The Pelvic Floor: What the heck is it?
Simply put, the pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and tissues at the bottom of your pelvis; hence, the term floor. It stretches from your pubic bone to tailbone and includes both sit bones, regardless of gender.
The pelvic floor has many important functions, including:
Supporting and maintaining the position of pelvic organs, such as the bladder, rectum, and uterus.
Controlling bowel and bladder function, which involves holding urine and stool in and letting it out.
Assisting in sexual arousal and orgasm.
Providing overall stability to the pelvic region during daily and recreational activities.
However, problems within the pelvic floor can arise, leading to what is known as pelvic floor dysfunction. Common causes of dysfunction can include pregnancy, childbirth, chronic constipation, poor lifting techniques, hormone imbalances, anxiety/depression, and aging.
These dysfunctions may commonly present as:
• Urinary incontinence (leakage) at any time, even if you’ve had a baby.
• Constipation in the form of infrequent or hard stools that are difficult or painful to pass.
• Pelvic organ prolapse, which feels like heaviness or bulging within the pelvic region.
• Any type of pain during daily activities, tampon insertion, intercourse, etc.
Often, individuals experiencing symptoms in the pelvic region assume that Kegels are the next step. However, this is not always the case, as many of these symptoms can be caused by muscles that are too tight, and performing Kegel exercises can exacerbate what you’re feeling.
We urge you—before beginning Kegels or any other exercises to alleviate your symptoms—to contact a pelvic floor therapist for a thorough assessment and a tailored recommendation for the next steps towards healing. We’ d love to help!
