Back to School… Back to Old Habits: Pelvic Health Tips for Teachers
By Amanda Fisher, PT, DPT – Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist at Empower Your Pelvis, Kansas City (Overland Park, KS & Lees Summit, MO)
As summer draws to a close, it's that time of year when families take their final vacations, soak up the last days at the pool, and prepare for the school year ahead. For many, this transition back to school means returning to familiar routines—and for teachers, this often includes some challenging habits, especially when it comes to pelvic health.
The Teacher’s Struggle: Finding Time for Bathroom Breaks
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I know firsthand how difficult it can be for teachers to find time to go to the bathroom during the school day. Many teachers face back-to-back classes for hours, a quick lunch break, and then dive right back into teaching, especially those working with younger children. If you teach a class of 5-year-olds, when exactly can you slip away for a bathroom break? The reality is that teachers often hold their bladders for extended periods, which can lead to bladder dysfunction over time.
The Impact of Holding Your Bladder Too Long
When you habitually hold your bladder for 6-7 hours a day, your bladder muscle stretches and weakens, leading to potential issues like urinary urgency, leakage, or even pelvic floor dysfunction. To make matters worse, many teachers avoid drinking fluids to minimize bathroom trips, and if they do drink something, it’s often coffee—which can irritate the bladder further.
This combination of dehydration, bladder stretching, and frequent caffeine intake can create a cycle of pelvic floor problems. You might start doing the "pee-pee dance" or clenching your pelvic floor muscles to delay the need for a bathroom break, but unfortunately, these habits only exacerbate the issue.
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help
If you’re a teacher or work in a job where bathroom breaks are a challenge, you’ve likely developed some of these habits already. The good news? Pelvic floor physical therapy can help you regain control. At Empower Your Pelvis, we work with teachers and professionals to address bladder issues and pelvic floor dysfunction.
During pelvic floor therapy, we’ll cover:
Breathing exercises to relax the pelvic muscles
Urge deferment strategies to manage bathroom timing
Manual therapy to address muscle tightness surrounding the bladder
Strengthening exercises to support bladder function and the pelvic floor
Whether you’ve been teaching for 2 years or 20, it’s never too late to train your body and mind so you don’t have to think about bathroom breaks all day long.
Conclusion: Take Control of Your Pelvic Health
Teachers, you give so much to your students—don’t let your bladder health take a backseat! If you’re dealing with bladder urgency, leakage, or pelvic discomfort, consider visiting a pelvic floor physical therapist. You deserve to feel comfortable and in control, both inside and outside the classroom.
Get Professional Help
If you're looking for “pelvic floor therapy near me”, consider scheduling a consultation at one of our locations in Kansas City-Overland Park, Kansas, or Lees Summit, Missouri. Click here to book your appointment.
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With wellness in your pelvis-
Amanda Fisher, PT, DPT
Owner, Empower Your Pelvis, a pelvic floor physical therapy clinic in Kansas City (Lee’s Summit, MO and Overland Park, KS)