Pelvic Floor. Anatomy, functions and exercises

Exploring the synergy between Pelvic Floor, Sphincters and daily life

The Invisible Centre: "Listening" to the Pelvic Floor

There is a part of our body that dwells in silence. Often, we only notice its presence when it stops functioning as we’d like, or when it is mentioned in clinical contexts related to maternity or sexuality. Yet, the pelvic floor is much more than a specialized anatomical region: it is the dynamic foundation upon which our entire structure rests.

Relegating it to a purely "female" issue or strictly to the realm of sexuality is a narrative limitation. It robs us of the understanding of how we move, breathe, and inhabit the world.

A Crossroads of Vital Functions

The pelvic floor is not an isolated entity; it is a regulator of essential mechanical and biological pressures and functions. It operates as a dynamic support system that manages:

Visceral Support: Imagine it as a resilient hammock that supports the organs, keeping them in their correct place against the force of gravity.
Continence and Release: It governs the complex mechanisms of urination and bowel movements, alternating between contraction and release with a precision we take for granted—until it falters.
Managing Internal Pressure: When we cough, laugh, or lift a weight, intra-abdominal pressure changes. The pelvic floor adapts to these shifts to maintain internal balance.
Sexuality and Childbirth: This is where vitality turns into sensation. Its ability to vary muscle tone is the basis for clear, conscious perception in this area. Furthermore, the ability to "let go" of that tone is fundamental during childbirth.

The Architecture of 14 Muscles

If we look at anatomy not as a list of names, but as a map of possibilities, we discover a structure of incredible beauty. The pelvic floor is composed of 14 muscles organized across three layers of depth.

To visualize it, we can use the geometry of four triangles (often used in conscious movement explorations). The square of the pelvic floor is divided by two lines: one connecting the pubic bone to the coccyx (tailbone), and another joining the two ischial tuberosities (the "sit bones" we sit on). These triangles are not rigid; they contract and shift shape to allow us to walk, breathe, and change positions in space.

The Synergy of the Sphincters

The pelvic floor houses several of the body’s sphincter muscles, but these circular structures do not act in isolation. There is a resonance—subtle yet very real—that connects all the circular muscles of the body. The sphincters of the digestive and urinary systems act in chorus with the muscles around the mouth, the eyes, and even the activity in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

It is a system of echoes: when one area contracts, the others should respond. In such an interconnected organization, awareness becomes the fundamental tool for identifying and neutralizing the "baseline" hypertonicity that feeds chronic tension, restoring the muscles' natural capacity to adapt.

Rediscovering Function: Reducing Background Noise

Knowing where the pelvic floor is located or understanding its anatomical design is only the beginning. The true paradigm shift occurs when we move from intellectual knowledge to perception.

Many approaches focus exclusively on "strengthening" (to combat laxity) or "relaxing" (to combat hypertonicity). But a healthy muscle is not a muscle that is always contracted or always relaxed: it is an intelligent muscle. It is a structure that knows how to adapt and mold itself with ease to the demands of daily life.

Hypertonicity—that sense of constant tension often derived from stress or a rigid idea of posture—can be as limiting as weakness. Pelvic health lies in the reversibility of action: the ability to transition from a vibrant tone to a state of stillness. Maintaining constant "background noise" strips away elasticity and limits the muscles' ability to shape themselves to the needs of the moment.

Inhabiting Your Center: Between the Diaphragm and Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is accompanied by the rhythm of the respiratory diaphragm:

When we inhale, the diaphragm activates and descends, while the pelvic floor reduces its tone and moves downward.
When we exhale, the pelvic floor activates and rises, while the diaphragm releases and moves upward.

This is a constant dialogue that influences the freedom of our spine and every movement we make, from walking to sitting.

Exploring this connection through conscious movement practices (such as the Feldenkrais Method® or Movement) allows us to stop "doing exercises" and start living the movement. We do not seek an ideal form, but a functionality that makes every gesture simpler, more fluid, and ultimately, more human.

In this journey of discovery, self-awareness becomes the primary tool for restoring dignity and freedom to a part of ourselves that deserves to be listened to, not just treated.

Experience Conscious Movement

Anatomical theory is only the starting point; true change happens through practical experience. If you want to find a more free and less fatiguing functionality, we invite you to participate in our Feldenkrais classes and Movement sessions. Discover our upcoming workshops and Online Coaching Options, or deepen your practice with our audio and video materials from the "Pelvic Floor and Diaphragm" seminar, available online to guide you through an autonomous and profound exploration.