WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.640 Welcome. I am so glad you decided to join us 00:00:03.640 --> 00:00:07.419 today for this custom tailored deep dive. Yeah, 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:09.480 really excited to get into this one. Because, 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:12.119 you know, we are constantly moving through the 00:00:12.119 --> 00:00:14.320 world, just navigating our daily routines, and 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:16.620 we tend to be completely oblivious to the sheer 00:00:16.620 --> 00:00:19.039 mechanical engineering operating right under 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:20.940 the surface of our own skin. Oh, absolutely. 00:00:21.140 --> 00:00:23.120 We totally take our bodies for granted. Right 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:25.359 up until something stops working the way it's 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:28.140 supposed to. Right. But today's mission is... 00:00:28.300 --> 00:00:31.260 a little different. We are going to explore a 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:35.259 hidden structural marvel inside your own body. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:37.340 And it really is a marvel. It is. It's a muscle 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:39.719 group that you are using constantly, literally 00:00:39.719 --> 00:00:42.520 even as you sit or stand there listening to this. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:44.979 But it is one you probably never spend a single 00:00:44.979 --> 00:00:46.979 second thinking about. Most people don't even 00:00:46.979 --> 00:00:49.079 know it has a name. Exactly. We're looking at 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:51.500 a deeply detailed Wikipedia article today all 00:00:51.500 --> 00:00:55.039 about the levatorani. Yes, the levatorani. And 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:57.859 our goal today is to take all this dense, complex 00:00:57.859 --> 00:01:00.600 anatomical data from the source and translate 00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:03.280 it into a practical, clear understanding of how 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:05.859 your pelvic floor actually works. Which is so 00:01:05.859 --> 00:01:07.840 much more important than people realize. Oh, 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:09.299 and you are going to want to stick around for 00:01:09.299 --> 00:01:11.540 this one. We're going to talk about how this 00:01:11.540 --> 00:01:14.900 one specific muscle group controls everything 00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:18.260 from your daily bathroom habits to your sexual 00:01:18.260 --> 00:01:21.260 pleasure to your core stability. It really governs 00:01:21.260 --> 00:01:23.659 a lot of daily life. It does. And we'll even 00:01:23.659 --> 00:01:26.260 unpack an unexpected evolutionary connection 00:01:26.260 --> 00:01:29.680 to dogs wagging their tails, which just blew 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:32.659 my mind. It really is a fascinating piece of 00:01:32.659 --> 00:01:35.099 anatomy. When you study the human body, you start 00:01:35.099 --> 00:01:37.900 to realize it's basically an ongoing series of 00:01:37.900 --> 00:01:41.859 structural compromises and, well, brilliant workarounds. 00:01:41.939 --> 00:01:43.819 Brilliant workarounds is a great way to put it. 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:46.280 Right. And we often think of our core strength 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:49.219 simply in terms of abdominal muscles. Like the 00:01:49.219 --> 00:01:51.040 ones you might see in the mirror. Exactly. The 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:54.719 glamour muscles. But understanding the why and 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:57.079 the how behind the elevator anti -muscle group 00:01:57.079 --> 00:01:59.760 completely changes how you view core stability. 00:02:00.280 --> 00:02:02.739 It changes how you view upright walking and how 00:02:02.739 --> 00:02:05.159 you understand the most basic everyday bodily 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:08.099 functions. It is the literal foundation holding 00:02:08.099 --> 00:02:10.680 everything together down there. Okay, let's unpack 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:13.610 this. If we are going to understand this foundation, 00:02:13.870 --> 00:02:17.729 we need to visualize what we are actually talking 00:02:17.729 --> 00:02:19.909 about. The visualization is key here. Because 00:02:19.909 --> 00:02:23.169 the levator ani isn't some chunky, isolated bicep. 