These days you don’t have to be around the IC community very long before you come across information about pelvic floor dysfunction. PFD often plays a role in pelvic pain for many patients — both male and female. There are a variety of contributing factors for PFD from pregnancy to obesity to stress. Physical therapy is now a mainstay of treatment and remarkably effective. But, what we often don’t talk about are the unexpected things that can flare your pelvic floor.

The nature of PFD is similar to IC. Sometimes you aren’t sure what has triggered your flare while, for others, it’s very obvious.  Any activity that increases tension in your pelvic floor can cause a flare, including:  heavy lifting, constipation, menstruation, sexual activity, bike riding and certain exercises. A few other things you might not think of can cause PFD flares as well.

How you sit

It turns out your mom was correct when she told you to sit up straight. Slouching, or having poor posture, increases abdominal pressure and decreases the ability of the pelvic floor muscles to hold that pressure. As such, that can also increase your chances for incontinence. Slouching also can cause constipation, which is another trigger for a pelvic floor flare.(1) And, basically, slouching gets your pelvis all out of line and can end up causing discomfort.

Check out this 12-second video that shows the proper way to sit to keep your pelvis properly aligned.

Your walk

Walking is a great way to exercise and is gentle on the pelvic floor; however, walking too fast can have the opposite effect. The best way to exercise or walk anywhere is in a gentle stroll for less than 2 kilometers. You want to make sure your heel is landing first and you are pushing off from spread toes. Getting tired or overworking your muscles can strain your pelvic floor, which is more likely to cause a flare. Because a gentle walk is ideal, treadmill walking is just different enough (since the floor is moving) that it can cause issues for some. One of the best ways to walk or otherwise gently exercise is in water since the water helps support your pelvis.(2)

Wearing the wrong shoes

This isn’t about fashion but is all about what shoes will help you maintain the proper posture. Though your feet and pelvic floor are quite far apart, wearing the wrong shoes can wreak havoc on your pelvic floor. The biggest offender is high heels, which negatively change our posture. The unnatural positions high heels put you in mean your muscles have to compensate, which makes them tighter. Because the muscles throughout your pelvis are engaged when standing and walking, they can also tighten as a result. Flat shoes help your pelvic floor relax and stay properly aligned.(2)

Being on your phone a lot

So actually being on your phone isn’t troublesome for your pelvic floor, but your posture while on your phone can definitely cause problems. Most of us tend to slouch when sitting or standing and looking at our phones. It’s not only bad for our neck, but it puts our body out of alignment, including the pelvic floor. Pay attention when you’re standing up and on your phone (or doing anything else) that your weight is evenly spread over your heels. Hold your phone higher so you don’t have to lean your head over to see it. When you’re sitting and using your phone, keep weight off of your tailbone by sitting up straight on a flat surface.(3)

Sitting too much

This one is a bit tricky, because standing or walking too much can flare your PFD, but so can sitting too much — especially sitting in a wrong position. Remember that your pelvic floor is comprised of skeletal muscles and these were made to move. Taking breaks from long periods of sitting can actually help ease PFD symptoms the same as taking breaks from long periods of standing. It’s all about finding the right balance for you and your body.

Wearing the wrong clothes

Again, we aren’t talking about fashion faux pas. We’re talking about clothes that fit tightly or compress your pelvis. You also want to avoid clothes that make you want to constantly hold in your stomach.(3) Go for clothes that are a bit looser and allow room for you to move. They shouldn’t fit too tightly against your pelvis or in your crotch. The good news is that are lots of cute clothes options that are also pelvic floor and bladder friendly!

References

  1. Harvard Health Publishing. 3 Surprising Risks of Poor Posture. Feb. 15, 2021.
  2. Knight C. Walking to Relax the Pelvic Floor: It’s the How that Counts. Vuva Tech. Feb. 5, 2020.
  3. Cattach S. 4 Pelvic Floor Mistakes You Could be Making Daily. (And How to Fix Them!). Body & Birth Physiotherapy. Nov. 28, 2016.