One might be suffering from pelvic dysfunction but may not even realise it because they don’t know what it feels like. The best way to get a sense of strength in your pelvic floor is by doing the famous kegel exercise.

Take a deep breath and when you exhale, contract the muscles you would use when you try to stop the flow of your urine. While contracting, your muscles should feel like an elevator that is slowly rising and relax your muscles completely. If your pelvic muscles are too tight, you won’t be able to do kegel exercise at all.

Women might also experience organ prolapse when a pelvic organ – bladder, uterus or rectum drop into or out of the vagina.

You will not be able to release completely because the muscles are already contracted and this muscle tightness is harder to self-diagnose. One common sign is you may experience pain while sexual intercourse, inserting a tampon or during gynecologic exams. A runner might feel the pain while running.