Just In Case Peeing
We all remember hearing from our parents, "Just try to go before we leave the house." Some of us maybe still keep that practice alive of going to the bathroom before you go anywhere. What works well for kids, is not so great for adults. As kids, we aren't as aware of our bladders and are more likely to have urinary incontinence from not tuning into their bodies. However, adults are able to connect with their bodies better. Unfortunately, emptying the bladder when it's not truly full can create a poor cycle of more frequent voiding, and always running to the bathroom. The bladder starts to think that it's full when its really not.
Standing and Urination
Another common mistake we make is standing to urinate. People with vaginas tend to hover over the toilet when in a public restroom. Whereas people with penises like to stand for the ease of it. The problem with standing is it activates the pelvic floor muscles when we want them to relax. In order to urinate the pelvic floor muscles relax while the bladder contracts as it empties. If we are contracting the pelvic floor and trying to contract the bladder to empty, we may not fully empty. Leading you to head back to the bathroom shortly. Plus, it once again creates poor communication to the bladder and pelvic floor.
Stopping Urination Mid-Stream
Checking your pelvic floor strength while you are trying to urinate is a frequent error we see. A cue many patients are given to perform a pelvic floor contraction is to, "draw up and in like you are trying to stop your flow of urine." Sounds harmless right? Some patients like to frequently "check" on their pelvic floor by attempting to stop their flow of urine midstream. Similarly to the problem with standing and urinating, engaging the pelvic floor muscles while they are supposed to relax can cause incomplete emptying and further poor communication between the bladder and pelvic floor. You may notice its also difficult to then initiate your stream of urine, also known as hesitancy.
Straining While Pooping
Straining when you have a bowel movement is a big no-no! We know constipation happens from time to time, but making sure you handle it well is the key. Holding your breath and baring down puts a lot of stress on the pelvic floor. Plus it doesn't necessarily make it any easier for the stool to pass. Not to mention, aggravating or creating hemorrhoids. Instead, practice diaphragmatic breathing, and get your feet up on a step stool. The step stool changes the position of the hips and thus the colon so it makes it easier to empty.
Do you find yourself doing any of these? Its okay! Don't panic. But actively work towards decreasing these habits.
Physical therapy for poor bowel and bladder habits in Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland.
If you are struggling with your pelvic floor, contact us today!
