Among the more underrated muscles in the body are the pelvic floor muscles, or simply pelvic floors. Considering the role they play in the body, this is entirely undeserved. After all, any movement involving the lower abdomen involves these muscles too, so chances are that people have already activated them several times today without even being aware of it!

In this article, we will explore what pelvic floors are, and why having strong and healthy pelvic floor muscles is important – especially for women.

Pelvic Floors – What You Need to Know

What are Pelvic Floors?

Pelvic floors are the group of muscles and ligaments providing support to the organs found in the lower abdomen – such as the bladder, bowel, and rectum.

Women, however, can add the uterus and vagina as among the organs that are being supported by their pelvic floors, while men can include their prostate in the list.

As its name suggests, pelvic floors are found underneath the organs in the pelvis, in between the coccyx or tailbone at the back, and the pubic bone at the front. The Continence Foundation of Australia provides clear images of the location of the pelvic floor muscles inside of the body, as well as how they are depicted for both men and women.

What are Pelvic Floors for?

The pelvic floor’s primary function is to provide support to the organs in the pelvis, keeping them safe and cushioned inside the body. They also have important roles to play in the digestive and sexual health of men and women.

These muscles help control the functions of the bladder and bowel, which has a direct effect on a person’s release of urine, feces, and gas. Pelvic floor muscles can contract and relax which then affects the holes of the anus, urethra, and vagina. Contracting these muscles tightens these openings, which then prevents any waste product from escaping the body, especially during inappropriate times. Relaxing the muscles, on the other hand, allows for the smooth passage particularly of urine and feces – ideally once a person has found a more favorable place to do so.

In addition, pelvic floor muscles play a role in the sexual health of men and women as well as their ability to have pleasurable intercourse. In men, pelvic floors are important in regard to ejaculation and erectile function. In women, the muscles contribute to their arousal and sexual sensation which can be derived via squeezing and/or doing voluntary contractions (Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women, n.d.)

For women, however…

In addition to the bladder, bowel, and rectum, pelvic floor muscles provide support to the uterus, as well as to the baby inside it, for the entire duration of pregnancy. A woman’s pelvic floors need to be relaxed during the process of giving birth to ensure a smoother birthing process.

Given their role in the body, it is crucial for everyone, especially women, to ensure that their pelvic floor muscles are strong and healthy enough so that they can regularly perform their functions without experiencing problems. After all, having strong muscles contribute to the overall well-being of a person, and the same is true with pelvic floors.

What happens when Pelvic Floors do not function well?

When pelvic floors are not functioning well, as in the case of when they are weakened or damaged, accidents can unfortunately happen. Having pelvic floor dysfunction can ultimately lead to a person experiencing negative effects on their digestive and sexual health.

Because the pelvic organs lack adequate support, prolapse or displacement of the bladder, uterus, and bowel may occur.

Additionally, a person will not be able to easily control or contract their muscles, which then leads to incontinence – or the inadvertent release of feces or urine. This is especially evident when doing normal activities such as coughing, sneezing, or running results in a person accidentally leaking urine.

On the other hand, symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction may also include straining hard to defecate as well as the frequent need to urinate. Sometimes, the latter may even lead to a person failing to reach the toilet in time before an “accident” occurs.

In the case of men, weakened or damaged pelvic floors may lead to erectile dysfunction, or their inability to have or maintain an erection. This, unfortunately, has an adverse effect on their enjoyment of sex.

For women, signs that their pelvic floors are not functioning well may include feeling abnormalities in their vagina, such as having reduced sensation and/or heaviness in it, feeling a certain bulge at its opening, or even experiencing vulval pain or pain during sex (Pelvic Floor, n.d.). This can also lead to their inability to derive pleasure from sex.

What causes weakened Pelvic Floors?

Several factors may lead to the weakening of pelvic floors, or even pelvic floor dysfunction. While some of them happen naturally to the human body and are unpreventable, others may be controlled or lessened through exertion of effort.

Weakening pelvic floors may be attributed to aging or growing older, wherein the muscles experience a type of atrophy due to loss of mass and strength. This can occur in both men and women as they age.

In women, additional natural factors may lead to the weakening of their pelvic floors, such as when they experience severely painful periods that can be attributed to endometriosis. Moreover, as they grow older, women undergo hormonal changes caused by menopause, during which their body decreases its production of estrogen.

Other causes of weakened pelvic floors include being overweight, experiencing chronic constipation, repetitive or excessive coughing, and even persistent lifting of heavy weights.

In addition, undergoing procedures needing the cutting of muscles around the pelvic area – such as treatment of prostate cancer in men – and traumatic accidents or injuries occurring in the same area may also lead to pelvic floor muscle weakness.