00:02:23.349 --> 00:02:25.629 According to the anatomical data, you have to 00:02:25.629 --> 00:02:27.509 think of it more like a hammock. Hammock is a 00:02:27.509 --> 00:02:30.550 really good analogy. Picture a broad, incredibly 00:02:30.550 --> 00:02:34.289 thin, hammock -like muscle group situated right 00:02:34.289 --> 00:02:36.969 there on either side of your pelvis. It's essentially 00:02:36.969 --> 00:02:39.849 a muscular sling. That hammock analogy is the 00:02:39.849 --> 00:02:42.449 best way to visualize it. But it is vital to 00:02:42.449 --> 00:02:45.189 understand that the levator ante isn't just one 00:02:45.189 --> 00:02:48.490 single continuous sheet of muscle. Oh, right. 00:02:48.610 --> 00:02:51.129 The source breaks it down further. It does. It 00:02:51.129 --> 00:02:53.530 is actually composed of three distinct muscle 00:02:53.530 --> 00:02:55.530 components that are all working together to form 00:02:55.530 --> 00:02:58.430 this sling. Three distinct parts. Yes. You have 00:02:58.430 --> 00:03:01.909 the iliococcygeus, the pubococcygeus, and the 00:03:01.909 --> 00:03:03.710 puborectalis. That's a lot of Latin to throw 00:03:03.710 --> 00:03:05.930 at the listener right away. It is. But they describe 00:03:05.930 --> 00:03:08.319 the anger points. And when you combine these 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:10.219 three parts with another muscle called the cut 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:12.400 sigius, they complete what is known as the pelvic 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:15.580 floor. Or the pelvic diaphragm. Or... In more 00:03:15.580 --> 00:03:17.439 clinical terms, the pelvic diaphragm, yes. Hold 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:18.979 on. Let's slow down just a second so we don't 00:03:18.979 --> 00:03:21.939 get lost in all the terminology. We have three 00:03:21.939 --> 00:03:24.659 main muscular components making up this hammock, 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:27.139 the pelvic diaphragm. Right. I actually like 00:03:27.139 --> 00:03:29.360 that term because it immediately tells you it's 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:31.659 a dynamic structure, not just a static shelf. 00:03:31.819 --> 00:03:34.599 It moves. Exactly. It has to move. But how is 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.199 this hammock actually attached? I mean, if it's 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:39.300 holding things up, it needs some serious anchor 00:03:39.300 --> 00:03:41.759 points inside the skeletal system. Right. The 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:45.120 muscle doesn't just hang there in space. riveted 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:48.259 to the bony ring of your pelvis front back and 00:03:48.259 --> 00:03:50.479 sides front back and sides exactly it's like 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.360 a trampoline bolted to a circular frame that 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:56.000 360 degree anchoring is what allows it to function 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:59.939 the levator Annie is attached to the inner surface 00:03:59.939 --> 00:04:02.879 of each side of the lesser pelvis riveted how 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:06.560 though where are the actual bolts on this trampoline 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.990 the origin points are highly specific They arise 00:04:09.990 --> 00:04:13.210 from the posterior surface of the superior pubic 00:04:13.210 --> 00:04:15.770 ramus. Which is basically right behind the front 00:04:15.770 --> 00:04:18.990 of your pubic bone, correct? Correct. So it starts 00:04:18.990 --> 00:04:21.689 at the front, and from there it sweeps back to 00:04:21.689 --> 00:04:23.910 anchor to the inner surface of the spine of the 00:04:23.910 --> 00:04:27.250 ischium. The ischium being the curved bone at 00:04:27.250 --> 00:04:29.089 the base of your pelvis, the part you actually 00:04:29.089 --> 00:04:31.250 feel when you sit down on a hard chair. Your 00:04:31.250 --> 00:04:34.250 sit bones. Right, your sit bones. Spot on. And 00:04:34.250 --> 00:04:37.209 it also anchors along a layer of connective tissue 00:04:37.209 --> 00:04:39.910 between those two points called the obturator 00:04:39.910 --> 00:04:42.290 fascia. Okay, I have a picture of this now. So 00:04:42.290 --> 00:04:44.569 from those anchor points high up on the sides, 00:04:44.790 --> 00:04:47.610 the muscle fibers sweep downward and backward 00:04:47.610 --> 00:04:50.800 toward the middle line of the pelvic floor. Sweeping 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:52.939 downward and backwards, sort of converging right 00:04:52.939 --> 00:04:56.060 in the middle. Yes. The posterior fibers insert 00:04:56.060 --> 00:04:58.199 into the side of the last two segments of your 00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:01.019 costic X, which is your tailbone. So