Sneaky things you may not realize are contributing to your pelvic pain
Pelvic pain can be caused by a variety of different things. It can come from injuries, hormones, medical conditions, and more. It can also come from seemingly innocent things, like your bathroom habits, posture, breathing, and digestion. These can contribute to pelvic pain, but are typically not the root cause.
Bathroom issues
It’s no secret that we all use the bathroom, but did you know that how you use the bathroom matters? The best way to use the bathroom is to fully sit down and let your pelvic floor muscles relax fully to expel waste. Deviating from this or putting additional pressure can lead to pain.
Examples of this can be straining to poop, hovering to pee, or pushing out your pee. All of these actions cause your pelvic floor to tense, and if done repeatedly, can cause overly tight, or hypertonic muscles. Check out more bad bathroom habits that can impact your pelvic floor in our last blog post!
Posture issues
We know that the pelvic floor is more connected to the rest of your body than you realize. It sits at the bottom of your pelvis, where it supports your organs, coordinates your breathing, and stabilizes your spine and pelvis. As a result, when your posture is poor, it can hurt your pelvic floor.
Some examples of posture issues that impact the pelvic floor include sitting all day, slouching, and even clenching your butt. These things all cause tension on your pelvic floor, and can impact the alignment of your pelvis and spine. Try taking breaks to move and stretch throughout the day to help relieve some tension.
Breathing issues
Things as simple as breathing, what you do all day, every day, can also have an impact on your pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor is connected to your diaphragm, which makes up the core canister and helps to regulate pressure in the body. When the coordination is interrupted, it can cause leakage, prolapse, and pain.
Examples of “bad” breathing mechanics that can impact the pelvic floor include holding your breath, sucking in your stomach, and improper breathing during exercise or workouts. Holding your breath, especially under load, causes increased pressure on your pelvic floor muscles. Try to relax your stomach, and follow proper breathing techniques during exercise to avoid extra pressure on your pelvic floor.
Digestive and Urinary issues
Some things can be out of your control, but still have an impact on your pelvic floor. When dealing with issues such as constipation, or other medical conditions, it can cause strain on your pelvic floor. Increased straining can lead to pain, discomfort, and even pelvic organ prolapse.
Other digestive and urinary conditions, like IBS, or interstitial cystitis, can also lead to tight or overactive pelvic floor muscles which can contribute to pelvic pain. Both of these conditions are inflammatory in nature, and can cause pain, tightness, and interrupt muscle coordination.
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help
While the issues mentioned above can contribute to pelvic pain, they are typically not the root cause. Regardless of root cause, pelvic floor physical therapy can help manage symptoms. At V Strong, we treat incontinence, overactive pelvic floor muscles, constipation, and so much more.
Read more about V Strong Physical Therapy, and learn how pelvic floor physical therapy can benefit you. Book a consult call with our team to get started on your pelvic health journey today!
Works Cited
Akincilar, Elizabeth. “10 Common Behaviors That Can Lead to Pelvic Pain.” Pelvic Health & Rehabilitation Center, 9 May 2024, pelvicpainrehab.com/blog/10-common-behaviors-that-can-lead-to-pelvic-pain/.
Cohen, Sandy. “Pelvic Floor: What It Is and How to Keep It Healthy | Simms Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology.” UCLA Health – Simms Mann Center, 19 July 2023, http://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/important-web-muscles-often-goes-overlooked
“Most Common Causes of Pelvic Pain: OB-Gyn Associates of Marietta: Obstetrics and Gynecologist.” OB-GYN Associates of Marietta , http://www.obgynassociatesmarietta.com/blog/most-common-causes-of-pelvic-pain.