Pelvic Floor Anatomy for Men and Women: What you need to know and WHY
For ALL individuals, the pelvic floor is a group of muscles located at the bottom (or base) of the pelvis.
The pelvic floor can be divided into deep and superficial muscles.
The deeper muscles support our lower organs (bladder, rectum, uterus, prostate), aid in continence (no leaking), and additionally serve a vital function as a part of our core.
The superficial muscles also aid in continence as well as facilitate sexual function.
To make these muscles work, there are a host of nerves and arteries that also live here.
There are a few anatomical differences between the male and female pelvis. A male pelvis is going to be more narrow in nature. His superficial muscles are involved in helping to create an erection and eventual orgasm.
A female pelvis is going to typically be wider. We’re thinking the passage of a baby here. The pelvic floor still functions to support the organs, including the uterus/ cervix, and the superficial muscles aid in sexual function.
To Summarize
The deep pelvic floor muscles support our lower organs and keep us from leaking urine and/or feces
The deep muscles also function to create a strong core
The superficial muscles have more to do with sexual function, but not exclu-
sively
There are a few slight differences in male vs. female pelvic floor anatomy
Next, let’s look at the pelvic floor in relation to our core.
The Core and the Pelvic Floor
Imagine a can of pop. My favorite is Dr. Pepper but I guess it’s ok if you’re imagining something different. This can of pop is multi-dimensional: it has a top, a bottom, and three hundred and sixty degrees of aluminum that wraps around to work together to support and contain the delicious liquid.
Comparing the can to our core you can think of the top of the “can” as the di- aphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle that helps us breathe deeply, but it’s also an in- tegral part of our core system.
At the bottom of the can is our pelvic floor (our glutes definitely help here too). It helps stabilize the pelvis — which has a ton of muscular attachments.
The “aluminum wrapping” consists of muscles including your obliques, rectus ab- dominis, multifidus, etc. These are the muscles we traditionally think of when we talk about the core.
These muscles help us manage pressure. Think about lifting something heavy, or coughing, or jumping on a trampoline. When these muscles function like they should, we have a nice, stabilized spine and pelvis with no leaking of urine or feces.
OK, to recap...the pelvic floor is important. It’s a group of muscles that work together within the whole system to form our core. Our core helps us move and it helps stabilize our spine.
Why do I need to know this? How does this help me?
As a physical therapist, I think all individuals should have at least a basic knowledge of their own anatomy.
If you know your anatomy and have a basic understanding of how things should work, then you can recognize when things aren’t functioning like they should.
Common problems that relate to the pelvic floor:
Urinary incontinence
Pelvic pain
Constipation
Fecal incontinence
Tailbone and/or butt pain
Back pain
Perhaps you’re having pain with sex. After reading through this post, maybe you can start to discern if the problem is deeper muscles or more superficial muscles.
Maybe you’re having back pain. Now you start thinking about how the pelvic floor is part of the core. Could this be a part of my problem?
You can also have a thorough and knowledgeable discussion with your healthcare provider. Being able to voice and understand your anatomy helps you navigate the di- rection of your own healthcare. It also helps your provider know how to better help you.
I hope this article gives you a broader understanding of the pelvic floor. If you or someone you know is struggling with a pelvic floor issue, please seek help. It’s out there!