that's the 00:05:01.019 --> 00:05:03.439 back anchor. Right. But the fibers placed more 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:05.819 anteriorly toward the front, they actually unite 00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:07.720 with the exact same muscle fibers coming from 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:09.579 the opposite side of your pelvis. They meet in 00:05:09.579 --> 00:05:10.899 the middle. They meet right in the middle to 00:05:10.899 --> 00:05:14.060 form a median fibrous ridge called the anacosteal 00:05:14.060 --> 00:05:17.430 yield body, or ROF. The ROF. Yes, and this ridge 00:05:17.430 --> 00:05:19.930 extends directly between the tailbone and the 00:05:19.930 --> 00:05:22.410 margin of the anus. Wait, so if it's anchored 00:05:22.410 --> 00:05:24.350 to the tailbone in the back, the pubic bone in 00:05:24.350 --> 00:05:26.509 the front, and the hip bones on the sides, it's 00:05:26.509 --> 00:05:29.009 essentially acting as the floorboards for the 00:05:29.009 --> 00:05:31.670 human torso. It really is. Is that what keeps 00:05:31.670 --> 00:05:34.569 our organs from just dropping? That is the crucial 00:05:34.569 --> 00:05:38.660 takeaway here. This complex geometry, this muscular 00:05:38.660 --> 00:05:42.319 sling, is quite literally holding up your internal 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:45.759 pelvic organs against the constant unrelenting 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.339 force of gravity. That's a lot of weight. It 00:05:48.339 --> 00:05:51.500 is. The viscera. All those heavy, fluid -filled 00:05:51.500 --> 00:05:53.740 internal organs in your pelvic cavity, like the 00:05:53.740 --> 00:05:56.079 bladder and the intestines, they are resting 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.779 directly on this broad, thin hammock. That makes 00:05:58.779 --> 00:06:01.279 perfect sense. It's constantly working against 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:03.259 gravity to keep your internal structures exactly 00:06:03.259 --> 00:06:05.360 where they belong. And it doesn't just hold them 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:08.300 up like a simple tray either. Yeah. No, it actually 00:06:08.300 --> 00:06:10.199 surrounds the various structures that have to 00:06:10.199 --> 00:06:12.560 pass through the pelvic floor. It dynamically 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:14.600 integrates with them to control their function. 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:17.040 Here's where it gets really interesting. Let's 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:19.139 zoom in on one of those three components you 00:06:19.139 --> 00:06:22.759 mentioned earlier, the pubocasigus muscle. The 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:25.160 workhorse. Yeah. A lot of people listening might 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:27.180 actually know this one by its more common nickname, 00:06:27.459 --> 00:06:30.459 the PC muscle. Very common in fitness and health 00:06:30.459 --> 00:06:33.079 circles. Right. It's a hammock like muscle found 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:35.819 in both sexes, stretching from the pubic bone 00:06:35.819 --> 00:06:38.420 to the tailbone. And looking at the sources, 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:41.420 the amount of multitasking this specific muscle 00:06:41.420 --> 00:06:45.060 does is just staggering. It really bears an immense 00:06:45.060 --> 00:06:48.060 amount of responsibility. The pubic osseous is 00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:50.959 primarily responsible for controlling urine flow. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:53.779 Which is huge. Obviously huge. Right. But beyond 00:06:53.779 --> 00:06:56.480 that, it is fundamental to overall core stability. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:00.240 And in women, it plays a massive role in childbirth. 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:03.100 That part was incredible to read. A strong PC 00:07:03.100 --> 00:07:05.879 muscle has actually been directly linked to the 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:08.459 proper positioning of a baby's head during the 00:07:08.459 --> 00:07:10.120 birthing process. I was wondering about that. 00:07:10.180 --> 00:07:12.279 How does a muscle guide a baby's head? Think 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:14.959 of it like a flexible, muscular chute. As the 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:18.079 baby descends, The tone and the shape of the 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:21.600 pubococcius muscle help rotate and direct the 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:24.939 head into the optimal position to navigate the 00:07:24.939 --> 00:07:28.060 pelvic canal. Wow. If the muscle is too weak, 00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:30.639 or conversely, if it's too rigid, that alignment 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:33.040 process becomes much more difficult. That is 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:35.139 fascinating. And you can actually train this 00:07:35.139 --> 00:07:37.939 muscle voluntarily, right? You can. This brings 00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:40.959 us to Kegel Exercises, named after their founder, 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:44.379 Dr. Arnold Kegel. These are a series of voluntary 00:07:44.379 --> 00:07:46.839 contractions of the perineal muscles. Very well 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:49.759 documented. When you do a Kegel, you are actively 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:51.959 working to strengthen all the striated muscles 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:54.339 in that area. Which is an important distinction 00:07:54.339 --> 00:07:56.720 to make. Striated muscles are the ones you can 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:59.180 consciously control. Right. Unlike the smooth 00:07:59.180 --> 00:08:01.300 muscle of your stomach or your heart, which just 00:08:01.300 --> 00:08:03.360 do their own thing. Exactly. When you strengthen 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:06.480 the pubic osseous through these voluntary contractions, 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:09.259 you are building up the muscle mass to help close 00:08:09.259 --> 00:08:13.180 any gaps. This directly reduces... urinary incontinence. 00:08:13.220 --> 00:08:15.240 And that applies to both sexes, by the way. It 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:16.939 applies to both sexes. It's a highly effective 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:19.779 conservative management technique for incontinence. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:22.240 But it's not just about waste management. No. 00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:24.800 Furthermore, the levator ante is the main pelvic 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:27.339 floor muscle involved in sexual function. Let's 00:08:27.339 --> 00:08:29.759 get into that. The PC muscle actually contracts 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:33.379 rhythmically during orgasm. And in males, it 00:08:33.379 --> 00:08:36.159 also actively assists in ejaculation. So we see 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:38.600 how this hammock acts as a control valve for 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:41.559 basic waste management, but also for high -stakes 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:44.559 functions like reproduction. And the source material 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:46.919 highlights some very nuanced details regarding 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:49.779 the male anatomy here. It does. And the anatomical 00:08:49.779 --> 00:08:52.820 variations are striking. In males, the medial 00:08:52.820 --> 00:08:55.580 fibers of the pubocausagus form what is called 00:08:55.580 --> 00:08:58.139 the puboprostaticus. The puboprostaticus. Yes. 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:00.879 The anterior fibers actually descend upon the 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:04.039 side of the prostate to unite beneath it with 00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:06.080 the muscle of the opposite side. So it's creating 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:09.399 a mini sling specifically for the prostate. Precisely. 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:12.360 It supports the prostate so distinctively that 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:14.360 it is sometimes described in the medical literature 00:09:14.360 --> 00:09:17.320 as its own muscle entirely. The levator prostate, 00:09:17.460 --> 00:09:20.460 right. Yes, the levator prostatae. And here is 00:09:20.460 --> 00:09:24.460 a remarkably specific physiological detail. Voluntary 00:09:24.460 --> 00:09:27.720 contraction of the PC muscle in men engages what 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:31.740 is known as the cremasteric reflex. The cremasteric 00:09:31.740 --> 00:09:33.840 reflex? I saw that in the article. What does 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:36.399 that actually do? It's an involuntary muscle 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:38.879 reflex, kind of like when the doctor taps your 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:41.259 knee with a rubber mallet, but located in the 00:09:41.259 --> 00:09:44.100 groin. Okay. It physically lifts the testicles 00:09:44.100 --> 00:09:46.850 closer to the body. It's a biological mechanism 00:09:46.850 --> 00:09:49.389 usually triggered for protection or temperature 00:09:49.389 --> 00:09:52.090 control. Though the source does note this voluntary 00:09:52.090 --> 00:09:54.669 engagement doesn't occur in all men. Still, because 00:09:54.669 --> 00:09:57.809 of this deep muscular connection, Kegel exercises 00:09:57.809 --> 00:10:00.370 are often prescribed for men not just for urinary 00:10:00.370 --> 00:10:02.769 control, but to manage premature ejaculation. 