Hi friends! If you’ve ever seen the movie Shrek you know that ogres are like onions. Not because they stink or make you cry, but because they have layers. The pelvic floor does, too! Note: if your pelvic floor does have a smell or does make you cry, that’s a sign of underlying issues.
Many people are often surprised to find out that the pelvic floor is made up of several different muscles (not just one) and other support structures like fascia and connective tissue. The pelvic floor is made up of 17 different muscles—depending on how you count them. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about the different layers of the pelvic floor muscles.
Before we talk about each layer, let’s briefly talk about what the pelvic floor does. The pelvic floor muscles work to provide us with four main functions.
The muscles work to provide stability as part of the core.
They work to support our pelvic organs from below.
They control the sphincters (or openings) to keep pee, poop, and gas in or out.
They play a large role in sexual function.
To learn even more about what the pelvic floor muscles do watch this video below.
The pelvic floor is often split into two (or sometimes more) layers. The superficial, or outermost, layer and the levator ani, which sits deeper in the pelvis.
The superficial layer plays a big role in controlling pee and poop, as well as sexual function. It is made up of several muscles including:
External anal sphincter (helps control poop and gas)
External urethral sphincter (helps to control pee)
Transverse perineal (supports the perineum)
Ischiocavernosus (erects the clitoris/penis)
Bulbocavernosus/Bulbospongiosus (erects the clitoris/penis)
The muscles that sit deeper are grouped together and called the levator ani. This layer plays an important role in supporting the pelvic organs and helping to control pooping. This group is made up of the following muscles:
Pubococcygeus
Puborectalis
Iliococcygeus
Coccygeus
Unless you are a clinician it is not crucial to know where each individual muscle of the pelvic floor is and what it does, as they work together for many functions. What can be more important is knowing how to find your pelvic floor muscles and knowing how to control them (like contracting/engaging and lengthening/relaxing at the right times). Watch the video below to learn how to find the pelvic floor muscles.
Ready to learn more about your pelvic health? Here are some helpful resources:
Watch Netflix for Your Pelvic Floor at Pelvic Flicks
Watch our YouTube playlist on Pelvic Physical Therapy
Learn more about the pelvic floor muscles with our book: My Pelvic Floor Muscles The Basics
Sign up for our email newsletter!
Visit our Instagram page for more on pelvic health.
For providers, join our Ambassador Program and most of our courses are included with your membership!
New Structure for PFM Assessment Using ICS Terminology with Beth Shelly, PT, DPT, WCS, BCB-PMD
Pelvic PT Evaluation of the Pelvic Floor Muscles with Dr. Samantha Richter, PT, DPT, WCS
The 3D Pelvis with Hayley Kava, PT, MPT, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
Written by Emily Reul, PT, DPT