The Pelvic Floor & Back Pain: How They Can Be Connected

Lower back pain is one of the most common conditions that people experience. Whether it’s caused by poor posture, heavy lifting, or prolonged sitting, this condition can significantly affect your daily life. Did you know that pelvic floor dysfunction can also contribute to back pain?

Pelvic floor physiotherapy focuses on the muscles that form a sling at the bottom of the pelvis and support your pelvic organs. These muscles not only support your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs, but they also play an important role in maintaining the stability of your abdomen and lumbar spine.

Read below to learn how pelvic floor physiotherapy may be a tool for you to treat and prevent lower back pain.

The Role of the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a sling of muscles and ligaments at the base of your pelvis that runs from the tailbone to the pubic bone. These muscles support your pelvic organs including the bladder, rectum, uterus (in female), and prostate (in males). The pelvic floor also plays a significant role in:

Maintaining continence: The pelvic floor muscles help control the bowels and bladder and prevent leakage.
Supporting sexual function: These muscles help provide stability during sexual activity.
Core stability: The pelvic floor is an integral part of your core, working in tandem with other muscles like the diaphragm, abdominals, and lower back muscles.

Given its location and role in supporting your core, the pelvic floor directly influences the function of your lower back.

How Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Can Contribute to Back Pain

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when these muscles are too weak, tight, or imbalanced. While many people associate pelvic floor issues with incontinence or pelvic pain, it’s important to understand how dysfunction in these muscles can contribute to other concerns such as lower back pain.

When the pelvic floor is not functioning optimally, it can disrupt the balance and stability of the pelvis. This can lead to:

Muscle imbalances: If the pelvic floor is weak, other muscles, including those in the lower back and hips, may compensate. Over time, this can lead to tension, discomfort, and back pain.
Postural issues: An underactive or overactive pelvic floor can affect your posture and alignment, leading to strain on your lower back muscles.
Improper lifting mechanics: Improper engagement of the pelvic floor while lifting can impact your intrabdominal pressure, increasing the risk of a lower back injury.

In summary, the pelvic floor plays a crucial role in stabilizing the spine and pelvis, and dysfunction in these muscles can directly contribute to the development of lower back pain.

How Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy May Help Relieve Back Pain

If you have back pain that is not improving or you believe may be related to pelvic floor dysfunction, you should consider making an appointment with a pelvic floor physiotherapist. Pelvic floor physiotherapy can be an effective treatment for managing and preventing lower back pain. By targeting the pelvic floor muscles, a physiotherapist can help restore proper function, improving your posture, stability, and lifting mechanics. Here are some of the key benefits:

Improved Awareness of the Pelvic Floor: Working with a pelvic floor physiotherapist can help you gain awareness of the pelvic floor muscles.
Improved core stability: Strengthening the pelvic floor helps create a more balanced and stable core, which is essential for preventing strain on the lower back.
Better posture: When the pelvic floor is functioning properly, it can help improve your posture and pelvic stability, reducing the stress on your back.
Pain relief: Your pelvic floor physiotherapist can address muscle imbalances and tension in the pelvic floor, which looks to help alleviate chronic lower back pain.
Prevention of future injuries: By improving your pelvic floor muscle strength and function, and teaching you proper lifting mechanics, you can reduce the risk of future back injuries or pain.

Through targeted exercises and education, pelvic floor physiotherapy can play a critical role in both the management and prevention of lower back pain.

What To Expect at a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Appointment

When you visit a pelvic floor physiotherapist, your initial assessment will focus on identifying the specific issues affecting your pelvic floor and lower back. This may include:

Physical assessment: Your physiotherapist will examine your posture, strength, mobility, and movement patterns to identify any imbalances or dysfunction in the hips, trunk, pelvic region and lower back.
Breathing assessment: Proper breathing is essential for pelvic floor function. Your physiotherapist may assess how you breathe and whether you engage your pelvic floor muscles during activities such as lifting or sitting.
Internal examination: Depending on your symptoms and needs, your physiotherapist may suggest an internal exam to assess the strength, tone, and coordination of your pelvic floor muscles.

After the assessment, your physiotherapist will develop a personalized treatment plan that may include the following:

Pelvic floor exercises: These exercises are designed to strengthen and/or relax the pelvic floor muscles depending on the findings from your assessment.
Breathing techniques: Your therapist may teach you proper breathing techniques that engage the diaphragm and pelvic floor simultaneously, which helps reduce strain on your lower back.
Postural correction: You may receive guidance on improving your posture and/or lifting mechanics to alleviate pressure on the spine and lower back.
Manual therapy: Hands-on techniques may be used to release tight muscles and improve pelvic floor function.

Breathing and Lower Back Pain

Breathing plays a critical role in pelvic floor health. When you inhale, your diaphragm moves downward, which increases the pressure in the abdominal cavity. This pressure is transmitted to the pelvic floor, which should naturally descend. Conversely, as you exhale, the pelvic floor should lift and contract as the diaphragm moves upward.

Improper breathing patterns can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction and increase pressure on the lower back. For example:

Shallow breathing: If you only breathe into your chest, the diaphragm isn’t fully engaged, and this can contribute to pelvic floor weakness and tension in the lower back.
Holding your breath while lifting: This common habit increases intra-abdominal pressure, which can strain the pelvic floor and lower back muscles.

Breathing exercises are often incorporated into pelvic floor physiotherapy to help restore optimal function to the diaphragm and pelvic floor, reduce back pain, and promote overall body awareness.

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy at Nova Physiotherapy

Pelvic floor physiotherapy offers a unique and effective way to address lower back pain by focusing on the underlying causes of dysfunction. Strengthening and balancing the pelvic floor muscles can improve core stability and posture, ultimately leading to long-term relief from back pain.

At Nova Physiotherapy, we provide personalized, evidence-based care to help you manage and prevent lower back pain. Sheridan specializes in pelvic floor rehabilitation, using a combination of manual therapy, exercises, and education to address the root cause of your discomfort. If you are suffering from lower back pain or want to prevent future injuries, consider incorporating pelvic floor physiotherapy into your treatment plan. At Nova Physiotherapy, we are here to help you achieve a pain-free, active lifestyle. Click HERE to get started!