00:10:03.029 --> 00:10:05.309 Very commonly prescribed for that. The sources 00:10:05.309 --> 00:10:07.809 even note they are prescribed to help with erectile 00:10:07.809 --> 00:10:10.110 dysfunction, specifically when it's caused by 00:10:10.110 --> 00:10:13.409 venous leakage. Yes. So how does flexing a pelvic 00:10:13.409 --> 00:10:15.539 floor muscle actually help? with erectile dysfunction. 00:10:15.820 --> 00:10:18.000 What is the mechanical link there? It comes down 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:21.100 to fluid dynamics. The exercises help strengthen 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:23.879 the surrounding musculature, specifically the 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:26.779 ischiocavernosis and the bulbospongiosis muscles. 00:10:27.340 --> 00:10:29.659 Okay, those are some heavy Latin terms. What 00:10:29.659 --> 00:10:31.580 are those muscles doing? Right. Think of them 00:10:31.580 --> 00:10:33.559 as the support sleeves around the base of the 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:35.960 male anatomy. When those muscles are strong, 00:10:36.100 --> 00:10:38.539 they act like a biological tourniquet. A tourniquet. 00:10:38.539 --> 00:10:41.570 Exactly. Erectile dysfunction. caused by venous 00:10:41.570 --> 00:10:44.409 leakage, means the blood flows in, but the veins 00:10:44.409 --> 00:10:47.570 let it leak right back out. Strengthening those 00:10:47.570 --> 00:10:50.110 surrounding muscles clamps down on the exit veins, 00:10:50.350 --> 00:10:52.669 trapping the blood where it needs to be to maintain 00:10:52.669 --> 00:10:55.169 the erection. It just makes you marvel at how 00:10:55.169 --> 00:10:57.690 much responsibility is resting on this one invisible 00:10:57.690 --> 00:11:01.029 hammock. It dictates so much of our daily quality 00:11:01.029 --> 00:11:03.889 of life. It's the silent hero of the core. Truly. 00:11:04.029 --> 00:11:06.269 Yeah. But we should transition to the other end 00:11:06.269 --> 00:11:08.169 of the pelvic floor and talk about the unavoidable 00:11:08.169 --> 00:11:10.309 daily reality we all share, waste management. 00:11:10.450 --> 00:11:12.669 The glamorous part of the human body. You mentioned 00:11:12.669 --> 00:11:14.830 the third component of the levator ante earlier, 00:11:15.129 --> 00:11:18.440 the pubertalus. Can you explain the mechanics 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:20.460 of what is actually happening when we go to the 00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:22.700 bathroom? What's fascinating here is the sheer 00:11:22.700 --> 00:11:25.580 mechanical leverage of the puborectalis muscle. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:28.419 Its fibers arise from the lower part of the pubic 00:11:28.419 --> 00:11:30.600 symphysis, and they do something entirely unique. 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:34.299 They form a strong, literal sling that loops 00:11:34.299 --> 00:11:36.580 horizontally right around the lower part of the 00:11:36.580 --> 00:11:39.820 rectum. Imagine a U -shaped band of muscle pulling 00:11:39.820 --> 00:11:42.250 the rectum forward. So it's literally creating 00:11:42.250 --> 00:11:45.230 a kink in the hose, so to speak. That is the 00:11:45.230 --> 00:11:48.350 perfect analogy. Its primary action is actually 00:11:48.350 --> 00:11:51.230 to inhibit defecation. By creating that kink. 00:11:51.309 --> 00:11:53.649 By pulling the rectum forward, it creates and 00:11:53.649 --> 00:11:56.649 maintains a very specific sharp angle between 00:11:56.649 --> 00:11:59.169 the rectum and the anus. As long as that puborectalis 00:11:59.169 --> 00:12:01.789 sling is tense, the kink is there and things 00:12:01.789 --> 00:12:03.759 stay exactly where they are. Which is what we 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:05.559 want most of the day. Right. When you need to 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:08.019 go to the bathroom, you have to relax that specific 00:12:08.019 --> 00:12:10.679 muscle. And relaxing it removes the kink. Right. 