Bowel Health & Pelvic Floor Function: Why What Comes Out Matters
At Secret Women’s Business Physiotherapy, we talk a lot about bladder control, prolapse, and pelvic floor strength but there’s one topic that often gets a lot of attention as it quietly undermines all of the above: your bowels.
Bowel health is foundational to pelvic health. Whether you’re dealing with prolapse, bladder urgency, or stress urinary incontinence, addressing constipation and straining is often the first (and most important) step toward improvement.
Why Do Bowels Matter So Much?
Constipation and straining can:
- Weaken the pelvic floor muscles
- Aggravate prolapse symptoms and contribute to progression
- Irritate the bladder, worsening urgency and frequency
- Disrupt coordination between the bowel, bladder, and pelvic floor
And the reverse is also true: improving bowel regularity and ease can dramatically reduce pressure and improve pelvic function.
A Personalised Approach…. Not Just Fibre and Fluids
We understand that everyone’s bowels are different. That’s why at SWB, we don’t just say “add fibre and drink more water” and send you on your way. Instead, we take a holistic, individualised approach.
Yes, fibre and fluids matter. But so does stress, movement, timing and stimulants for the bowels matter too. Here are a few patterns we often see in clinic:
Common Bowel Saboteurs (That Might Surprise You)
💧 Winter hydration drops – When the weather cools down, we often forget to drink enough, and the bowels aren’t happy about it. Less fluid can mean harder stools and more straining.
🥩 Protein focus without fibre – When women increase their protein intake (a great goal!), they sometimes forget to balance it with enough plant-based foods and fibre. Fibre is what keeps everything moving.
🌈 Lack of variety – Our gut bacteria thrive on diversity. Current guidelines encourage aiming for 30 different plant-based foods per week. That includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. And yes, colour counts—so make your plate a rainbow.
☕ The rush of the morning – Bowels love routine. For many, a warm drink (yes, coffee is awesome), gentle movement, and a few peaceful minutes can be the perfect combination to prompt a bowel motion. Skipping breakfast and rushing out the door? That might be part of the problem.
We’ll Talk Bowels, So You Don’t Have to Google Them
Whether you’re dealing with straining, irregularity, or you just have that sense things aren’t quite right, we can help. As pelvic health physios, we assess bowel patterns as part of your overall pelvic floor function, and we’ll support you with clear, evidence-based strategies you can integrate into daily life.
And while we’re on the topic of bowels, when was your last bowel cancer screen?
If you’re aged 45 – 74 and due for your test, you can now order your free self-test kit online in minutes. Early detection matters. Here’s the link:
https://www.ncsr.gov.au/information-for-participants/request-a-free-bowel-test-kit.html
