One of my doula clients recently reached out because she was struggling with unusual pelvic floor pain and back discomfort six months after giving birth. It was also starting to affect her intimacy with her partner, making sex less enjoyable for her. Naturally, I urged her to see her doctor, but after her check-up, everything seemed “normal” and there was nothing obvious to worry about.
So, I asked her about her daily routine. She told me she spends most of her day sitting. And that was all I needed to hear. Ladies, our bodies aren’t designed to sit still for hours on end, especially postpartum. After pregnancy, your pelvic floor needs love and attention to regain its strength. Sitting for too long can weaken these muscles, lead to back pain, and yes, even affect your sex life.
We have to remember: movement is essential for our recovery and overall health. So, get up, stretch, walk, and engage those muscles daily. Your pelvic floor will thank you, and so will the rest of your body.
Sitting for long periods can quietly impact the health and strength of your pelvic floor, leading to changes that many women might not immediately connect to their daily habits. Here’s how prolonged sitting can influence your pelvic floor:
Weakening of Pelvic Floor Muscles:
When you’re seated for long stretches, especially without good posture, your pelvic floor muscles relax and become inactive. Over time, this lack of engagement can cause them to weaken, making it harder for these muscles to support your pelvic organs. This could lead to issues like urinary leaks or a feeling of heaviness in your pelvic area.
Increased Pelvic Pressure:
Sitting in a slouched position places extra pressure on your pelvic region. This constant downward force can cause your organs, like the bladder or uterus, to push against the pelvic floor, straining the muscles. If this pressure builds up over time, it can lead to conditions like pelvic organ prolapse, where you might feel a bulge or a sense of something dropping inside your vagina.
Reduced Circulation:
When you sit for too long, blood flow to the pelvic area slows down. This can stiffen the muscles, reduce their flexibility, and weaken them overall. Your pelvic muscles thrive on oxygen and nutrients from healthy circulation, so when that’s restricted, your pelvic floor can’t perform at its best.
Postural Imbalance:
Hours spent sitting, particularly if you’re not mindful of your posture, can create imbalances in the muscles around your pelvic area, like your lower back, hips, and core. Tight hips and a weak core can throw off the harmony between these muscles and the pelvic floor, leading to further dysfunction. Your pelvic floor works hand in hand with your core, so when your posture is off, everything feels the strain.
Higher Risk of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction:
If you combine long periods of sitting with other factors—like pregnancy, childbirth, or carrying extra weight—there’s a greater chance of developing pelvic floor dysfunction. This could show up as trouble holding in urine, discomfort during sex, or even pelvic organ prolapse.
Weakening of Support Muscles:
Sitting for hours can weaken the muscles that stabilize your pelvis and lower back, such as your deep core muscles. These muscles work closely with the pelvic floor, and when they’re weak, the pelvic floor has to take on more strain than it should, further contributing to weakness.
Building Stress and Tension:
Stress often leads to unconscious tension, including clenching your pelvic muscles while seated. This can lead to tightness and dysfunction in the pelvic floor, causing discomfort over time. The more we sit under pressure or stress, the more likely we are to hold that tension in our pelvic area.
Impact on Digestion and Bowel Movements:
If you find yourself sitting for long stretches, especially if you’re constipated or strain when using the bathroom, this can add more stress to your pelvic floor. Chronic straining during bowel movements can lead to weakening, increasing your risk for prolapse or incontinence.
Inactive Glutes:
Sitting too much can also weaken your glutes (the muscles in your buttocks). Since the glutes help stabilize your pelvis, weak glutes mean your pelvic floor and other muscles need to work harder to make up for the slack, which can result in overuse and eventual weakening of these critical muscles.
Impact on Sexual Health:
Long periods of sitting can tighten or weaken your pelvic floor muscles, and this can influence your intimate life. A weak pelvic floor can make it harder to achieve orgasm or cause discomfort during sex, affecting your pleasure and connection with your body.
