Defecation Techniques
Defecation TechniqueS
Bowel Health
Along with a healthy varied diet, emptying your bowels well is an important part of good bowel health. This is something we often take for granted until we start to notice issues of constipation, straining, difficulty initiating or completing a bowel motion, and feelings of not being “satisfied” such as incomplete bowel emptying and constant wiping. These symptoms are signs of poor bowel emptying which we refer to as "defecation dysfunction”.
In this blog we would like to teach you ways to improve your bowel emptying. This is referred to as Defecation Techniques.
Positioning
A correct toileting position is essential.
Knees higher than hips through the use of a foot stool
Lean forward, relax your elbows on your knees
Relax your belly and pelvic floor
Relaxation and Breath
Expand and bulge your belly as you make a ‘Moooo’ or 'Ssssss’ sound
5 sec, 3-5 reps
This is a great alternative to straining and can help to initiate or finish a bowel motion
Perineum Support
For those that are experiencing difficulty initiating or finishing a bowel motion it may be very helpful to provide additional support to the perineum with your hand.
This can be particularly helpful for those with pelvic organ prolapse or perineum laxity.
If you are experiencing bowel dysfunction, reach out for an appointment with one of our pelvic health physiotherapists.