00:12:11.179 --> 00:12:13.559 Relaxation increases the angle between the rectum 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:15.840 and the anus, straightening the path. When you 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:17.480 combine that straightening with the relaxation 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:20.259 of your internal and external anal sphincters, 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:24.100 it allows for defecation. And here is the absolute 00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:27.500 aha moment from our sources. This relaxation 00:12:27.500 --> 00:12:30.179 of the levator ani and the emptying of the rectum 00:12:30.179 --> 00:12:32.639 is biologically facilitated by a very specific 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:36.529 body position. Squatting. Squatting. The anatomical 00:12:36.529 --> 00:12:38.750 data points out that squatting actively causes 00:12:38.750 --> 00:12:40.909 anorectal straightening. It does. It fundamentally 00:12:40.909 --> 00:12:43.629 changes the internal geometry. Wait, so we've 00:12:43.629 --> 00:12:45.909 been sitting on standard chairs and modern toilets 00:12:45.909 --> 00:12:49.049 for centuries. Are you saying our standard upright 00:12:49.049 --> 00:12:51.809 bathroom posture is actually working against 00:12:51.809 --> 00:12:54.490 our own anatomy? It's a classic example of how 00:12:54.490 --> 00:12:56.850 our modern environment doesn't always align with 00:12:56.850 --> 00:12:59.389 our biological engineering. Because of the 90 00:12:59.389 --> 00:13:01.950 degree angle. Sitting upright at a 90 degree 00:13:01.950 --> 00:13:04.409 angle keeps the pubic callus somewhat engaged. 00:13:04.649 --> 00:13:06.769 Yeah. Meaning that kink in the hose is still 00:13:06.769 --> 00:13:09.750 partially there. Wow. Squatting fully relaxes 00:13:09.750 --> 00:13:11.950 the muscle. It's the reason why modern bathroom 00:13:11.950 --> 00:13:14.789 accessories like the squatty potty or other footstools 00:13:14.789 --> 00:13:17.250 have become so popular. They mimic the squat. 00:13:17.529 --> 00:13:20.190 They're attempting to mimic that natural biological 00:13:20.190 --> 00:13:23.029 squatting angle to release the puberectalis. 00:13:23.210 --> 00:13:26.789 That is wild. And to truly appreciate the complexity 00:13:26.789 --> 00:13:29.029 of this bathroom mechanic, we have to look at 00:13:29.029 --> 00:13:31.129 the electrical wiring making it all happen. We 00:13:31.129 --> 00:13:33.409 do. Because it's not just a physical hose. There 00:13:33.409 --> 00:13:36.610 are signals. The puberectalis muscle band is 00:13:36.610 --> 00:13:39.009 innervated by perineal branches of the S3 and 00:13:39.009 --> 00:13:42.299 S4 nerve. roots your nervous system is continuously 00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:45.580 sending electrical signals just to maintain that 00:13:45.580 --> 00:13:48.399 crucial angle in the hose and it has to perfectly 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:50.919 coordinate the cessation of those signals to 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:53.360 let you use the bathroom it's an incredible automated 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:56.120 system so what does this all mean We have this 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:59.240 incredibly complex three -part sling managing 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:02.379 everything from our internal organs to our bathroom 00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:05.279 posture. But the source material revealed a fact 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:07.419 that took me completely by surprise. The evolutionary 00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:09.940 connection. Yes, it's an evolutionary twist. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:13.740 In tailed quadrupeds, animals like dogs or cats, 00:14:14.220 --> 00:14:16.320 the levator anti -muscles are actually the muscles 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:18.820 responsible for wagging their tails. It's true. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:21.840 When you look at comparative anatomy across different 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.799 species, the exact same muscular structures exist, 00:14:25.059 --> 00:14:27.879 but they serve a wildly different primary purpose. 00:14:27.980 --> 00:14:30.779 A completely different purpose. In a dog, those 00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:33.080 muscles are actively contracting and relaxing 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:36.080 to swing the tail back and forth or tuck it between 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:39.269 their legs. But humans walk upright. We traded 00:14:39.269 --> 00:14:42.129 the tail for bipedalism. Exactly. And because 00:14:42.129 --> 00:14:44.649 of that upright posture, gravity is constantly 00:14:44.649 --> 00:14:47.549 pulling our organs straight down onto this specific 00:14:47.549 --> 00:14:50.389 muscle group. Because human upright posture requires 00:14:50.389 --> 00:14:53.279 such an immense amount of constant heavy -duty 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:56.100 support from the pelvic floor, our version of 00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:58.460 the levator anti -muscles isn't actually as strong 00:14:58.460 --> 00:15:01.559 dynamically as the tail wagging mechanisms in 00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:03.419 animals. Because they don't need to swing anything. 