Rectocele, Rectal Prolapse & Haemorrhoids | Pelvic Floor & Bowel Health Support.
If you struggle with constipation, straining, or a heavy feeling after bowel movements, you’re not alone.
Here’s how to understand what’s really happening and how small changes in breath, posture, and daily habits can make a big difference.
Understanding What’s Going On
When bowel movements aren’t easy, pressure builds. Over time, this can stretch or weaken the rectal wall or supporting fascia, leading to related conditions:
Rectocele – when the front wall of the rectum bulges into the back wall of the vagina.
Rectal Prolapse – when the rectum slips downward through the anus.
Intussusception – a “telescoping” or folding inward of the rectum that can cause a sense of blockage.
Haemorrhoids – swollen veins around the anus that may itch, bleed, or ache.
Beyond Pressure: What Else Causes These Symptoms?
While pressure mismanagement is a big part of the picture, it’s rarely the only cause. The pelvic floor and bowel are part of a whole-body system and this is influenced by posture, fascia, hormones, stress, and even how safe you feel in your own body.
1. Connective tissue laxity or weakness
Some people are naturally more flexible or have softer connective tissue (as in hypermobility or Ehlers-Danlos spectrum). These tissues stretch more easily and need extra support from breath, posture, and strength training. When the “hammock” of fascia is already loose, repeated pressure or straining can lead to descent more quickly.
2. Chronic constipation and gut imbalance
Hard stools, dehydration, or an unbalanced microbiome can make bowel movements difficult, setting up a cycle of straining and guarding. Over time, the nervous system begins to associate going to the toilet with effort, pain, or anxiety, tightening the pelvic floor even more.
3. Childbirth and perineal trauma
Pregnancy and vaginal delivery stretch and sometimes tear the muscles and fascia that support the rectum and vagina. Caesarean scars can also restrict fascial glide, changing how pressure moves through the abdomen and pelvis.
4. Hormonal changes
Falling oestrogen levels after birth or during menopause reduce collagen, hydration, and elasticity. This can make tissues feel thinner, drier, or less resilient, affecting support and repair.
5. Posture and breathing patterns
A collapsed chest, rounded back, or tucked pelvis compress the abdominal cavity, forcing pressure down instead of spreading it evenly. The diaphragm, abdominals, and pelvic floor work as a team, when one becomes rigid, the others can’t respond effectively.
6. Pelvic floor overactivity (tension)
Many people assume prolapse or bowel issues mean weakness, but tightness can be just as problematic. Chronic gripping more often from stress, perfectionism, or habit, keeps the muscles at end-range, unable to contract or relax efficiently. A tense muscle can’t support you well.
7. Nerve sensitivity or irritation
The pudendal and rectal nerves can become irritated through prolonged sitting, cycling, or fascial restriction. This can alter sensation, coordination, or even lead to pain and incomplete emptying.
8. Chronic stress and trauma responses
When the body lives in a fight-or-flight state, digestion slows and sphincters tighten. The nervous system holds on, literally. Breathwork, TRE®, and somatic practices help shift back into rest-and-digest mode so the bowel can function normally again.
9. Toilet habits
Rushing, ignoring urges, or sitting too long on the toilet (scrolling or reading) interferes with the natural reflex that allows stool to pass. It can also increase venous pressure and aggravate haemorrhoids.
10. Lack of movement and fascial dehydration
The fascial system depends on regular movement to stay elastic and hydrated. Long periods of sitting compress the perineum and restrict circulation, while gentle walking, stretching, and dynamic posture keep everything nourished and buoyant.
11. Heavy lifting or high-pressure exercise
High-load training or core work performed with held breath (the Valsalva manoeuvre) increases downward force on the pelvic floor. Without pressure management strategies, like exhaling on exertion or Hypopressives, this can aggravate symptoms.
12. Surgery, scars and adhesions
Abdominal or pelvic surgeries (C-section, hysterectomy, rectal repair) can leave adhesions that restrict organ glide and alter pressure pathways. Fascial release and breath-led mobility help restore balance and movement.
13. Nutrient and hydration deficiencies
Low protein, vitamin C, or zinc can slow collagen repair. Dehydration and low magnesium can tighten smooth muscle and slow bowel motility.
In essence:
Pressure is only part of the story.
