5 Signs Your Pelvic Floor Needs Attention & What To Do About It

If you think pelvic floor issues are only a concern for women and can be fixed with endless Kegels, think again.

The pelvic floor affects everyone, impacting mobility, posture, and overall comfort in daily life, regardless of age—and yes, it plays a role in men’s health, too.

In a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, we cleared up misconceptions about pelvic floor health with Pilates instructor and pelvic floor expert Jana Danielson, creator of the at-home tool The Cooch Ball.

Let’s start with the basics: How do you know your pelvic floor even needs attention in the first place? Here are five tell-tale signs: 

1. Incontinence

Many people assume incontinence is a women’s issue primarily experienced during menopause, but that's not the whole story. 

While it's common during menopause, incontinence can occur at other times and in various forms. One less glamorous but significant concern is fecal incontinence, which Danielson points out is a major issue for many but often remains unspoken.

Interestingly, much of this can be linked to pelvic floor trauma. According to Danielson, such trauma can result from childbirth, a hard fall, sexual trauma, or even wearing excessively tight clothing.

2. Constipation & difficulty urinating 

Another important but often overlooked topic is difficulty with bathroom routines. Danielson shares a story about a friend who, after a few months of using Danielson’s Cooch Ball to learn how to both tighten and relax her pelvic floor, found it easier to go to the bathroom.

Her friend had previously spent 45 seconds to a minute sitting on the toilet before she could relax her pelvic floor and go. She hadn’t even realized this was abnormal until things changed. 

As Danielson puts it, “You don’t know what you don’t know when it comes to this part of your body.” Often, what seems like the norm might shift once you start paying attention to your pelvic floor health.

3. Erectile dysfunction

I have to admit, I didn’t realize the pelvic floor was a significant concern for men until Danielson pointed it out. One common manifestation of a hypertonic pelvic floor (which means it's too tight) is erectile dysfunction.

Since this issue isn't widely or openly discussed, especially when it comes to holistic healing methods, many men turn to medication as the first effort. Oftentimes, this can be met with little to no success, which can be frustrating for men who invest time, money, and effort searching for solutions when the real issue might be their pelvic floor.

4. Back pain that wraps around the back

There are many types of back pain, but Danielson often observes a particular kind that precedes pelvic floor issues. She describes it as, “Low-grade back pain that kind of wraps the back equally on both sides.”

5. Chronic tight hips

A surprising theme emerges in the tell-tale signs of pelvic floor issues: tightness—but not in a beneficial way. While conventional advice often suggests that people, especially women, need to tighten their pelvic floor, Danielson argues the opposite is often true.

Most pelvic floor complications can be tied back to one general cause: “The pelvic floor tends to be void of that healthy blood flow,” Danielson says.

Taking the time to focus on pelvic floor health is worthwhile for countless reasons and has the power to improve your physical health in ways you may not have thought of before. 

Some of the most common signs your pelvic floor needs attention have to do with bathroom routines, tight hips, back pain, and even erectile dysfunction for some men. To support health in this area, focus on blood flow, posture, and breath. When in doubt, ask for help.