The Real Cause of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic Floor Mini Series
Part One: Signs My Pelvic Floor is Dysfunctional
Part Two: How to Tell if My Pelvic Floor is Tight or Weak
Part Three: The Real Cause of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Part Four: 3 Daily Habits That Damage Your Pelvic Floor Without You Knowing
Part Five: Can Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Be Cured?
When discussing pelvic floor dysfunction, most women are surprised to learn that the primary issue isn't weakness—it's tightness that leads to weakness. Let me explain how this actually happens.
Your pelvic floor is designed to be dynamic—contracting and relaxing as needed throughout your day. But several factors can disrupt this normal function, causing your pelvic floor muscles to become chronically tight, which paradoxically makes them weak.
How Do Pelvic Floor Muscles Get Weak
Injury Related or Childbirth
Pregnancy and childbirth put tremendous pressure on your pelvic floor. Your body must support increasing weight for months, followed by either vaginal delivery (which will stretch the muscles and fascia to the max and can sometimes strain them too) or cesarean delivery (which disrupts normal core muscle function through abdominal surgery).
After delivery, many women experience:
- Scar tissue that restricts muscle movement
- Altered breathing patterns from pregnancy that continue postpartum
- Compensation patterns where certain muscles become overactive to protect injured areas
- Nervous system changes that keep muscles in a state of tension
These changes don't just "heal on their own" for many women. The muscles that were stretched, strained or cut during delivery often respond by staying contracted—trying to protect you from further injury. This chronic contraction deprives the muscles of oxygen and proper blood flow, making them progressively weaker despite feeling tight.
Even brief injuries, like falling on your tailbone or undergoing pelvic surgery, can trigger this protective muscle spasm that doesn't resolve without proper intervention.
Chronic Posture and Breathing Dysfunction
The majority of pelvic floor issues develop gradually over time due to how you breathe and move each day.
Modern life has us:
- Sitting for hours in positions that tilt our pelvis into a posture that creates too much pressure in the core, lowering the organs and reducing blood flow to the pelvic floor.
- Looking down at and using cell phones, creating a cascade of postural and breathing changes that majorly alter your pelvic floor and core muscle function
- Breathing shallowly into our bellies instead of expanding rib cage and diaphragm
- Holding our breath during stress, which increases abdominal pressure
When you breathe incorrectly—usually by belly breathing instead of diaphragmatic breathing—your diaphragm gets tight and starts sitting lower in your torso. This creates a chain reaction:
- Your tight, low diaphragm pushes down on your abdominal and pelvic organs
- Your organs press down on your pelvic floor muscles
- Your pelvic floor muscles tense up to resist this constant pressure
- This chronic contraction cuts off proper blood flow and oxygen to the pelvic floor
- Without adequate circulation, the muscles become weaker despite being tight
- Weak muscles means the pelvic fascia is overworked, and will stretch and weaken as well.
Every breath you take either helps or harms your pelvic floor function. Most women spend years breathing in patterns that gradually weaken their pelvic floor muscles, setting the stage for dysfunction.
This explains why many athletic women develop pelvic floor issues despite being "strong." The problem isn't strength—it's dysfunctional breathing patterns creating pressure that their pelvic floor can't properly manage.
How The Core Recovery Method® Resolves Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
The Core Recovery Method® addresses pelvic floor dysfunction differently than traditional approaches. Instead of trying to repetitively contract an already tight pelvic floor, it get to the root of the dysfunction- breathing patterns!
Inside The Core Recovery Method®, you will learn how to:
- Restore proper diaphragmatic breathing. This is the foundation of all core function. When your diaphragm moves in the proper way and direction with each breath, it creates a rhythm that your pelvic floor naturally follows. This proper breathing immediately begins reducing the pressure on your organs and pelvic floor, so they can actually get the blood flow they need to function properly and truly heal.
- Release tension in your diaphragm. Through specific techniques like diaphragm re-setting and abdominal massage, you'll learn to free your biggest breathing muscle from chronic tension. When your diaphragm sits higher and has a bigger range of motion and moves better, your pelvic floor can finally release its protective spasm.
- Retraining automatic core muscle function. Since 80% of your pelvic floor is controlled by your involuntary nervous system, The Core Recovery Method® uses breathing techniques that trigger the reflexive activation of your entire core without conscious effort. This creates lasting change in how your body manages pressure.
- Addressing the whole system, not just symptoms. The Core Recovery Method® recognizes that your pelvic floor is part of an integrated system. By improving your posture, breathing, and pressure management throughout your core, you create an environment where your pelvic floor can heal naturally.
This approach explains why women who've tried everything else finally see results with The Core Recovery Method®. Instead of fighting against your body by forcing tight muscles to contract further, you're supporting your pelvic floor to resume normal function.
The best part? These changes begin the very first time you practice the method. Many women notice immediate improvements in pressure, pain, and symptoms, with continued progress as they practice consistently.
If you're ready to address the root cause of your pelvic floor dysfunction instead of just managing symptoms, The Core Recovery Method® provides a comprehensive approach that works with your body's natural design—restoring function, resolving symptoms, and rebuilding your confidence in just 30 minutes a day.
