Are you often sweating it out on the toilet, straining and pushing hard to pass the stool? This discomfort in bowel movement is commonly addressed through diet, medications, and treatments.
But there’s a missing piece in managing the challenge of straining, something many overlook or may not know. The answer may be as simple as adjusting your posture.
Addressing this common issue of straining, gastroenterologist Dr Joseph Salhab, who is also known on Instagram as The Stomach Doc, in a September 16 post, explained why modifying the posture helps with bowel movement.
The problem of passing stool is not uncommon, as many are afflicted. Dr Salhab, in his video, reacted to a clip of a content creator raising their knees on the toilet seat, saying, “When you are so constipated so you have got to hit this move.”
Does this hack work? Interestingly, this hack is not any random gimmick, but according to the doctor, it actually works to pass the stool easily. He confirmed it as being ‘true.’
Now, when you sit on the toilet, the posture is mostly hunched, maybe slouching over to scroll your phone or to avoid the dreaded poop water splash. Whatever it is, the regular sitting position is slouched. But when you raise your feet, it changes your normal sitting position to a natural squatting stance, as the doctor noted. This posture is more naturally beneficial for bowel movements.
Explaining clinically which muscle benefits from this posture, Dr Salhab added, “Elevating your feet gives you the squatting posture, and this helps because it relaxes your puborectal muscle and straightens your anorectal angle, and when you do that, stool moves with less resistance with less resistance, less straining and much faster. It makes pooping way easier and more complete.”
Eases constipation, haemorrhoids
People with chronic conditions like constipation and haemorrhoids, for whom straining is a daily struggle, seem to benefit from this hack. On top of this, any footrest further supports both your feet and back, assisting you in correcting the squatting position on the toilet.
Dr Salhab said, “This can help with constipation, haemorrhoids and straining-related issues. And you can use any old cheap stool at home.”
In other words, based on Dr Salhab’s suggestion, you don’t have to exert so much pressure. A simple habit change makes a very big difference in how your morning washroom routine goes. If you push too hard, you may worsen already existing issues like haemorrhoids, making alleviating straining concerns even more vital.