Most people are unaware of the connection between the pelvic floor and the breath.
If we think of the abdomen like a cylinder - the walls are the back and abdominal muscles, the base is the pelvic floor and the top is the diaphragm - the dome-shaped muscle under our rib cage that controls breathing.
When our muscles are working optimally
As we breathe in the diaphragm shortens and flattens down, pushing our abdominal contents (stomach, intestines, bladder, etc) down toward our pelvis a little. To counteract this increase in pressure, our pelvic floor muscles will relax or lengthen slightly, so that the overall pressure in the cylinder is maintained.
When we breathe out, essentially the opposite happens: the diaphragm relaxes and goes back up toward the heart, the organs move up as well and the pelvic floor muscles contract slightly.
When we cough, laugh or shout, it requires us to breathe out forcefully, and the abdominal muscles to contract more forcefully.
This increases the pressure in our abdomen a lot, therefore the pelvic floor muscles have to contract strongly to prevent our organs from being pushed down.
People whose pelvic floor is unable to quickly create that strong contraction may experience stress incontinence when coughing, sneezing or laughing.
When our breathing pattern is not optimal
It is not uncommon for people to have a breathing pattern that is not optimal like the one above:
Constant stress can cause tension and an “upper-chest breathing pattern”, where we do not use our diaphragm correctly.
Some people may chronically “suck-in” their stomachs, due to body image concerns, bloating, tight clothing, or other factors.
Non-optimal breathing patterns are also commonly seen in those with chronic lung conditions like asthma and COPD.
For people that have these issues, the coordinated movement between the diaphragm and the pelvic floor is disrupted. Pelvic floor muscles may be too tight (not relaxing enough) or too weak (not contracting enough), or simply not contracting at the right time (uncoordinated).
What can we do
There are some breathing exercises or techniques that can help to retrain this muscle pattern to protect and optimise your pelvic floor function.
Try this exercise:
Lie on your back with a pillow under your head and your knees slightly bent.
Breathe in through your nose gently and feel the rise of your belly. Now exhale gently through your nose. Imagine the up and down motion of the diaphragm (pressing down and flattening as you breathe in, floating up and relaxing as you breathe out). Do this a few times.
Now bring your awareness to your pelvic floor muscles. As you breathe in, image them relaxing and allowing your breath all the way down into your pelvis. As you breathe out, see if you can engage them by gently squeezing and lifting (just as you would when using your Perifit Care for a contraction).
The key is to not only contract when you exhale, but also relax when you inhale. As this gets easier to do, practice in a variety of positions.
Try to pay attention to your breath at different moments in your day, such as when you are stressed, when you need to use the bathroom, or when trying to go to sleep. Using this diaphragmatic breathing is great for your physical and mental health, and also for your pelvic floor wellbeing!