Why Pelvic Floor Physio Is A Critical Part Of Rehab After Tummy Tuck And Muscle Repair

If you have had a tummy tuck with abdominal muscle repair, you already know how life-changing it can feel to reclaim your body after pregnancy, weight changes, or years of strain. You wake up with a stronger abdominal wall, a new shape, and a fresh sense of confidence.

But surgery is only the beginning. Healing well and protecting your results requires more than rest and scar care. At Holistic Med Group in Oakville, we believe pelvic floor physiotherapy is one of the most important and often overlooked steps in your recovery journey.

Pelvic floor physio does more than help you recover physically. It restores your confidence in movement, supports bladder control, improves posture, and helps you feel strong from the inside out.

Why Your Pelvic Floor Matters After Abdominoplasty

Think of your core as a canister. The diaphragm is the lid, the abdominal and back muscles are the walls, and the pelvic floor is the base. Every time you breathe, lift, cough, laugh, or exercise, pressure shifts within this system.

Pregnancy stretches the abdominal wall and pelvic floor. Surgery repairs the abdominal wall, but your system still needs retraining. Without this retraining, pressure can push downward, leading to leaking, heaviness, or discomfort, or outward, which can strain your surgical repair.

Research shows that abdominoplasty with muscle repair can improve back pain and urinary incontinence for many women postpartum, which is incredible news for quality of life. But those improvements are strongest when paired with pelvic floor and core rehab that retrains the system as a whole.

The Science Behind It

• Abdominoplasty improves function

  • A 2018 study of 214 women showed significant improvements in both back pain and urinary incontinence within six months after abdominoplasty with rectus repair.

• Pelvic floor physiotherapy reduces symptoms

  • Clinical reviews confirm that pelvic floor physiotherapy helps women improve urinary continence, reduce prolapse symptoms, and regain strength.

• Core and pelvic floor must work together

  • Diastasis recti and pelvic floor dysfunction do not always occur together, but when they do, retraining both systems is key. Surgery repairs structure, while physio restores coordination.

What Pelvic Floor Physio Looks Like After Surgery

At Holistic Med Group, our pelvic floor physiotherapists guide you through every stage of recovery. Sessions are safe, private, and fully personalized. Here is what to expect:

• Breathwork to restore pressure control from day one.

• Gentle core activation to reconnect your pelvic floor and deep abdominals.

• Scar and abdominal wall mobility (once cleared by your surgeon).

• Bladder and bowel strategies to reduce leaks and strain.

• Progressive strengthening to help you return to lifting, running, or sport with confidence.

Every step is carefully timed to your healing. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is cookie-cutter.

A Phased Recovery Plan

Here is how pelvic floor physio typically progresses after tummy tuck surgery:

Phase 1: Gentle foundation

Walking, breathing, and light pelvic floor range of motion. Focus on healing and learning not to hold your breath during daily tasks.

Phase 2: Core connection

Coordinated breath with core and pelvic floor engagement. Scar care begins and gentle strength patterns are introduced.

Phase 3: Real-life strength

Movements like squats, hip hinges, and carries are added for daily life confidence. You learn how to pick up children, groceries, or laundry without worry.

Phase 4: Higher impact

Gradual return to running, athletics, and higher load activity with full pelvic floor support. Exercises become more dynamic, and your body feels like it can trust itself again.

Common Misconceptions

“I had surgery, so I do not need pelvic floor therapy.”

Surgery repairs structure, but your nervous system still needs retraining. Without it, symptoms like leaking or heaviness can return.

“Kegels are enough.”

Random squeezes are not the same as coordinated, functional training. Proper programs teach timing, endurance, and release.

“If I still leak after surgery, something went wrong.”

Not at all. Pelvic floor retraining often resolves leaks and heaviness even months after surgery.

Why Patients Choose Holistic Med Group in Oakville

Your recovery deserves a team that sees the whole you. At Holistic Med Group, your pelvic floor physiotherapist works closely with our osteopaths, chiropractors, naturopaths, and massage therapists. Together, we make sure every angle of your healing is supported.

Our clinic is designed with comfort in mind. From the moment you step into your treatment room, you are in a safe, calming space where your recovery is our only focus.

Our practitioners are trauma-informed and skilled in guiding women through sensitive, personal stages of healing. You will never feel rushed or dismissed. We take the time to listen to your story and create a plan that feels right for you.

For many of our clients, pelvic floor therapy is the missing piece that turns surgical recovery into true transformation. The women who come to us often say that before physio they felt unsure, afraid of lifting, or worried about leaking. With steady support and education, they leave stronger, more confident, and more at home in their bodies.

Book Your Pelvic Floor Rehab Today

You invested in yourself by choosing surgery. Now invest in your healing. Pelvic floor physiotherapy ensures you feel strong, supported, and confident in your results for years to come.

📞 Call us at (647) 325-8372

🌐 Book online at www.holisticmedgroup.ca

📍 Visit us at 1525 Cornwall Rd Unit No. 15, Oakville, ON L6J 0B2