What is pelvic health and why is it so important?

Pelvic health is the optimal functioning of the pelvis - the bladder, bowel and reproductive organs AND optimal functioning of the attachments to your pelvis - pelvic floor, hips, spine abdominals.

As women we go through many stages of change - puberty, pregnancy, postnatal and menopause so our pelvic health changes as well! Let's get into the different layers of pelvic health and why these changes may cause symptoms.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, nerves and fascia that create a natural hammock underneath the pelvis. They attach from the coccyx to the front of the pelvis (pubis). It is literally the floor of your pelvis.

The pelvic floor

1. Supports your organs

2. Keeps your urine and bowels in

3. Helps you feel good during sexual activity

4. Is Part of your core system - works with your abdominals to stabilise the low back, hips and pelvic girdle 

What are symptoms of an impaired pelvic floor?

When there is an impairment of the pelvic floor, we see symptoms of pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, urinary urgency, frequency, incontinence, bowel incontinence, constipation, prolapse symptoms like heaviness, dragging or pressure, pregnancy related low back or pelvic girdle pain postnatal issues that can arise from casarean delivery, episiotomy, vaginal birth related trauma, and so much more

Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction most likely arise from overactive or hypertonic pelvic floor muscles. That means that muscle is too tight to function at its best. A muscle needs to be able to both contracrelax for optimal function. If we don’t have full movement of the pelvic floor, and it remains in a tense position, it won’t be able to engage and do its job. When a muscle is nice and relaxed, it can contract and respond better.

So often times it's not that you have a weak pelvic floor, its because its so tight it can’t create any movement and this is when you start to see pain and other symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction.

But it's just not about the pelvic floor.....

Many pelvic floor issues are not just located in the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor has connections with the lumbar spine, thoracic spine, the hips, abdomen, diaphragm, ribs, the foot even ! And a heightened nervous system ! All of these areas influence how the pelvic floor behaves.

The key is looking at the patient as a whole. Digging deep into medical, personal and social history to find out WHY you are experiencing pelvic floor symptoms in the first place. It's not just a matter of doing your pelvic floor squeezes. It's much more than that.

After all, pelvic health should matter because being a woman is forever.