Bowel Dysfunction

When it comes to gut issues, all the attention usually goes to the food we eat— what to include in the diet or eliminate from it. We do not realize the important role that the smooth muscles of the gut and the pelvic floor muscles play in the digestion and in the elimination of the bowel movement. The pelvic floor muscles not only support the rectum in the pelvic bowl, but literally sling around it to control the passage of the bowel movement. The sling’s strength, flexibility and coordination determine a good poop vs. constipation vs. a fecal leakage.

Using too much strain, employing inefficient mechanics of pushing and using a wrong strategy (for e.g. holding breath), along with poor mobility/motility of the gut organs can create a variety of issues in the lower GI tract. Evaluation of the gut organ motility and that of the pelvic floor muscles is extremely important to determine the right plan-of-care for the bowel issues.