What is a pelvic floor?

Head, shoulders, knees, and pelvic floor?! Where is that? Believe it or not-- females, males; we all have a pelvic floor. The pelvic floor consists of the muscles that span across the base of the pelvic bowl, from the pubic bone on the front side of the pelvis to the coccyx (tailbone) on the back side of the pelvis, and between the two sit bones (ischial tuberosities). Like a trampoline, the pelvic floor can move up and down when the muscles contract or relax. 

These pelvic floor muscles have many important functions including:

• Supporting our internal organs
• Controlling bladder, bowel, and sexual function
• Providing stability during movement as part of our core muscle team

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During movement and lifting, the pelvic floor muscles must be able to contract (lift) as well as relax in order to work optimally as part of the core with the deep abdominal muscles, deep back muscles and diaphragm (breathing muscle).

Signs and symptoms of a pelvic floor problem may include:

• Leaking urine when you exercise, laugh, cough, sneeze or jump
• A sudden urge to urinate and not being able to make it to the toilet in time
• Getting up to go to the bathroom more than once a night
• Difficulty emptying your bowel or bladder
• Feeling of vaginal heaviness, pressure, heaviness or dropping down
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during sex

You may be at increased risk for pelvic floor dysfunction if you:

• Are pregnant or have ever had a baby
• Are in menopause or post-menopause 
• Have had a gynecological surgery such as a hysterectomy
• Regularly lift heavy weights or high impact activity 
• Strain to empty your bowels
• Have chronic constipation
• Have a chronic cough
• Are overweight
• Have a history of back pain

If you have signs and symptoms of a pelvic floor condition or are in one of the at-risk groups listed above, it is important to avoid extra strain on your pelvic floor when exercising and during daily activities. It is especially important to rebuild pelvic floor muscle control safely and incrementally prior to returning to higher level abdominal and impact exercises if you are pregnant, postpartum, or have had a recent gynecological surgery.

​A pelvic floor physical therapist is trained in the rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal system including the pelvic floor muscles, as well as additional training in internal evaluation and treatment. Your pelvic floor PT at LiveWell CNY Physical Therapy can help design a specific exercise program for you while being mindful of protecting the pelvic floor. 

Reference:
Pelvic Floor Muscles. Continence Foundation of Australia. Retrieved from https://www.continence.org.au/pages/how-do-pelvic-floor-muscles-help.html