In pregnant women, their pelvic floor muscles may be weakened due to the need to support the added weight of the baby inside of the uterus. The aftermath of delivering their baby through their vagina may also contribute to it especially if prolonged pushing or straining is involved during the birthing process.

Given the above, it certainly seems like a lot of factors contribute to the weakening of pelvic floor muscles, particularly in women. While some of them, like aging and menopause, cannot be controlled, others can be managed so as to ensure that the weakening may be adequately addressed, or even prevented altogether.

How can weakened Pelvic Floors be treated?

Pelvic floors act as the main support to the organs in the pelvis. As with any foundation, it is imperative that they remain strong and healthy enough to continue correctly performing their role. This would then enable them to effectively contribute to the overall health of a person, most especially to their sexual and digestive health.

Given the many causes of weakened pelvic floors, options to correct them may be explored.

If overweight, losing excess body fat may be a good thing to do. This way, not only will the pelvic floor muscles benefit from bearing less weight, but it will also contribute to improving a person’s health.

If a person experiences chronic constipation, adding more fruits and fibers in their diet, as well as drinking more water, may lessen its negative impacts on the body by promoting a more regular bowel movement.

If a person is suffering from excessive or repetitive coughing, seeking medical attention to treat its cause may be the best action to take.

Lastly, trying to avoid repetitive lifting of heavy weights may also be considered so as to prevent straining the muscles.

However, as with other muscles involved in the body, one of the best ways to address the weakening of pelvic floors is via regular exercise. In particular, exercises that target the pelvic floor muscles are fantastic to include in a person’s daily regimen in order to strengthen the muscles surrounding the pelvic organs.

Before engaging in any type of regular pelvic floor muscle exercise program, it is vital to first correctly identify the pelvic floor muscles, which can be done by a pelvic floor physiotherapist. This way, the correct muscles will be targeted and engaged while exercising in order to maximize the benefits derived from the activity (Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women, n.d.)

What are the benefits of doing Pelvic Floor exercises?

As with all exercises, doing pelvic floor exercises regularly can contribute to improving the overall health of a person. In particular, benefits to a person’s digestive and sexual health may be observed. According to the Continence Foundation of Australia, pelvic floor muscle exercises may help a person have:

• Improved control of the bowel and bladder;
• Improved sexual sensation; and
• In men, improved recovery after surgery of the prostate.

In women, especially those who just gave birth, pelvic floor muscle exercises can help them achieve improved recovery after childbirth, which is important for any new mother. Doing the exercises may even reduce the risk of prolapse, as well as improve a woman’s recovery after surgery.

What types of exercises are best for Pelvic Floors?

An exercise involving the repeated contracting and relaxing of the pelvic floor muscles is known as the Kegel exercise. Doing them regularly can lead to strengthened pelvic floor muscles.

Exercises targeting the pelvic floors can be done while lying down, sitting, standing up, or even a combination of the three.

Other regular exercises, such as walking, can also be incorporated into a person’s exercise routine.

It is crucial to note that the benefits may only be observed after doing the exercises regularly for several weeks or months. However, the positive results will outweigh the efforts a person exerts in order to achieve them.

Aside from exercise, what other treatments for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction are available?

Excluding exercise, other treatments to treat pelvic floor dysfunctions can certainly be explored. This includes seeking attention from medical personnel for them to correctly assess and address the exact type of problem a person is experiencing.

According to Cleveland Clinic, the following are available options for treating pelvic floor dysfunction:

• Biofeedback, which is done by a physical therapist in order to find ways to improve the muscles;
• Pelvic floor physical therapy, wherein the physical therapist will identify problematic muscles and teach the patient exercises that will improve them;
• Medications, particularly for softening the stool and keeping the bowel movements more regular; and
• Relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation, etc.

In regards to incontinence, it is important to note that weakened floor muscles are just one of its many causes. It is advised to seek attention from physiotherapists in order to identify and correctly treat incontinence.

Final thoughts: Do strong pelvic floors matter for women?

Most definitely, having strong pelvic floors matters for everyone – but especially for women.

Given that women have more organs in their pelvis which are supported by their pelvic floors, having a strong, healthy foundation will greatly aid in making sure that the functions of the muscles are carried out well. This is particularly true during pregnancy, where the baby inside the uterus acts as an additional weight that the pelvic floors will need to fully support.

Strong pelvic floors can also contribute to a woman’s enjoyment of sex, especially as they are less likely to feel uncomfortable or experience any pain while engaging in it – as opposed to when they have weakened pelvic floors.

Lastly, having strong pelvic floors contribute to their digestive and sexual health, both of which are important so that they can live long and healthy lives.