Pelvic Floor Tightness

The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that attach to the front, back and sides of the pelvis and sacrum. They are like a hammock or a sling, and they support the bladder, uterus and bowel. They also wrap around your urethra, rectum, and vagina.

These muscles must be able to contract to maintain continence, and to relax allowing for urination and bowel movements, and in women, sexual intercourse.

When these muscles have too much tension (hypertonic) they can cause the following symptoms:

• Urinary frequency, urgency,hesitancy, leaking, stopping and starting of the urine stream, painful urination or incomplete emptying
• Constipation, straining, pain during or after bowel movements ·
• Unexplained pain in your low back, pelvic region, hips, genital area or rectum ·
• Pain during or after intercourse, orgasm or sexual stimulation

When your pelvic floor muscles are tight and weak, the tension is treated before the weakness. Once the muscles have reached a normal resting tone, and are able to relax fully, their strength is reassessed and pelvic floor strengthening exercises are prescribed if appropriate.