Understanding the Pelvic Floor: Why You Should Care About Your Pelvic Health
First off, what is your pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is made up of two layers of muscles at the base of your pelvis. These muscles attach to your pubic bone in the front, the tailbone in the back, and the sitz bones on the sides. Imagine a hammock that supports all the organs in your pelvis. In a well-functioning pelvic floor, these muscles contract and relax in a coordinated way to allow for normal bodily functions. For example, they relax when we go to the bathroom and contract when we cough or sneeze.
Source: https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/muscles-of-the-pelvic-floor
What happens when the pelvic floor isn’t functioning properly?
Sometimes, the muscles of our pelvic floor lose the ability to contract strongly, relax fully, or contract and relax in a coordinated way leading to pelvic floor dysfunction. Like any muscle in the body, we want both mobility and strength in our pelvic floor muscles.
Pelvic floor dysfunction might look like:
- bladder or bowel leaks
- peeing often (frequency)
- having a strong or uncontrollable urge to pee (urgency)
- constipation
- pain with penetration (speculum, tampon, or penetrative intercourse)
- sexual dysfunction
- pelvic, tailbone, or low back pain
There can be many causes for pelvic floor issues including:
- pelvic or abdominal surgeries
- pregnancy and childbirth
- chronic coughing
- chronic constipation
- menopause or other hormonal changes
- posture
- lifestyle choices and toileting habits
- genetics and certain medical conditions
How can a physiotherapist help?
Some physiotherapists have special training in assessing and treating conditions that affect the pelvic floor. In a pelvic health assessment, a physiotherapist will perform a detailed evaluation and identify what factors are relevant to you and your symptoms. They will then develop an individualized treatment plan with you to help address your concerns and achieve your goals. Kegels aren’t the answer to everyone’s problem! Sometimes the answer lies outside of the pelvis and a physiotherapist can help to identify what is most relevant to your case.
Our pelvic health physiotherapists are trained to help with pelvic floor dysfunction, so book an appointment to discuss any concerns relating to your pelvic floor!
Written by: Natalie Constantin