Ever wonder why your pelvis has a floor? And what exactly does that mean anyway?
The term “pelvic floor,” refers to the muscles and connective tissue that attach to your pelvis, sacrum and coccyx to form a hammock or “floor.” Your pelvic floor supports your pelvic organs and is part of your core musculature. The TRUE CORE consists of your diaphragm, your deep abdominal muscles, small muscles in your back and your pelvic floor. This group of muscles help to create stability, assist with circulation, respiration, continence, postural control and even digestion. Your pelvic floor more directly is important for bowel, bladder and sexual function including orgasm, and also plays a role when giving birth.
Amazing, right? Who knew?
In addition to sphincter control, sexual function and stability, the pelvic floor helps to support your pelvic organs. The pelvic organs supported by your pelvic floor are your bladder, uterus, ovaries and vagina (in women), prostate (in men) and your rectum, the last portion of the large intestine that stores solid waste prior to having a bowel movement.
Your pelvic floor has three layers and three openings for a woman – one that the urethra and vagina pass through and one that the rectum passes through. Men have two openings – one for the urethra and one for the rectum. There are thirteen different muscles and they all have roles assisting with the proper function and position of your organs. They open and close the urethra, vagina and anus and help engorge the clitoris and penis. Important stuff.
In addition, a type of connective tissue called fascia surrounds all of your organs and muscles creating direct and indirect relationships amongst the different structures. Ligaments also connect your pelvic organs to your pelvis, suspending and supporting them.
Is yours doing its job?
Giving birth, having pelvic or abdominal surgeries, menopause, endometriosis, and other health conditions or traumas can all affect the health of your pelvic floor and associated structures. This can make some of the basic things we often take for granted become particularly challenging. Not fun, to say the least.
At Treasure Valley Pelvic Health, we are uniquely qualified to evaluate your tissues and work with you to optimize the strength and coordination of your pelvic floor and other musculature, improve the mobility of your connective tissue, facilitate optimal bowel, bladder and sexual function. We don’t just treat the symptoms, we work to get to the root of the cause and eliminate symptoms for good. The health of your pelvic floor is important to your quality of life, and we are passionate about helping you reclaim that!
If you have questions on how to improve your pelvic health, eliminate symptoms and want to get your healing journey started, give us a call today!
