How pelvic floor strength affects bladder control, intimate wellness and healthy aging

We usually don’t think much about our pelvic floor until it starts demanding our attention.

Maybe it’s a little leak when you sneeze. Getting up multiple times during the night. Or realizing that jumping jacks suddenly require more planning than they used to.

However, your pelvic floor does much more than help with bladder control. These muscles support the bladder and other pelvic organs and also play a role in sexual function. Like other muscles, they can weaken with age, pregnancy, childbirth and hormonal changes around menopause.

And yes, they can be strengthened.

Why Pelvic Floor Health Matters as We Age

Urinary incontinence becomes increasingly common in women as they age, and menopause can add another layer. Changes in estrogen, connective tissue and muscle function can all affect the pelvic floor.

Still, bladder leakage isn’t something women simply have to accept as part of getting older. Schedule now.

Pelvic floor muscle training, including Kegel exercises, remains an established conservative approach for urinary incontinence. More recently, technologies such as EMSELLA have provided another noninvasive way to stimulate and strengthen pelvic floor muscles.

EMSELLA in Scottsdale uses high-intensity focused electromagnetic energy to create pelvic floor muscle contractions while you’re sitting fully clothed in a specialized chair.

Basically, it’s a pelvic floor workout without spending the entire time wondering, Am I even doing this Kegel correctly?

What Does the EMSELLA Research Show?

This is where things get interesting.

Clinical studies summarized by BTL have reported:

• 68% improvement in urinary incontinence at 12 months
• 64% improvement in nocturia, or nighttime urination
• 57% average reduction in hygiene pad use

Researchers have also studied sexual-function outcomes. One 12-month multicenter study of 31 women with urinary incontinence and decreased interest in sexual activity reported a 51% improvement in sexual-dysfunction scores and a 62% improvement in orgasm scores after treatment.

It’s important to put those numbers in context. These are results from individual clinical studies, not a promise that every patient will experience the same improvement. In the United States, Incontinence with Emsella is centered on urinary incontinence, which is the pelvic-health use cleared by the FDA. Sexual-wellness results are research findings rather than an FDA-cleared sexual-function indication.

And There’s New Research for Postmenopausal Women

This part caught our attention.

A 2026 prospective study followed 99 postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence. Women received either EMSELLA alone or EMSELLA combined with structured Kegel exercises.

Both groups experienced improvement. However, women who combined EMSELLA with Kegels had greater symptom improvement, and 76% achieved the study’s definition of clinically meaningful improvement, compared with 57.1% receiving EMSELLA alone.

That also makes an important point: technology doesn’t necessarily replace the basics. Sometimes the best approach is combining them.

Pelvic Floor Health Is About More Than Leaks

For many women, bladder leakage is what finally starts the conversation. But pelvic floor health is part of a much bigger picture.

A strong, well-functioning pelvic floor can affect bladder control, daily confidence and overall quality of life. Sexual function is another area researchers continue to study.

Most importantly, pelvic floor concerns shouldn’t be embarrassing or dismissed as something you simply have to live with.

Because crossing your legs before every sneeze isn’t really a long-term wellness strategy.

EMSELLA at The Peak Wellness Spa in Scottsdale

At The Peak Wellness Spa in Scottsdale, EMSELLA is one of the noninvasive technologies we use to support pelvic floor health and urinary incontinence in both women and men.

Treatments are performed while you’re fully clothed, with no needles or surgery and no treatment-related downtime. A typical treatment plan is based on the individual’s needs, health history and goals.

And because pelvic floor symptoms can have several causes, some concerns should first be evaluated by a medical provider to determine the most appropriate approach.

Curious whether EMSELLA might be right for you? Talk with our team at The Peak. Pelvic floor health may not be the first thing we talk about over brunch, but perhaps it deserves a little more attention.