HEALTH
Could You Be Clenching Your Pelvic Floor? Here's How
To Tell
By MONICA GILL
The pelvic floor is made up of several muscles that stretch from the pubic bone down to the tailbone, and these muscles work together to support the pelvis, bladder, rectum, and internal reproductive organs. Activating the pelvic floor can help prevent injury; however, your pelvic floor should not be constantly clenched as this can lead to serious issues.
You may be clenching your pelvic floor due to stress, anxiety, weak muscles, poor posture, childbirth, or irritable bowel syndrome, to name a few. Some signs that you’re clenching include discomfort in your pelvis, hips, and lower back; long-term clenching can result in serious symptoms like constipation and difficulty urinating.
If your clenching is due to stress and anxiety, practice deep belly breathing exercises or diaphragmatic breathing, you can also try pelvis-oriented yoga poses like the cat-cow pose and the happy baby pose. It is also highly recommended that you reach out to a pelvic floor physiotherapist if you need further help.