Logan Steele
The anal sphincter muscles are crucial for controlling bowel movements and gas release. Weak sphincter muscles can lead to fecal incontinence, a condition where individuals unintentionally release their rectal contents. This can be caused by various factors, including childbirth, age, or underlying medical conditions. To address this issue, individuals can try pelvic muscle retraining exercises to strengthen the sphincter muscles and improve their resting tone. Additionally, conscious tightening and relaxing of the sphincter muscles, deep breathing, and meditation can help reduce stress and muscle tension. In more severe cases, surgery may be required to tighten the sphincter muscles, but this is typically a last resort.
How to loosen the sphincter muscle
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Locate the sphincter muscles | Pretend to prevent yourself from passing wind or holding in a bowel movement |
| Relax the pelvic muscles | Prop feet up in a seated position, knees higher than hips |
| Meditate to reduce stress | Take slow, deep breaths through the nose |
| Use your finger | Apply lubrication to your index finger and insert it into your anus, moving in a circular motion |
| Surgery | Tighten the sphincter muscles, repair torn muscles |
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What You'll Learn
Pelvic floor exercises
How to Identify the Pelvic Floor Muscles
To perform pelvic floor exercises, it is important to first identify the correct muscles. To do this, begin by emptying your bladder. Then, try to pretend that you have to urinate and hold it. You should feel the muscles in your vagina, bladder, or anus tighten and move up. These are the pelvic floor muscles. Alternatively, women can insert a finger into their vagina and tighten the muscles as if they are holding in their urine, then let go. Men can insert a finger into their rectum and do the same.
How to Perform Pelvic Floor Exercises
Once you can comfortably identify the muscles, you can perform the exercises while seated. Start by tightening the pelvic floor muscles and holding for a count of 10. Then, relax the muscles completely for a count of 10. Aim for 10 repetitions, 3 to 5 times a day (morning, afternoon, and night). You can do these exercises at any time and place, although most people prefer to lie down or sit in a chair.
Additional Exercises for the Pelvic Floor
Pelvic tilts can also help strengthen the lower back and abdominal muscles, contributing to pelvic floor stability. To perform a pelvic tilt, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles and press your lower back into the floor. Hold for a few seconds, then release. Repeat this movement 10-15 times, gradually increasing the number of repetitions as your muscles get stronger.
The bird-dog exercise is another great way to activate multiple muscle groups, including the pelvic floor. Start on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keep your back straight and engage your core muscles while retracting your shoulder blades down toward your hips. Then, simultaneously extend and raise your left leg and right arm, maintaining a neutral body position. Hold this position for a few seconds.
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Surgery
Surgical options for loosening the sphincter muscle are typically carried out to treat faecal incontinence or chronic anal fissures.
Sphincter Repair
If there is damage to the external anal sphincter, a surgical repair may be an option. This procedure involves making a small incision in front of the anus and overlapping the damaged muscle ends to form a complete ring of muscle. This operation has an 80% success rate and requires a hospital stay of 3-7 days, with a recovery period of 2-4 weeks.
Levatorplasty
If there is no definable defect in the external anal sphincter, an alternative approach is to tighten or plicate the external anal sphincter and pelvic floor muscles (levatorplasty). This procedure involves bringing together the muscles of the pelvic floor above the anal canal.
Post-anal Repair
If the pelvic floor area is weak and sagging but the sphincter muscle is not torn or damaged, a post-anal repair may be recommended. This involves making an incision behind the anus and tightening the muscles to provide more support. This procedure has a success rate of approximately 25% in terms of long-term bowel control.
Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy
Lateral internal sphincterotomy is a surgical procedure used to treat chronic anal fissures that have failed to heal. It involves making a small incision in one of the anal sphincter muscles to release excess tension and aid healing. This procedure has a high success rate and a low rate of complications.
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Meditation and deep breathing
Breathe in slowly and deeply for a count of four, then exhale slowly for another count of four through pursed lips, as if you were whistling. As you breathe, focus on your sphincter muscles, and consciously tighten and relax them a few times. You can also try massaging your lower stomach with light, circular motions across the bottom of your ribs and down the sides of your abdomen.
