Did you know that experiencing pain or tightness in the hips or even sciatica issues could relate to an imbalanced pelvic floor? The pelvic floor muscles are the hammock shaped muscles that attach from the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis and the tailbone at the back of the pelvis. A strong and healthy pelvic floor supports our reproductive organs, urinary continence, bowel health and sexual well-being. However, when the muscles are too tight or too weak, our body responds in many ways including incontinence, painful sex, back, hip, and pelvic floor pain, etc. Many factors influence the health of the pelvic floor. They can be affected by pregnancy, childbirth, ageing, hormonal changes, collagen levels, diet, not breathing deeply enough, anterior/posterior pelvic tilts and poor form with lifting. Hip pain is one way the body responds to the pelvic floor imbalance. Our pelvic floor muscles attach directly to the hip muscles via the Obturator Internus. This muscle helps maintain bowel and bladder control and is a power player in sexual function. With pelvic floor muscle imbalance, you could feel deep hip pain within the pelvis, in the lower abdomen, or present as sciatica.
But did you also know that physical dysfunction in a woman’s body can often be metaphysical in origin? We have an energetic system in the body made up of chakras or energy wheels. When balanced these chakras flow abundantly, when imbalanced, energy can slow or even be blocked. They each affect different aspects of our life and can manifest in many different ways. The lower two chakras manifest in the lower pelvic areas which can affect the surrounding areas.
The pelvic floor is located at the base or root of the body, near the muladhara or root chakra. The root chakra relates to all the foundation areas in our lives like our home, family and the community. If you are struggling to have your basic needs met, feelings of disempowerment, or replaying childhood narratives. These patterns can be deep seeded and cause an energy imbalance in the chakra creating anxiety and depression which leads to rapid shallow breathing. This energy wheel is linked to our “fight or flight” response in the body. Anxious, rapid, shallow breathing can lead to an impact on the pelvic floor, causing disfunction. A balanced root chakra feels like a sense of ease, less stress, regularity in metabolism and bowels, and feeling secure in life.
The swadhisthana or sacral chakra sets right at the womb center relating to issues around our relationships with others, money, addictions, and sex. This energetic wheel is the seat of Shakti or our divine feminine energy. The sacral chakra correlates with the birth of all things. This is our creative, joyful, confident energy that lies within us. An imbalanced sacral chakra can result from sexual shame, trauma, poor self-image, emotional states, culture, and history of abuse. This can all build up and become heavy in the body, creating dysfunction in the pelvis, back and hips, guilt, shame, lack of creativity, lack of libido, lack of motivation, not feeling loved. A balanced sacral chakra will re empower and ignite the powerful divine feminine goddess energy within. It enables us to live our best lives, speaking our truths, and living authentically by our highest selves.
Always consult a physician if you are experiencing pain. If you are having pelvic floor issues, always consult an OB/GYN or a Women’s Health Physical Therapist who can diagnose and treat the issue. Along with physical therapy, a regular yoga pratice is a powerful way to connect the physical and energetic systems to bring divine alignment to the body. Making sure to keep your body alignment, head over shoulders, shoulders over hips, this will ensure your body is functioning at its best. Proper alignment keeps the surrounding systems and muscles in balance and happy. Yoga creates a stable environment to focus on healing the physical while also healing the mind and soul. While, you might think you are just having a normal ache or pain, it could be a response to something more intense happening in the body and might be from an intense experience in your life.
