01/31/2026
What is Biofeedback?
Biofeedback is ANY output you can observe that helps you know if your body is doing what you're telling it to do.
This is one of the first things we learn as pelvic floor PTs, because the pelvic floor is hidden inside and most people don't have a clear awareness or "brain map" for it.
πͺWhen you contract your bicep, you can SEE your elbow bend - so you know you are contracting the bicep.
π€¨ Pelvic floor muscle action is much more subtle and difficult to observe...
So we use "biofeedback" - a mirror, your hand on your perineum, or "EMG" to help you KNOW for certain you are contracting or relaxing your pelvic floor!
EMG is electrical myography - we use sensors that pick up electrical activity from your muscles and move a marker on the computer screen so you can SEE when your muscles contract or relax.
It's a useful tool for many, but not helpful for everyone!! The machine also malfunctions a lot, which is why I don't emphasize it in my practice. π
As pelvic floor PTs we have many tools to help you find, activate, relax, mobilize, and control your pelvic floor.
There is no "one size fits all" method to fix pelvic floor problems, so the more tools your PT has the more options they can pull from to help you
Many clinics/hospitals unfortunately utilise biofeedback as the ONLY tool in pelvic rehab, or even go so far as to replace the PT altogether and have nurses set patients up on biofeedback with no further assessment or treatment.
If your "pelvic floor therapy" consists of primarily biofeedback, you may want to pause and assess whether this strategy is really making a difference for you. π
If you're looking for detailed, multifaceted, functional assessment and treatment pulling from a deep toolbox with 8 nerdy pelvic expert brains and a full hour one:one, call us. π€
We use biofeedback, but we do SO MUCH MORE!!!
SHEFitPT.com