When was the last time you laughed so hard you (almost) peed your pants? Aside from the fact that laughter is incredibly healthy, if these occurrences are frequent and include leakage when you cough or sneeze, this has to do with weakness in your pelvic floor. Granted, some might find talk about this area of the body a bit icky, but I hope you'll reserve judgement until you see how important the health of the pelvic floor is for both men and women.
Mostly we hear about the phenomenon of incontinence resulting from a weakening in the muscles of the pelvic floor with women who have gone through pregnancy. And this is true-- a very common syndrome for mothers, myself included. The number of babies you’ve had can contribute to it as well; it doesn’t matter whether you’ve had your children vaginally or through C-section. Studies have shown that it’s not the labor that makes the pelvic floor weak, it’s carrying the baby on the pelvic floor – especially in the third trimester (yogaonline.com). According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, about 25 to 45% of women suffered from urinary incontinence at least once in the past year.
We're usually diligent about our Kegel exercises for a few months after giving birth, but after that we rarely pay our pelvic floor much mind. We also assume that this is a peculiarly female issue. Not so. "Research on the male pelvic floor has made it abundantly clear how important these muscles are to our (men's) health and vitality - and the surprising impact they can have on pelvic pain, prostate health, sexual dysfunction, and urinary issues" (malepelvicfloor.com).
So where are these important but neglected muscles anyway? The pelvic floor (visual) is a group of muscles that attaches to the bones at the bottom of your pelvis. These muscles effectively form a hammock across the base of your pelvis that supports the internal organs above it. It is the horizontal load-bearing muscle in the human body! The pelvic floor serves numerous functions. First and foremost, the pelvic floor is the center of gravity for your body. It is the place where movement is initiated and is essential to your overall well-being. Dancers understand this and are taught how to access their center this way (Zip It).
The pelvic floor makes a fundamental contribution to your core stability and it allows coordination between the pelvic floor and abdominal, hip and back muscles. Women with a weak pelvic floor may be subjected to pelvic organ prolapse. In addition to supporting the body’s vital pelvic organs, the pelvic floor muscles regulate our continence (both kinds of elimination). Your pelvic floor also plays a vital role in sexuality. A strong and healthy pelvic floor will improve sexual response and heighten sexual pleasure (pelicanhealthclinic.com).
Another thing we rarely hear about though, is that it's not just a slack/weak pelvic floor that is a health hazard. Almost as common, is a condition where the pelvic floor becomes rigid and tight. The pelvic floor is actually connected to our fight/flight response. When the shoulders tighten and rise and the breathing becomes shallow, the pelvic floor tightens automatically. So if we experience lots of stress on a daily basis, this group of muscles is in constant contraction affecting the mobility of our hips and back and causing possible digestive and sexual dysfunction.
"In Eastern traditions, the pelvic floor is known as the root chakra—it’s where we tend to literally “hold” fears, specifically fears around primary instincts such as our health, our family’s safety, and our financial security. It is a “stress container,” in that it’s where we process the emotion and house our fight or flight reactions" (goop.com).
Being overweight can contribute to pelvic floor problems. Posture is another huge factor; the way you sit and stand has a big impact on the long-term health of the pelvic floor. Having strong and supple pelvic floor muscles gives you proper control over your bladder and bowels, improves sexual performance and orgasm and helps stabilize the hip joints and back. They're also connected to the deep core muscles and are necessary in all movement, balance and stabilization. You get the picture: They’re important.
If you join me again on Sunday for my Quick Read, I'll give you some easy exercises you can integrate into your daily routine to tone your pelvic floor and feel its vital connection to the abs, back and hips as well as digestive health and sexual function. Just one more example of the miraculous, complex and interconnected design of the bodymind that, with awareness, can bring holistic natural functioning back into our lives. And as you continue to Mind Your Body this week, the bottom line is...take care of your bottom line.
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