experience pain with deep penetration.

It consists of soft, stackable rings worn at the base of a partner, creating a customizable buffer that:

Limits the depth of penetration
Maintains pleasurable sensation for both partners
Empowers couples to stay intimate without triggering pain

They now also offer a vibrating ring option to enhance pleasure further. I appreciate that this product was truly created “for the people, by the people,” addressing a very real need in the pelvic pain community.

5. Pelvic Wand: Targeted Relief for Pelvic Pain

For patients with internal trigger points or pelvic floor muscle overactivity, a pelvic wand can be incredibly helpful when used under professional guidance.

It allows patients to:

Perform gentle internal myofascial release
Address specific areas of tension
Build body awareness and control

When introduced at the right time in a treatment plan, it can be empowering and effective in reducing persistent pelvic pain.

6. The Book: Next Level by Stacy Simms with Selene Yeager

This book is especially valuable because it bridges a gap we frequently see in clinical care: the intersection of hormonal transitions, musculoskeletal health, and functional performance in midlife women.

If you’re navigating perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause and wondering why your body feels different, this book explains why and, more importantly, what to do about it.

What I appreciate most from a pelvic health perspective:

It connects hormonal changes to muscle strength, connective tissue, and recovery
It emphasizes heavy strength training and power work — essential for pelvic floor resilience
It reinforces fueling and protein intake to support tissue health
It empowers women to train with their physiology, not against it

So many pelvic floor symptoms — leaking, prolapse pressure, decreased performance, slower recovery — make more sense when we understand the hormonal landscape. This book gives that context in a science-backed, actionable way.

Pelvic health is whole-body health, and midlife is not a time to shrink. It’s a time to get stronger. 💪

7. Fringe Pelvic Wand: Light & Vibration Therapy for Pelvic Health

Urinary incontinence affects more than 60% of women in the U.S., with over 30% reporting monthly symptoms. Despite its prevalence, many women suffer in silence — whether it’s leaking while laughing or persistent urgency that disrupts daily life.

The Fringe Pelvic Wand combines red (630 nm), near-infrared (830 nm), and blue (415 nm) light therapy with customizable vibration therapy to support:

Tissue healing and collagen production
Improved blood flow and circulation
Muscle tone and activation
Microbial balance
Pain modulation

Why Light Therapy?

Photobiomodulation (light therapy) works by stimulating mitochondrial activity and cellular repair.

Red & Near-Infrared Light:

Increase collagen and elastin synthesis
Improve circulation via nitric oxide production
Support angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation)
Reduce inflammation

Blue Light:

Provides antimicrobial effects
Supports microbiome balance

These mechanisms may help women with:

Stress urinary incontinence
Urge incontinence
Endometriosis symptoms
Pelvic floor tension
Chronic pelvic pain

The Role of Vibration Therapy

The Fringe Pelvic Wand also offers four vibration levels (10–120 Hz). Research suggests:

Low frequency (10–50 Hz) can relax overactive muscles and improve proprioception
Higher frequency (90–120 Hz) may stimulate reflexive pelvic floor contractions via the pudendal nerve

Vibration therapy may:

Improve muscle strength and tone
Increase circulation
Reduce neuropathic pain
Improve voluntary muscle control

For women seeking non-invasive, research-backed support at home, this dual-modality tool can be an empowering adjunct to pelvic floor therapy.

8. Uresta: Support for Stress Incontinence

For patients with stress urinary incontinence (leaking with coughing, sneezing, jumping, or exercise), Uresta can be an excellent temporary support option.

This reusable intravaginal device:

Provides bladder neck support
Reduces leaks during high-impact activity
Empowers women to stay active

It can be especially helpful for athletes, postpartum women, or those wanting to return to exercise while strengthening their pelvic floor.

Empowerment Through Education and Tools

Pelvic floor therapy isn’t just about what happens in the clinic. It’s about giving patients practical tools they can use in their everyday lives.

From improving bowel mechanics to supporting comfortable intimacy, these products and resources help patients:

Feel informed
Feel in control
Feel confident