There are all sorts of euphemisms for constipation, from being "backed up" to "traffic-jammed" to just not being able "to go." Similarly, there are a lot of causes for constipation. You’ve probably heard about fiber’s importance for regular digestion and poops, but your pelvic floor is also integral to staying regular, according to Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, pelvic floor therapist and doctor of physical therapy at Fusion Wellness & Physical Therapy. 

In case you’re unfamiliar, the pelvic floor is a hammock-like group of muscles that sit in your pelvis and support the bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. They’re responsible for controlling when you pee and poop and are integral to pleasure during sex. Your pelvic floor can be both the cause and solution to constipation. Below, Dr. Jeffcoat explains why that is and what to do when you can’t go. 

“The pelvic floor muscles can be non-relaxing, meaning that when they are meant to relax during constipation, they stay in a short position,” says Dr. Jeffcoat. The effect is equivalent to a ‘kink in a hose,’ where the rectum becomes closed off so nothing can pass. Aside from consuming the right amount of fiber for you and staying hydrated, there are many ways to get unjammed so-to-speak.