HOW TO TELL IF YOU HAVE A TIGHT PELVIC FLOOR
A tight pelvic floor can cause a range of symptoms that many people don’t connect to their pelvic muscles. You may feel pressure, pain, or discomfort ‘down there’, and not know where it’s coming from. Let’s walk through what a tight pelvic floor is, how to spot the signs, and what you can do about it.
What Is the Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of your pelvis. These muscles help you hold in and let out pee and poop. They also support sexual function playing a role in erection, ejaculation, and orgasm, and work with your core muscles to stabilize your body during movement.
When these muscles are coordinating well, they contract and relax as needed. But when they stay clenched or can’t relax when expected, that’s when problems start.
Signs Your Pelvic Floor Might Be Tight
Tight pelvic floor muscles don’t always feel “tight” in the way most people expect. You might notice:
Unconscious clenching
Rectal pressure or a “golf ball” sensation
Pain or discomfort during bowel movements
Hesitant or incomplete urination
A scrotum that feels higher or tighter than usual
Pain with vaginal or anal sex
Trouble reaching orgasm
Ongoing pelvic aching
Why Does the Pelvic Floor Get Tight?
Tightness can come from stress, overuse, habitual involuntary clenching, emotional or physical trauma. It can also follow surgery, injury, or long-term constipation, just to name a few.
Pain itself can also lead to more tension. Your muscles naturally protects painful areas by splinting and guarding. Over time, that protection, when no longer needed, can become a problem of its own, over protection.
Do Kegels Help or Hurt?
You may have heard to avoid kegels if your pelvic floor is tight. But it’s not that simple.
A 2024 review by Solomon and colleagues found that tailored pelvic floor muscle training reduced pain during sex and improved sexual function for people with tight or painful pelvic floors. No negative side effects were reported in the studies reviewed.
So yes, kegels can help, but only if they’re done the right way and for the right reasons. This isn’t about blindly squeezing. It’s about retraining how your muscles and nervous system work together.
What Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Do
Pelvic floor therapists are trained to assess and treat these muscles. We use a whole-body and whole-person approach that looks at how you breathe, move, and respond to stress. Treatment often focuses on improving coordination and teaching your muscles when to activate and when to let go.
This might include:
Breathwork and relaxation
Pelvic floor muscle training
Manual therapy or desensitization techniques
Tips for easier pooping and peeing
Movement strategies
Sexual function support
When to Get Help
If you’re experiencing pressure, pain, sexual dysfunction, or bathroom problems that don’t improve on their own, consider seeing a pelvic health therapist. You don’t need to wait for things to get worse. Early intervention can make a big difference.
This information is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding treatment, medications/supplements, or any medical diagnoses. This information is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way to substitute the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.
