When it comes to digestion, most people think of fibre, hydration, and diet changes. But there’s another piece of the puzzle that often gets left out of your pelvic floor. These muscles do more than just support the bladder or manage leakage. They play a key role in healthy bowel movements. If you struggle with constipation, strain during bowel movements, or feelings of incomplete emptying, your pelvic floor might be part of the issue.
Pelvic floor physiotherapy in Edmonton offers practical ways to improve both muscle coordination and bowel habits. Here are four surprising tips that could make your bathroom routine a lot easier.
Why the Pelvic Floor Matters for Bowel Health
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that forms the base of your core. These pelvic muscles support the bladder, uterus, and bowel and play a key role in both continence and elimination. When the pelvic floor is either too tight or not activating properly, it can impact the ability to fully relax and allow bowel movements to happen easily.
This can lead to symptoms like:
- Chronic constipation
- Straining during bowel movements
- Incomplete evacuation
- A sense of pressure or blockage
- Pelvic discomfort or bloating
Improve Your Bowel Routine with These 4 Pelvic Floor Tips
Tip 1: Learn How to Breathe for Your Bowels
You’ve likely been told that fibre and water help relieve constipation, but your breathing habits might be just as important. Diaphragmatic breathing, also called belly breathing, can help relax the pelvic floor and abdominal wall, creating the right conditions for easier bowel movements.
What to try:
Sit upright on your back with your knees bent. Breathe in through your nose, keeping your belly to rise. As you exhale, feel your abdomen gently contract. This type of breathing is often practiced in pelvic floor physiotherapy to help the body downregulate and release tension.
Tip 2: Posture Plays a Bigger Role Than You Think
The way you sit on the toilet can either help or hinder the process. Many people unknowingly position their bodies in a way that makes it harder for the rectum to open fully. Poor posture increases reliance on straining, which can worsen pelvic floor dysfunction over time.
What to try:
Use a small footstool to elevate your feet, creating a squat-like position. Tilt your upper body forward slightly, placing your elbows on your thighs, and keep your back straight. This position helps straighten the rectal angle, making elimination more efficient. It’s a common strategy taught during pelvic floor treatment sessions to support natural alignment.
Tip 3: Coordinate Pelvic Floor Relaxation
Many assume pelvic floor strengthening is the key to fixing all pelvic health issues, but in cases of constipation or difficulty passing stool, learning to relax is just as important. In fact, holding tension in the pelvic floor can block the natural rhythm of a bowel movement.
What to try:
Work on lengthening and releasing the pelvic muscles rather than always contracting them. Visualize the muscles dropping or softening as you breathe out. A trained physiotherapist can guide you through these relaxation strategies as part of pelvic floor physiotherapy sessions to improve elimination patterns and comfort.
Tip 4: Build a Routine with Movement and Consistency
Creating a regular habit of movement encourages natural peristalsis, the muscle action in your digestive system that moves waste along. The gentle movement also supports circulation and reduces pelvic congestion, which can contribute to sluggish bowel function.
What to try:
Incorporate daily activities like walking, gentle yoga, or mobility exercises to keep your system flowing. Combine this with regular timing for meals and bathroom visits to reinforce a natural rhythm. These routines are often encouraged during pelvic health physiotherapy to support both digestive and pelvic floor function without strain.
How Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Helps with Bowel Health
At its core, pelvic floor physiotherapy in Edmonton is about restoring natural muscle function through education, guided movement, and lifestyle shifts. For those dealing with persistent constipation, bloating, or poor bowel control, the connection between the pelvic floor and digestive health can no longer be ignored.
In a physiotherapy setting, treatment may include:
Internal and External Muscle Assessment
Hands-on evaluation helps identify tension, trigger points, or weakness in the pelvic floor and surrounding areas that may be affecting bowel function.
Myofascial Release and Trigger Point Therapy
Manual techniques like myofascial release and soft tissue mobilization are used to reduce pelvic tension and support muscle relaxation for smoother elimination.
Diaphragmatic Breathing and Relaxation Training
Focused breathwork paired with guided pelvic floor drops helps downregulate the nervous system and improve coordination during bowel movements.
Biofeedback for Pelvic Floor Awareness
Surface EMG or internal sensors give visual or auditory feedback on muscle activation and relaxation, helping retrain patterns linked to bowel control.
Gentle Movement Strategies and Pelvic Mobility Drills
Seated hip tilts, supported squats, and spinal mobility movements promote circulation, encourage peristalsis, and reduce pelvic congestion.
Postural Education and Toilet Positioning Guidance
Correct sitting, standing, and toileting positions help align the rectal angle and reduce unnecessary straining during bowel movements.
Supportive Modalities
Techniques like TENS, therapeutic ultrasound, and localized heat therapy may be used to ease muscle tension and enhance the flow of blood to the pelvic area.
Feel Lighter, Move Easier
Healthy digestion starts in the gut, but it ends with the pelvic floor. If you’ve been dealing with constipation, discomfort, or unpredictable bowel habits, a few simple changes in posture, routine, and body awareness can bring real relief. Through pelvic floor physiotherapy in Edmonton, people are discovering how subtle shifts in muscle control and habit-building can improve their daily lives.
For those ready to take action, Granville Physiotherapy provides individualized support through effective pelvic floor treatment plans. Don’t let lingering issues go unchecked; sometimes, the answers are simpler and closer to home than you think.
