The pelvic floor in health and disease

Normal pelvic floor function involves a set of learned and reflex responses that are essential for the normal control and evacuation of stool. A variety of functional disturbances of the pelvic floor, including incontinence and constipation, are not life threatening, but can cause significant distress to affected patients. Understanding the normal anatomy and physiology of the pelvic floor is essential to understanding and treating these disorders of defecation. This article describes the normal function of the pelvic floor, the diagnostic tools available to investigate pelvic floor dysfunction, and the etiology, diagnosis, and management of the functional pelvic floor disorders that lead to incontinence and constipation.