What is the Pelvic Floor?

You probably don’t think about your pelvic floor muscles very often, and you may not have even heard the term before or know what parts of the body it refers to, but these muscles are extremely important. Stretching between the tailbone and the pubic bone, your pelvic floor muscles support the bowel, rectum, and bladder. In men, this includes the prostate. In women, these muscles also support the uterus and by extension, the womb. Pelvic floor muscles are crucial to the function of these pelvic organs. Much like the muscles in our arms or abdomen, these muscles can be consciously controlled and trained.

What are Pelvic Floor Disorders

The pelvic floor muscles can be torn, pulled, or strained, just like all the other muscles in the body. Pelvic floor disorders can result from this kind of damage or if the muscles become weak over time. Essentially, having a pelvic floor disorder means a person cannot correctly relax and control these muscles to have a bowel movement or urinate. There are three main types of pelvic floor disorders:

• Lack of bowel control, also called fecal incontinence
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Obstructive defecation, which is the inability to pass stool

Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Disorders