Your Core and Pelvic Floor

When we think of our core, I think most of us consider primarily our abdominals.  These muscles are a super important and powerful part of our core, but if we don’t have the other parts of our core working well together, those abdominals aren’t worth much.  

What is our ‘core’ actually comprised of?  Well, yes, our abdominals.  When we think of our abdominal muscles - specifically, our rectus abdominis and obliques - these are the body movers we use for crunches, twists, and other movements.  Deep to these abdominal movers is another, just as important, abdominal muscle called the Transverse Abdominis.  When this muscle contracts, it acts as our body’s natural corset and is the true stabilizer of our abdominals.  What are the other parts of our core, you ask?  Well, our pelvic floor, diaphragm, and a set of deep back muscles that run between each vertebrae.  These groups of muscles surround our torso and work together to stabilize our body.

There are 2 great analogies when it comes to our core - one is of a canister and the other a balloon.  So many of our pelvic floor symptoms are related to pressure and how adequately we ‘manage’ these pressures.  These analogies give great visuals to better understand this concept. 

Let’s start with the canister.  

Picture your core as a soda can 🤔

The top of the can would be the diaphragm, the sides would be the abdominals and back muscles, and the bottom of the can would be your pelvic floor.  A can of soda that is unopened can withstand a LOT of pressure!  Puncture one tiny hole in the can, and it can crumple under the smallest of pressures.

 Next..

Imagine your whole torso as a balloon. 

The top of the balloon is your diaphragm, the sides are your abdominals and back muscles, and the bottom is your pelvic floor. Just like air moves and creates pressure inside a balloon, the pressure inside your torso shifts every time you breathe or use certain muscles in your body. If one area of the balloon is weak or overly tight, the pressure shifts elsewhere - often leading to strain or symptoms such as back pain, leakage, or pelvic pressure.  When all the parts of your “balloon” work together in balance, your body can handle pressure changes smoothly, giving you more stability, strength, and control in everything you do.  Another way to think about it - if you take a balloon and squeeze the top of it, what happens?  All of the air disperses to the bottom of the balloon.  That is another way to think of this imbalance.  If our pelvic floor is the bottom of the balloon, it is not difficult to imagine symptoms such as leaking and pressure from prolapse.

Whether your goal is to enhance exercise performance or to address pelvic floor-related symptoms, it’s essential to consider how the pelvic floor works in harmony with the rest of your core.