Why You Should Stop Hovering Over the Toilet and What to Do Instead
Sometimes using a public bathroom isn’t ideal, but when you need to go, you need to go! Many women try to avoid touching the toilet seat by hovering above it.
It may seem like a smart way to dodge germs, but according to urogynecologists, it could be harming your pelvic floor muscles.
Dr. Samantha Pulliam, a urogynecologist and expert at Axena Health, explains that hovering makes it harder to pee because your pelvic floor muscles can’t fully relax.
These muscles are needed for peeing, and when you hover, they stay tense, making it harder to empty your bladder. She told Parade that when your bladder isn’t emptied properly, it can lead to a higher risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
While the hovering itself doesn’t cause UTIs, not fully emptying your bladder gives bacteria more time to grow, increasing your chances of infection.
Dr. Kathleen Kobashi from Houston Methodist also said to Parade that hovering could add extra tension to the pelvic floor, making it even harder to pee.
However, she emphasized that more research is needed to prove this fully. She added that if you regularly hover and find it difficult to empty your bladder, you should consider changing this habit.
Instead of hovering, there are better ways to avoid germs. Dr. Pulliam shared with Parade that you can use toilet seat covers, which are becoming more common in public bathrooms. You could also carry disinfectant wipes to clean the seat before sitting.
If you still feel the need to hover, try using your quad muscles to hold the position instead of your pelvic muscles. This makes peeing easier because it allows the right muscles to relax.
Parade’s experts suggest that while hovering once in a while may not be a huge problem, doing it regularly could make it harder to empty your bladder completely.
So, if you’re concerned about germs, it’s better to rely on seat covers or wipes instead of hovering.
Credit : Parade