As you continue to breathe slowly and deeply, allow your body to relax. Feel the relaxation spread through every part of your body, from your head to your toes. If you are trying to make a bowel movement, you can help relax your sphincter muscles by propping your feet up so that your knees are bent and higher than your hips. This will relax your pelvic muscles, which can make it easier for your sphincter muscles to relax as well.
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Using lubrication
Lubrication can be used to help relax the sphincter muscle. This process may be done in conjunction with deep breathing exercises, meditation, and massage. Firstly, locate your sphincter muscle by pretending you are trying to prevent yourself from passing wind or having a bowel movement. You should feel your sphincter muscles around your anus tighten.
To relax the muscle, apply lubrication to your index finger. Insert your finger into your anus and move it around in a circular motion until your sphincter muscles relax. This may take a few minutes, but it should not be painful if you are using lubrication. This method will likely induce a bowel movement, so it should only be done near a toilet. If you are allergic to latex, avoid wearing disposable latex examination gloves. Medical lubricant can be purchased at any pharmacy or drugstore.
In addition to using lubrication, you can try deep breathing exercises. Breathe in slowly and deeply for four seconds, then exhale slowly for another four seconds. As you do this, focus on your sphincter muscles and allow them to relax. You can also try meditating in a seated position with your eyes closed, taking slow, deep breaths through your nose. This will help to clear your mind and relax your muscles.
Massaging your lower stomach with light pressure can also help to relax your sphincter. Start on the left side of your abdomen, working your way down, then move to the right side and repeat. Propping your feet up in a seated position can also help to relax your pelvic and sphincter muscles.
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Propping feet up while sitting on the toilet
Propping your feet up while sitting on the toilet can help to simulate a squatting position, which can have several benefits for your health. This position can be achieved with the help of a toilet stool, such as the Squatty Potty or the PROPPR.
The act of propping your feet up while sitting on the toilet is often referred to as "PROPPing". It involves using a toilet footstool to elevate your feet and knees higher than your hips, which helps to simulate a squatting position. This position can be beneficial for your health in several ways.
Firstly, it can aid in easier bowel movements. When sitting on a western-style toilet, the body is typically at a 90-degree angle to the legs, causing a muscle in the colon called the puborectalis to remain taut and the bowel to become kinked. This can make it difficult for faeces to pass through. By propping your feet up and achieving a squatting position, the puborectalis muscle loosens, straightening the colon and allowing waste to pass more easily.
Additionally, the squatting position can help to prevent or alleviate constipation, haemorrhoids, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and other digestive issues. In countries where squatting is the norm, these gut ailments are much less common.
To safely use a toilet stool, it is important to ensure that you are strong enough to sit on it and lean forward without the risk of falling. The height of the stool can vary depending on your preference and comfort level, but it should generally be adjusted so that your knees are higher than your hips.
There are a variety of toilet stools available on the market, such as the Squatty Potty and the PROPPR. The Squatty Potty is designed to improve posture while on the toilet and comes in different heights and materials to suit your needs and budget. The PROPPR is an Australian-designed toilet footstool that is stylish and effective for people of various heights.
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Frequently asked questions
The anal sphincter is made up of two muscles: the internal anal sphincter and the external anal sphincter. The internal sphincter is a thin white muscle that surrounds the anal canal and maintains a resting tightness to prevent the unexpected release of gas or liquid during rest and sleep. The external sphincter is a large, thick, red voluntary muscle that an individual can consciously control.
A tight sphincter muscle may be caused by stress. Other causes may be related to broader medical conditions, such as constipation, which has persisted for two weeks or longer.
To locate your sphincter muscles, act as if you are trying to prevent yourself from passing wind or trying to hold in a bowel movement. You should feel your sphincter muscles tighten around your anus.
To relax your sphincter muscles, you can try meditating to relieve stress and tension in your muscles. While seated, close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths through your nose, focusing on your breathing. You can also try propping your feet up while sitting on the toilet so that your knees are bent higher than your hips, relaxing your pelvic muscles and reducing constriction in your large intestine and rectum.
If you have weak sphincter muscles, you can try exercises such as pelvic muscle retraining to strengthen the muscles and improve your ability to contract them. These exercises can be taught by specialists and then performed at home without the need for special equipment.
