Why Foot Health Matters for Pelvic Floor Function
Did you know that there is a functional relationship between our feet and our pelvic floor?!
Many women experience pelvic floor issues including pain, incontinence and prolapse, and at the same time they may also have foot problems, such as plantar fasciitis, bunion, foot pain or stiffness. If this applies to you and you have been trying to treat these as separate issues you may benefit from a wider perspective!
Although the feet are not directly connected to the pelvic floor, there is a pathway via our bones, muscles, fascia and nerves that connects the functionality of both areas. There are several ways the foot and pelvic floor are linked and several ways we can help to improve the function of both:
Toe and Foot Mobility
Our toe and ankle mobility have a strong impact on our gait (how we walk) which affects the chain of muscles up the leg into the pelvic floor and on the whole pelvic alignment. If there is lack of mobility in the feet it can create tightness and poor function in the pelvis. Ideally, when we walk we need to have good hip extension (leg behind the body) with a push off from the toes of the back foot.
Lower Leg Alignment
The strength of our arch, whether we pronate or supinate our feet (roll the feet towards the inner or outer edges) and the direction our feet point in affects knee placement. This in turn affects the upper leg and how it connects to the hip socket which is part of our pelvis. Any weakness or tightness in the leg muscles that connect to the pelvis will also affect pelvic floor function.
You can try this standing up at home, what happens to your knees when you deliberately roll to the inner or outer edges of your feet? What happens when you turn your feet between duck feet (turned out) and pigeon-toed (turned in)? Probably you will see a rotation of the knee joint, which is also a rotation in the femur which in turns connects to your hips in the pelvis.
Posture
Here I mean whole body alignment, and often this starts with the feet and the shoes we wear. First stand up in bare feet and notice where you carry your weight. Is it evenly distributed between your left and right? What about the balls and heels of the feet? What happens the alignment of your pelvis as you shift your weight? What happens to your back and rib position? Now try all that again in heeled shoes and notice the difference to your posture.
The angle of your pelvic bones and you rib cage affects your pelvic floor function.
Your ribs should be vertical with the lower ribs tucked down, not flaring up. The pelvis should tilt slightly forwards with a gentle curve in the lower back. This both elongates the pelvic floor and reduces pressure by allowing the pelvic organs to rest more against the pubic bone than be carried solely by the pelvic floor muscles.
When your rib cage flares up, or your pelvis is tilted too far or tucked under, your diaphragm and pelvic floor lose their optimal positioning in relation to each other and are unable to work together as a team. If this happens you may experience pelvic floor dysfunction such as pelvic floor tension, prolapse symptoms, or leaking.
What Can I Do About It?
There are a few simple adjustments that you might like to try incorporating into your daily life:
Try mindful barefoot walking at home rolling through the feet from heel to toe.
Each time you are standing, e.g. waiting for a tube or standing in a queue, check the alignment of your feet and make sure they are hip width apart and pointing forwards.
Check your pelvic alignment when standing and sitting, make sure your tail is not tucked under, nor your back over arched.
Over time, if you practise these regularly you will find that you change your movement and postural habits and you won’t need to check and adjust so often.
If you’d like a more focused and guided movement practise to help you with your pelvic floor function and develop better all-round strength and mobility, I offer personalised one-to-one yoga classes both online and in person.
Simply contact me to discuss your needs and we can take things from there - I’d love to help you!