Anatomy · functional reading
Perineum
The perineum is the region at the lower part of the pelvis, between the thighs. It includes skin, muscle, fascial, vascular and nerve structures, and it is also an area that may bear load when sitting.
Scientific basis
The perineum is the anatomical region that closes the lower part of the pelvis. It includes the urogenital and anal regions and combines several layers: skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, fascia, vessels and nerves. The perineum and the pelvic floor are closely linked but are not synonymous.
Blue Portance / SBNFA™ reading
In SBNFA™, the perineum is considered a functional and mechanical region, not merely a contact surface. Its tissues must be able to bear stress, deform, glide, follow the movements of the pelvis and change their level of loading.
Contribution to the analysis of sitting
Depending on seat geometry, pelvic position, body shape, how long the position is held and where the support falls, part of the stress may be transmitted toward the perineal regions. The analysis therefore covers intensity, location and duration, but also the possibility of varying this stress.
Not to be confused with
Pelvic floor, the deep musculofascial unit involved in support and pelvic functions; pudendal nerve, which provides part of the perineal innervation.
Sources and scope
- Muro and Akita (2023): coordination of the pelvic floor and perineal muscles
- Raizada and Mittal (2008): pelvic floor anatomy and applied physiology
- StatPearls (2023): anatomy of the pelvic outlet
- Robert et al. (2009): pudendal innervation of the perineal region
The perineum is an anatomical region, not a pathology.
Further reading
- Learn more — Article: Pudendal Neuralgia: Why Can a Simple Sitting Position Become an Ordeal?
