I’m a physio – we’ve all been wiping our bums wrong – here’s how you should be doing it
WHEN it comes to going to the loo, we all have our own little rituals.
Perhaps you take a newspaper in for the event, or even press play on your favourite podcast.
While you might think you’ve nailed toilet time, one expert has now warned that your wiping technique might not be up to scratch.
Pelvic floor therapist George said if you wipe your behind more than three times after a number two, then you could actually be doing more harm than good.
Posting to Bien Aus, a pelvic floor wellness brand, the expert said that this was actually referred to as faecal smearing.
She explained in the TikTok video: “This is when too much faecal matter stays at the entrance of the anus after you’ve finished a poo.”
When this happens, the guru said that this could be a sign of issues such as a weak pelvic floor, a lack of fibre in your diet, an anal sphincter injury or haemorrhoids.
So how should you wipe your bum?
When it comes to wiping down below, the NHS says you should always wipe front to back.
This is to make sure none of the poo gets into your genitals and causes a nasty infection.
George added that you shouldn’t be constantly wiping to get clean after having a poo.
If you’re still finding you’re not clean though after wiping, she revealed a hack for that.
George said a technique you can use to reduce how many times you need to wipe is squeezing your pelvic floor in a waterfall formation.
This means that you start out by squeezing your anus at 20 per cent, progressing to 50, 80 and then 100 per cent.
The expert added: “This can help close off the anus sphincter which is why you’re having little bits of stool still hanging around the entrance – it’s normally through weakness through that external sphincter.”
For some people, she said stool consistency will also play a role.
In order to help the poo ease out naturally, she said you should also include more water, fruit and vegetables to your diet.
If these things don’t help, then she said you should visit your GP and get the issues checked out.
Other experts previously revealed that you may have been pooing wrong.
Stephanie Taylor, health and wellbeing expert said plonking ourselves on the loo in a seated position can actually prevent our bodies from getting rid of poo – instead, we should find a way to squat.
“That’s because our muscles around our rectum control whether our bodies are in continence or elimination mode (whether we poo or not).
“When sitting down, the anorectal angle (the angle of your anal canal, which releases waste) is kinked, and the puborectalis muscle (the muscle that contracts around the rectum) chokes the rectum, keeping faeces inside,” she said.
That kink can restrict your bowels, leaving you straining in an attempt to empty them.
When it comes to going for a number two, plenty of people aren’t really sure what’s normal.
Depending on your diet, age, and activity, regularity can mean anything from three bowel movements a day to three each week.
Keeping an eye on what’s ‘normal’ for you though is crucial, as is being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer.
If you are worried about your bowel movements or think something is wrong then you should see your GP.
In the event of an emergency, always call 999 or visit your nearest A&E.