You and every other human have a group of muscles at the bottom of the pelvis that you use for the most basic everyday functions—to walk, lift things, exercise, pee, poop, have sex, and, for some, bring life into the world. Those are pretty critical functions for a part of the body you rarely concern yourself with…until you encounter pelvic floor dysfunction.
This could look like occasional incontinence (urinary leakage with jumping jacks, anyone?) to uncontrolled and ill-timed gas (like an “oops” during Downward-Facing Dog at a yoga class). Recent research suggests that at least 32 percent of women and 16 percent of men will experience at least one pelvic floor health issue during their lifetime, and that’s based only on subjects who reported their dysfunction. Many of us don’t realize that some of the issues they experience can actually be traced back to their pelvic floor muscles.
Although many issues are unique to those of us who are born female due to stress on the pelvic floor muscles brought on by pregnancy, childbirth, and the hormonal changes that accompany getting older, many pelvic…