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:06.860 Right. Tail wagging requires rapid, forceful 00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:09.440 contractions, which is physically demanding in 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:11.679 a different way than the static, hannock -like 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.840 support function the muscles evolve to serve 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:17.419 in humans. We essentially repurposed a dynamic 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:20.899 mobility muscle into static load -bearing floorboards 00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:23.639 for our organs. We're walking around with a repurposed 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:25.899 tail wagging mechanism holding up our bladders. 00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:27.860 I never thought I'd be this interested in the 00:15:27.860 --> 00:15:30.019 pelvic floor, but looking at these sources is 00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:32.320 a brilliant piece of engineering. If we connect 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:35.100 this to the bigger picture. It reminds us that 00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:37.799 human biology isn't just a rigid, uniform blueprint. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:41.460 It is a beautifully adaptive evolutionary process. 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:43.860 And it varies. And because it's an evolutionary 00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:46.960 adaptation, we see a lot of biological variation 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:49.980 from person to person. We aren't all wired exactly 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:52.600 the same way. You mean the actual nerve connections 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:55.539 vary from person to person? Yes. Think of it 00:15:55.539 --> 00:15:57.860 like the electrical wiring in a house. Okay. 00:15:58.220 --> 00:16:00.500 Usually this muscle is powered by a main electrical 00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:03.279 cable called the pudendal nerve working alongside 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:06.379 the perineal nerve. But the anatomical studies 00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:08.779 show that human bodies are incredibly varied. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.559 How varied are we talking? In about 70 percent 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:14.379 of people, it's actually dual wired, receiving 00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:17.659 direct power from the sacral spinal nerves, specifically 00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:20.759 S3 and S4, which are located closer to the base 00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:23.360 of the spine. So 70 percent of people have a 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:25.820 backup power line, essentially. In a way, yes. 00:16:26.059 --> 00:16:28.759 And even more surprisingly, in about 40 percent 00:16:28.759 --> 00:16:31.990 of people, the inferior rectal nerve. innervates 00:16:31.990 --> 00:16:34.309 the levator anti -muscles entirely independently 00:16:34.309 --> 00:16:36.889 of the pudendal nerve. It means your internal 00:16:36.889 --> 00:16:39.470 electrical wiring might be entirely different 00:16:39.470 --> 00:16:41.629 from the person sitting right next to you. That 00:16:41.629 --> 00:16:44.090 level of variation is so interesting, but it 00:16:44.090 --> 00:16:46.370 also brings us to a really serious point in our 00:16:46.370 --> 00:16:49.190 deep dive today. With a system this complex, 00:16:49.529 --> 00:16:52.129 carrying this much physical load every single 00:16:52.129 --> 00:16:55.279 day, Things can go wrong. They certainly can. 00:16:55.539 --> 00:16:58.419 And when this vital system malfunctions, it causes 00:16:58.419 --> 00:17:01.659 real significant distress. Clinical significance 00:17:01.659 --> 00:17:04.059 is a major part of understanding this anatomy. 00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:07.700 When the levator ante spasms, for example, it 00:17:07.700 --> 00:17:10.099 leads to a condition known as levator ante syndrome. