Why You Need a Toilet Stool in Your Life
Most people have seen advertising for the Squatty Potty, and while it can look like an “as seen on TV” gimmick, I’m not exaggerating when I say they can be life-changing! Posture and positioning during toileting are important – it allows the bladder and rectum to empty more easily and completely, and cuts down on pain and straining to do so.
Our bodies are designed in a way where squatting is the optimal position to have a bowel movement, by allowing the rectum to be positioned straighter so the stool can move. Modern toilets position us like we’re sitting in a chair so the hips are even with or often higher than the knees. In shorter individuals including children, the feet may dangle making it impossible for the pelvic floor muscles to relax, which can lead to straining and incomplete emptying, and exacerbate constipation and hemorrhoids.
The Squatty Potty (the most common toilet stool on the market) replicates squatting by resting the feet and bringing your knees above your hips like a squat, hence the name. An often-cited study comparing positioning during defecation showed a significant straightening in the rectoanal angle (the angle from the rectum to the anal canal) with hips flexed such as in a squat position, and decreased time to empty with an average decrease of over one minute compared to sitting. (Read full article on Dov Sikirov’s 2003 study here)
And while Squatty Potty is widely recommended for bowel movements, it can also help with bladder emptying. In the same way the squat position relaxes the pelvic floor for bowel movements, it also relaxes to urinate. Repositioning this way can also help passively compress the bladder and shift the position of the urethra and bladder to more effectively empty. I have seen this help postpartum, after surgery, and with any condition that forces people to strain to urinate including endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, and other pelvic pain conditions.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve recommended a Squatty Potty to a patient, and not only did it help that person, but anyone else who lives in their home including significant others, children, and roommates. We have them in our bathrooms at the office, and would recommend them to basically everyone! Straining to poop or pee is not normal, and short intervals between trips to the bathroom can happen when you don’t empty completely the first time. A toilet stool can definitely help, but often as a piece of the puzzle when we are working on resolving pelvic floor dysfunction. Don't forget to call your friendly neighborhood pelvic floor therapist if you have any of these concerns!
