Constipation? Physical Therapy Can Fix That... Physical Therapy for Constipation Relief | Rehab & Revive
Updated: Sep 3
Struggling with sluggish bowel movements or painful straining is uncomfortable, frustrating, and disruptive to daily life. A need for constipation relief may leave you desperate for solutions.
When chronic constipation strikes, most people immediately turn to laxatives, stool softeners, or dietary overhauls. While nutrition plays a vital role, many individuals are surprised to learn that chronic straining is often caused by pelvic floor muscle dysfunction.
If your pelvic floor muscles lack the coordination needed to drop and lengthen when sitting on the toilet, your body will fight against itself—making passing stool nearly impossible regardless of how much fiber you consume.
The Anatomy of Defecation: The 3 Key Muscles
Defecation is a complex neurological and muscular event. Passing stool easily requires three primary pelvic muscles to work in total synchronization:
3 Main Defecation Muscles |
|
At rest, these muscles remain contracted to act as mechanical barriers that prevent accidental leakage. When stool enters the rectum, the rectal wall stretches and signals the brain, causing the internal anal sphincter (IAS) to relax automatically.
If you are not in a position to use the restroom, your external anal sphincter (EAS) and puborectalis contract to hold the stool in.
When you are ready to void, your EAS and puborectalis must fully relax.
The puborectalis muscle wraps around the rectum like a sling. When it remains chronically tight or uncoordinated (a condition known as dyssynergic defecation), it pulls the rectum forward and creates a sharp kink. Trying to pass stool through a kinked rectum forces you to push—and straining actually causes the pelvic floor to tighten even further. Over time, this chronic pressure leads to pelvic pain, rectal bleeding, and hemorrhoids.
How Physical Therapy Relieves Bowel Straining
Pelvic floor physical therapy retrains the neuromuscular connection between your brain, abdomen, and pelvic bowl to make bowel movements effortless:
How Pelvic PT Treats Constipation |
|
1. Optimize Your Toilet Posture (Use a Footstool)
Standard toilets force your hips into a 90-degree angle, keeping the puborectalis muscle partially engaged. Placing your feet on a toilet stool (like a Squatty Potty) brings your knees above your hips into a deep squat. This position naturally releases the puborectalis sling, straightening the anorectal angle so stool glides out smoothly.
2. Learn Pelvic Floor Relaxation & Down-Training
If your pelvic floor is stuck in a state of chronic high tone, traditional core exercises can worsen bowel obstruction. Read our staff breakdown on is the Kegel the right exercise for you to understand why tight pelvic muscles require lengthening rather than extra squeezes.
3. Stop Pushing While Voiding
Bearing down against a closed pelvic floor strains supportive tissues and triggers tissue damage. For proper mechanics and toilet habits, explore our guide on why you must stop hovering over the toilet seat.
4. Calm Systemic & Tissue Inflammation
If fluid retention, sluggish digestion, or gut inflammation are contributing to poor bowel motility, review our breakdown on understanding internal dampness in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Re-Train Your Pelvic Bowl for Constipation Relief
Chronic constipation is not just a digestive problem—it is frequently a muscle coordination issue that physical therapy can successfully resolve.
If you rely on laxatives or struggle with painful daily straining, schedule an evaluation with a certified pelvic health physical therapist to restore healthy, painless bowel function.
Remember, at Rehab and Revive®, we heal smarter, not harder®.
What is your primary go-to strategy when dealing with constipation?
💊 Laxatives or fiber supplements
🦶 A toilet footstool
😮💨 Diaphragmatic breathing
😣 I end up straining
Comments