Pelvic floor condition
Constipation
The pelvic floor is often the missing piece.
Constipation is extremely common — and while diet and hydration get all the attention, a tight or overactive pelvic floor is often the missing piece of the puzzle.
“Constipation is common, but it’s not something your body is meant to struggle with long-term. Relief may be closer than you think.”
What is constipation?
The pelvic floor plays a huge role in healthy bowel movements.
Constipation is one of those topics people don’t love to talk about, but it’s extremely common. It generally refers to difficulty passing stool, having fewer than three bowel movements per week, straining, hard stools, or feeling like you didn’t completely empty your bowels. While diet and hydration often get all the attention, the pelvic floor plays a huge — and often overlooked — role in healthy bowel movements.
How a bowel movement actually works
Coordination is the key — not just strength.
In order to have a bowel movement, several things need to happen at the same time. Stool moves into the rectum, creating pressure that signals it’s time to go. The pelvic floor muscles then need to relax and lengthen to allow stool to pass while the abdominal muscles gently assist. This process requires coordination. If the pelvic floor doesn’t relax when it’s supposed to, things get stuck — literally.
“Many people are surprised to learn that constipation is often linked to a tight or overactive pelvic floor, not a weak one.”
If the pelvic floor muscles are constantly contracted, they can’t relax enough to let stool pass. It’s like trying to push something through a closed door. You can strain all you want, but if the door doesn’t open, nothing’s happening.
Why straining makes it worse
A negative cycle that keeps building.
When bowel movements are difficult, it’s natural to push harder. Unfortunately, repeated straining can create a negative cycle — the pelvic floor tightens more as a protective response, coordination worsens, and constipation becomes more persistent. Chronic straining can also contribute to other pelvic floor issues like haemorrhoids, fissures, prolapse, and even urinary symptoms. This is why addressing constipation early matters.
Signs pelvic floor tension may be contributing
- Straining even when stool feels ready to pass
- Feeling like stool gets “stuck” or won’t come out
- A sensation of incomplete emptying
- Worsening symptoms over time despite fibre or laxatives
- Pain with bowel movements
Toileting habits matter
Small changes that make a real difference.
Our modern bathroom habits don’t do us many favours. Sitting upright on a toilet places the rectum in a less-than-ideal position for emptying. Using a footstool to elevate the feet can help place the pelvis in a more natural squat-like position, making it easier for the pelvic floor to relax.
Additionally, ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement — due to being busy or not wanting to use a public restroom — can train the body not to respond appropriately to signals over time. Learning to listen to and honour those signals is a key part of treatment.
How pelvic floor PT helps
Restoring balance, coordination, and relief.
Related conditions
You might also be dealing with…
Pelvic floor conditions rarely show up alone. Here are some commonly related conditions we also treat at WildHer.
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