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:12.240 And what does that look like? This manifests 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.140 as episodes of severe rectal pain simply because 00:17:15.140 --> 00:17:18.599 this massive... deeply embedded muscle is cramping 00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:20.720 up. Like a charley horse, but in the absolute 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:23.279 last place you'd ever want one. Exactly. It's 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:25.880 incredibly uncomfortable. Additionally, the source 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:27.900 mentions that the levator ante is the primary 00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:30.259 muscle group that contracts painfully during 00:17:30.259 --> 00:17:32.420 a condition called vaginismus. What is happening 00:17:32.420 --> 00:17:35.180 mechanically with that condition? It is an involuntary 00:17:35.180 --> 00:17:38.900 spasm of this exact muscle group, the pubocosteus 00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:40.779 in particular. The same one we were talking about 00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:44.299 earlier? The very same. When that muscle involuntarily 00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:47.480 tenses up, It can make penetration, whether that's 00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:51.480 a medical exam, tampon use, or intercourse, incredibly 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:54.779 painful or completely impossible. That sounds 00:17:54.779 --> 00:17:57.460 awful. It is. It highlights how integral this 00:17:57.460 --> 00:18:00.440 muscle is to our daily lives. When its tension 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:03.720 regulation fails, it deeply impacts a person's 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:06.440 quality of life. It really puts everything into 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:09.180 perspective. We've taken a journey from the very 00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:12.099 origins of the pelvis down to the biological 00:18:12.099 --> 00:18:14.440 mechanics of how we function every single day. 00:18:14.579 --> 00:18:16.640 It's a lot to take in. It is. So to summarize 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:19.220 for everyone listening, you have this invisible 00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:23.319 hammock of tissue. The iliocosages, the pubicosages, 00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:26.039 and the pubertalis. The big three. Together, 00:18:26.119 --> 00:18:28.160 they form the levator ani. They dictate your 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.119 core strength. They control your bathroom posture 00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:32.079 through that U -shaped sling we talked about. 00:18:32.259 --> 00:18:34.759 And they act as the biological tourniquet and 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:37.420 support system foundational to your sexual health 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:39.359 and reproduction. Absolutely foundational. So 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:41.740 the next time you stabilize your core to lift 00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:44.140 something heavy, or honestly, the next time you 00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:46.369 just sit down on the toilet. You should take 00:18:46.369 --> 00:18:48.829 a second to appreciate the complex evolutionary 00:18:48.829 --> 00:18:51.410 marvel that is working tirelessly behind the 00:18:51.410 --> 00:18:53.190 scenes so you don't have to think about it. This 00:18:53.190 --> 00:18:55.150 raises an important question for you to mull 00:18:55.150 --> 00:18:57.829 over. Since our levator anti -muscles evolved 00:18:57.829 --> 00:19:00.529 from a dynamic tail wagging mechanism in our 00:19:00.529 --> 00:19:03.930 quadruped ancestors into a static heavy duty 00:19:03.930 --> 00:19:06.589 support hammock required for human upright walking. 00:19:07.250 --> 00:19:10.250 What other hidden, deeply repurposed muscular 00:19:10.250 --> 00:19:13.349 systems might be quietly holding our modern human 00:19:13.349 --> 00:19:16.250 anatomy together in ways we entirely take for 00:19:16.250 --> 00:19:18.369 granted? That is definitely a thought to chew 00:19:18.369 --> 00:19:20.609 on. Thank you so much for joining us on this 00:19:20.609 --> 00:19:22.910 deep dive into the architecture of your own body. 00:19:23.049 --> 00:19:25.089 We encourage you to keep questioning the wonders 00:19:25.089 --> 00:19:26.869 of your anatomy, and we will catch you on the 00:19:26.869 --> 00:19:27.210 next one.