Although both men and women have a pelvic floor and may experience pelvic floor dysfunction, it is something that can particularly affect women during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as in times of increased stress or other life changes. The pelvic floor is a set of muscles in your lower abdomen and groin area that help control bowel movements, urination, and sexual function.
For women, pelvic floor muscles are important in keeping the uterus at the top of the vagina and keeping the bladder in the correct position, while for men the pelvic floor keeps the bowels, bladder, and urethra in the right spots. These muscles can be sensitive to many different factors, and may become overly tight or loose at times. This can cause constipation, irregular bowel movements, leaking of urine, incontinence, and even pain during sex (for women) or erectile dysfunction (in men).
These problems can range from embarrassing to extremely disruptive to your daily routine, but you may find that your physician doesn’t seem to be able to offer much advice or assistance. If you find yourself in this situation, physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction may be an excellent option to regain optimal function of your pelvic floor muscles and remove the constant worry and stress that often accompanies pelvic floor dysfunction.