Posture and Your Pelvic Floor

At Sheela, we’re all about simple ways to support pelvic floor health. 

When those simple solutions also benefit your overall health, it’s a win win. 

When you’re talking about overall health and how to support the natural functions of your body, you don’t get much more fundamental than posture. 

Posture is how you hold your body. 

Good posture is when you are still (static) or moving (dynamic) with the least pressure on your ligaments and muscles. 

Alignment is how the head, shoulders, spine, hips (pelvis), knees and feet all line up together. 

Posture and alignment work together to help your body move properly.

Maintaining good posture is essential for overall health and wellbeing, including the health of the pelvic floor muscles.

The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that support the bladder, uterus, and rectum, and are essential for controlling urination, bowel movements, and sexual function. When our posture is poor, it can contribute to pelvic floor issues such as incontinence (wee or poo), pelvic pain, and constipation.

One key factor that affects posture is the alignment of the spine.

When the spine is misaligned, it can cause the pelvis to tilt forward or backward, leading to tension in the pelvic floor muscles. 

Additionally, poor posture can cause the pelvic floor muscles to become weak and overstretched over time, which can lead to pelvic organ prolapse.

To maintain good posture and promote pelvic floor health, it's important to pay attention to how you stand, sit, and move throughout the day. 

The Pelvic Floor When Standing

When we stand, our pelvic floor muscles are engaged to help support the weight of our internal organs and stop us from leaking wee.

The pelvic floor muscles close off the urethra (the tube that carries wee out of the body) and prevent urine (wee) from escaping. This is especially important when we cough, sneeze, or laugh, which can put extra pressure on the bladder and increase the risk of leakage.

In addition to stopping any leaks, the pelvic floor muscles also help to stabilise the pelvis and maintain proper alignment of the spine. When the pelvic floor muscles are weak or not working properly, it can lead to pelvic pain, lower back pain, and even difficulty with standing and walking.

It's important to avoid habits that can put extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, such as holding in wee or poo for too long or lifting heavy objects incorrectly. 

The Pelvic Floor and Sitting

When we sit, our pelvic floor muscles are still engaged to help support the weight of our internal organs and stop us from leaking wee. 

However, sitting can put extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, especially if we sit for long periods of time or sit in a slouched position. 

To promote pelvic floor function when sitting, it's important to sit with your feet flat on the ground and your back supported by a chair. Avoid crossing your legs, as this can tilt the pelvis and put extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. 

It's important to take breaks to stand up and move around every 30 minutes or so to help alleviate any pressure on the pelvic floor muscles and promote flexibility. 

The Pelvic floor When Lying Down

Our pelvic floor muscles are still working to keep us from leaking and support our internal organs even when we're lying down. 

Because of the way gravity works on our bodies, lying down can relieve some of the pressure on the pelvic floor muscles that is present when we're standing or sitting. This can make it a good position for relaxation and pelvic floor exercises. 

When lying down, it's important to keep your body in alignment to help support the pelvic floor muscles. Avoid tucking your pelvis or arching your back.

Posture and Breathing

Posture and breathing are closely connected, as our posture can affect our breathing and vice versa. Maintaining good posture is important for optimal breathing, as it allows the lungs to fully expand and contract and allows relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles. (If you want to know more about how breathing and the pelvic floor are tied together, check out our blog post).

When sitting or standing, it's important to keep your shoulders back and your chest lifted to promote proper breathing mechanics. 

Additionally, it's important to breathe deeply and fully, using your diaphragm and tummy muscles to take in air. This can help support proper posture and reduce tension in the neck and shoulders. Belly breathing exercises can also help improve posture by promoting relaxation and reducing stress levels. You can find out more about breathing in our blog and YouTube video.

Here are our top tips to help improve your posture:

1. Stand up straight: When standing, keep your feet shoulder-width apart and distribute your weight evenly on both feet. Pull your shoulders back and down, and keep your head level (try tucking the chin slightly to elongate the back of the neck).

2. Sit with support: When sitting, use a chair with a supportive backrest and sit with your feet flat on the ground. Avoid crossing your legs, as this can cause the pelvis to tilt and lead to tension in the pelvic floor muscles.

3. Move frequently: Avoid sitting or standing in one position for too long. Take breaks to move around and stretch your body throughout the day.

4. Engage your core: Strengthening the muscles in your abdomen and lower back can help support good posture and promote pelvic floor health. Try exercises like planks, bridges, and pelvic tilts to strengthen your core muscles.

5. Practise belly breathing: Breathing with your diaphragm will actively engage and release the pelvic floor and also promote correct alignment of the spine. (We have a whole blog and YouTube video all about this simple practise).

If you’re keen to explore, yoga and pilates are both great systems for strengthening your core and improving your posture and alignment. 

By paying attention to your posture and making small changes to improve alignment, you can help support the health of your pelvic floor muscles and reduce the risk of pelvic floor issues. 

Remember, if you're experiencing pelvic floor issues, like pain, incontinence and prolapse, talk to your healthcare provider about treatment options, which may include exercises, lifestyle changes, pelvic floor (women’s health) physiotherapy, medications, or surgery.

For more accessible, practical content like this, follow us on Instagram (@sheela.ie) and YouTube (@sheelawomen). 

Lastly, if there is a woman out there you think might need to hear any of this, please share. Talking about these issues is essential if we're going to help women move past them.