Pelvic Floor Basics
The pelvic floor is often talked about but also often misunderstood. It's mentioned in physio referrals, postnatal check-ups, continence ads and social media reels but what exactly is the pelvic floor?
Read along to undertand what the pelvic floor actually is, where it sits in the body, and what it does every single day without you noticing — from holding in urine and stool, to supporting sex, pregnancy, birth and recovery, to quietly managing pressure every time you cough, laugh or lift something heavy.
Our intention is always to acknowledge that each and every person is different and there is variation in all bodies.
Anatomy Basics
Let's start with the basics — what is the pelvic floor and where exactly does it sit in the body?
Pelvic bones
The pelvis is a sturdy, bowl-shaped ring of bones at the base of the spine. It connects your legs to your body and protects your internal organs.
Pelvic floor muscles
The pelvic floor muscles are a group (or sling) of muscles that stretch from the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis to the tailbone at the back, and side to side, forming a hammock-like structure. See the two layers below:
Rollover or Tap the Orange and Red Tabs, and the diagram below, to reveal the muscle layers
Click on the Orange and Red Tabs, and the diagram below, to reveal the muscle layers
Superficial muscle layer
Closest to the skin which has a role maintaining continence and sexual function.
Deep muscle layer
Supports the pelvic organs – the bladder, bowel and uterus (when present) also assisting in maintaining continence.
Roll over or tap within the diagram below to discover the different parts within the model
Pelvic Floor Muscle: Coordination, Tone, Strength and Endurance
Coordination means the muscles turn on and off at the right time.
When you cough, sneeze, laugh, jump or lift something, pressure in the tummy suddenly increases. The pelvic floor muscles work automatically to respond to these changes. They help with shock absorption and support force transfer through the body, so pressure is managed safely.Why is appropriate tone of pelvic floor muscles important?
Tone means the pelvic muscles can:
• tense (turn on) when needed
• relax (turn off) when needed
Everyone has a different level of pelvic floor muscles tone at rest. Some bodies have more tension, and some have less. The resting tone can influence how well the muscles work during everyday function.
If the muscles have increased tone/muscle tension, you may have:
• trouble inserting anything into the vagina (e.g. tampons, finger, toys, penis)
• trouble emptying your bowel (doing a poo) leaking urine / pee (incontinence)
• pain
If the muscles have decreased tone/muscle tension you may have:
• leaking urine/pee (incontinence)
• Reduced support for pelvic organs (bladder, bowels, uterus - if present)
Being able to fully relax the pelvic floor muscles is important for:
• doing a poo - the bowel can straighten so poo can come out more easily
• doing a pee
• using tampons, cups or discs
• comfortable sexual penetration (e.g. finger, toy, penis)
• vaginal birth / having a baby
• health checks (like internal examination or ultrasound.)Strong pelvic floor muscles help hold in:
• urine (pee)
• stool (poo)
• wind (farts)
There are ring muscles (sphincter) around:
• the urethra (pee tube)
• the anus (where the poo leaves the body)
These muscles squeeze close to stop leaks.
There are no ring muscles around the vagina opening. This is why menstrual blood cannot be held in.
Why is endurance of pelvic floor muscles important?
Endurance means the muscles can work for a long time.
Pelvic floor muscles are postural muscles. They help support your
spine/back and pelvic organs throughout the day. They need to
stay gently active when you sit, stand and move.
Functional Basics
What is the function of pelvic floor muscles in the body?
-
Function at rest - the muscles work together to keep a gentle level of tension (tone) to support organs and manage gravity throughout the day
-
Continence — they help to hold in pee and poo. Ring muscles (sphincters) around the urethra and anus squeeze closed to stop leaks. There are no ring muscles around the vaginal opening, which is why menstrual blood can’t be held in.
-
Organ support — they help hold the bladder, bowel, and uterus (if present) in place.
-
Sexual functioning — support comfort and sensation during sexual activity.
-
Automatic response — the muscles work automatically, responding to pressure changes to help absorb shock during coughing, laughing, jumping or lifting.
Cliterate Pelvic Floor Muscles
We are excited to share a project we have been working on in the background. The Pelvic Floor Muscle Kit has come to life after hours of consultation with healthcare professionals and educators who frequently have conversation about pelvic muscle function with patients, clients and students. We are immensely grateful to this consulting community and truly hope this addition to the model fills a gap in educational resources available in healthcare and education settings.
Here’s a short video explaining how to pull apart the Cliterate model and use the Pelvic Floor Muscle insert
How to use the Pelvic Floor Muscle Kit with your Cliterate model
Deep muscle layer
Remove the clitoris from the model, then insert the deep muscle layer as shown.
Superficial muscle layer
Place the clitoris back into the model and insert the superficial muscle layer over the clitoral glands to rest on the clitoral body. Click the base of the superficial anal sphincter into the deep muscle layer.
Darker inner labia
Insert the darker inner labia. This labia is required when using the pelvic floor muscles inserts.
Note: To demonstrate the use of swabs and catheters, remove the vagina and urethra pieces to create negative space.
