Hypertonic pelvic floor muscles (or hypertonicity) are too tight and tense which can lead to pain and can also create weakness which can actually lead to incontinence (loss of control) of the bladder. Hypotonic pelvic floor muscles (or hypotonicity) are too loose and can also lead to incontinence of both the bladder and the bowels. So both hypertonicity and hypotonicity can lead to loss of bladder control. However, loss of bowel control is more often associated with hypotonic related weakness. Pain would only be associated with hypertonicity. So to recap:
Hypertonic pelvic floor muscles (hypertonicity):
Hypotonic pelvic floor muscles (hypotonicity):
Hypertonic pelvic floor muscles (hypertonicity):
- Pelvic floor muscles are too tight and tense
- Sometimes associated with pain
- Tightness can lead to weakness
- Weakening of the muscles can cause loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence)
Hypotonic pelvic floor muscles (hypotonicity):
- Pelvic floor muscles are too loose
- Generally not associated with pain
- Associated with both loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence) and loss of bowel control (fecal incontinence) as well as prolapse or “dropping of the pelvic organs” - a topic for another time.
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