Perfecting Your Pooing Position
I know no one ever wants to talk about poo but I’m going there. Its my job and I am so used to talking, in depth, about peoples bathroom habits that its like a normal conversation to me! In this weeks blog I am going to show you how we can perfect our pooing position to help us go to the loo with fewer issues.
Did you know that, despite our modern loo facilities encouraging us to sit at a 90-degree angle when going for a number 2, humans and our digestive tracts are actually designed to poo in a squatting position? If you often find you don’t feel fully satisfied when you go to the loo or you have constipation, then some simple corrections to your positioning on the loo could help facilitate a smoother poo departure.
How can sitting at 90 degrees on the loo cause pooing issues?
We all have a muscle called the puborectalis muscle that is essentially a muscular sling that wraps around the bottom part of our rectum (the end part of our large intestine that stores poo before we are ready to go to the loo). This muscular sling acts to close off our rectum to help maintain continence and prevent us going to the loo until we want to. Our rectum is slightly curved or kinked at the bottom which also helps continence.
When we try to go to the loo sitting with our body and thighs at a 90 degree angle, the usual position we are forced into when using modern loos, the puborectalis muscle is still tight around our rectum and our rectum is still curved which makes it harder for poo to come out. However, when we reduce the angle between out body and thighs (squatting or around 35-45 degrees), it helps to relax our puborectalis muscle and straightens our rectum allowing our poo a smooth departure (see images).
Molenbroek, Mantas, & De Bruin (2011)
Don’t worry though, you don’t need to start squatting just follow the simple tips below to help your poo have a smoother departure.
How to perfect your pooing position:
Sit on the loo and raise your feet so your knees are higher than your hips (preferably so your body and thighs are at a 35-45 degree angle or less). You can pop your feet on a chair, stool, a pile of books or you can buy a potty stool.
Lean forward and rest your elbows on your knees or you can clasp your hands together at the front of your legs like you are hugging your knees if that feels more stable.
Keep your spine straight (not rounded) and bulge out your lower tummy. Try not to strain or hold your breath but instead bear down and use your tummy muscles (a good way to know which muscles to use is to put your hands on top of your hips around your waist and cough – feel the muscles contract as you cough – these are the muscles you use to poo).
I have written a free e-book to help you find a way forward for your everyday life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Whether you are right at the beginning of your journey with IBD or have been living with your condition for years and feel like you have tried almost everything, there are things you can do everyday, beyond the medication you are taking, to help you take back control.
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We are all wonderfully unique and what works for one person may not work for another so please seek help and advice before changing your diet to work out the right way forward for you.