The pelvic floor reflects the whole system, your fascia, hormones, posture, digestion, and state of mind. Healing means restoring movement, hydration, and flow across all of it
Why Straining Makes Things Worse
Straining pushes the pelvic floor down and tightens muscles that should be releasing.
The puborectalis muscle, a sling around the rectum, must relax to open the passage. But when we bear down, it tightens instead, creating a kink and making release harder.
Even jaw tension contributes. The jaw and pelvic floor are connected through fascia and the nervous system. If your jaw is clenched, your pelvic floor is likely holding too.
woman on toilet with constipation
💬 Real Stories of Recovery
Healing happens in many ways:
A mother of two recovered a mild rectocele through daily pelvic floor rehab, breath-work, and posture training, her bulge reduced and bowel comfort returned.
Another client recovered from rectal prolapse post-birth using Hypopressives, dietary changes, and somatic release.
For advanced prolapse, surgical repair (like ventral rectopexy) restored function for Ann when combined with Hypopressive rehabilitation.
One client used TRE® shaking therapy to retrain her body’s relaxation response, she described it as “learning to let go without fear.”
Healing is possible. It begins with restoring trust in your body and retraining how you manage pressure, breath, and safety.
⚠️ Common Symptoms
A sense of fullness or heaviness in the pelvis
Incomplete emptying or needing to assist stool manually
Straining or long time on the toilet
Bleeding or soreness (especially with haemorrhoids)
Mucus discharge or visible bulge
Urgency or frequent bowel movements
What You Can Do Right Now
✅ DO:
1. Use a stool under your feet.
Lift your knees above hip level to open the anorectal angle and ease release.
2. Breathe out, don’t push.
As you exhale, soften your jaw and sit bones. A gentle “shhh” or “mmm” sound prevents pressure build-up.
3. Practise the ‘letting go’ breath.
Inhale to widen the ribs; exhale and imagine melting tension through the pelvic floor.
4. Stay hydrated.
Aim for 1.5–2 litres daily, dehydration hardens stool and increases strain.
5. Eat for softness, not bulk.
Flaxseed, oats, kiwifruit, and olive oil keep stool soft. Avoid dry fibre or excessive bran.
6. Move gently.
Walking, pelvic tilts, and Hypopressives (Hestia, Athena) promote natural bowel rhythm.
7. Relax your jaw.
Massage your cheeks, yawn, or hum. Soften the face — soften the floor.
🚫 DON’T:
Don’t strain or hold your breath.
Don’t sit scrolling on the toilet.
Don’t habitually grip your stomach.
Don’t ignore the urge to go.
Don’t rely long-term on laxatives.
The Nervous System Connection
Your bowel and pelvic floor mirror your nervous system.
When you’re in fight-or-flight, your body holds tight. When you feel safe, it lets go.
Try:
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) to calm the system.
Hypopressives for reflexive pressure control.
TRE® shaking to release tension and restore flow.
🥦 Why Diet & Lifestyle Matter
Straining worsens descent; soft stool protects tissue.
Fibre, fluids, and fats improve stool glide.
Mindful chewing and slower meals stimulate the “rest-and-digest” system.
Balanced gut bacteria improve motility and consistency.
When to Seek Extra Help
See a professional if symptoms persist or worsen:
Pelvic floor physiotherapist – for coordination and pressure retraining.
Colorectal or urogynecology specialist – for diagnosis or advanced care.
Nutritionist – for bowel and fibre guidance.
Surgery may be necessary for severe prolapse but is most effective when paired with long-term pelvic rehabilitation.
Final Thoughts
Your bowel and pelvic floor health aren’t about effort, they’re about ease.
Learning to breathe, soften, and trust your body again restores natural function.
Start today with one breath:
Inhale wide, exhale soft… let go.
References
ACOG (2023) – Healing and Adjusting After Postpartum Pelvic Organ Prolapse
International Continence Society (2017) – Terminology for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
NICE Guidelines NG210 (2022) – Management of Rectal Prolapse
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine (2021) – Rectocele and Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Conservative and Surgical Management
Journal of Pelvic Medicine & Surgery (2019) – Intra-Abdominal Pressure and Pelvic Floor Descent
Andrew et al. (2022) – Hypopressive Exercise for Pelvic Pressure Disorders
Continence Foundation of Australia (2023) – Patient Voices on Rectocele and Prolapse Recovery
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🌸 Ready to support your body from the inside out?
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