MYTHBUSTING: Is this normal?
Your pelvic floor has 4 major responsibilities/functions and those are:
Supporting your organs against gravity
Bladder function
Bowel function
Sexual function
I know I see videos/tiktoks/reels all the time of women poking fun at certain pelvic floor behaviors that happen to them such as leaking urine while working out, painful sex, etc.
Let's set the record straight on what's normal, healthy pelvic floor behavior so you can get help and live a better, healthier, and happier life!
What's normal regarding:
1. Supporting your organs against gravity
-Functional tasks which include: household chores, showering, dressing, going to work, hobbies and recreational activities performed without pain through lower back, hips, and pelvis.
-No bulge through the front of your stomach with certain exercise activities above, at, or below your belly button
2. Bladder function
-Normal bladder function includes:
-emptying bladder every 3-4 hours
-zero leakage EVER (urinary leakage is not normal no matter what)
-Drinking ~ half your body weight in ounces daily
-minimal to no UTIs (frequent UTIs can be linked to pelvic floor dysfunction)
-No emptying bladder at nighttime unless you're pregnant or over the age of 60
3. Bowel function
-Normal bowel function includes:
-evacuating bowels at a consistent rate (ideally once a day but this can vary due to amount of nutrition consumed and other factors)
-no leakage of fecal matter
-no need for excessive wiping
-no need to strain to evacuate stool
-stool consistency between soft and firm
4. Sexual function
-able to achieve orgasm
-for females able to allow vaginal penetration without pain
-for females able to support arousal and clitoral erection without pain
-for males able to achieve and maintain erection without pain
Anything outside of this is considered abnormal and can potentially be treated through physical therapy and/or lifestyle modifications. All of the above that I listed influence some of the most vulnerable parts of our life and when they're not operating normally they can have a MASSIVE impact on our mental health and well we can enjoy our lives. You don't have to live this way.
Ready to see a pelvic floor physical therapist? Contact your primary care physician and see if this would be a good fit for you and/or head to www.thestudiobarreandwellness.com/physicaltherapy for more information.
Not ready to see a pelvic floor physical therapist but want to improve your pelvic health? Download our pelvic floor exercise guide https://www.thestudiobarreandwellness.com/product-page/pelvic-floor-exercise-guide