Is it possible to poop standing up

In the US and UK, the bathroom is often, per square foot, the most expensive room in the home. The recorded history of human defecation can be read as a series of attempts at differentiation: how do we separate our excrement from our bodies, our sewage from our homes and cities?

How do we enforce social hierarchies by dividing the bodies of the powerful from the bodies of the oppressed? To these questions, the bathroom with its seated water closet, or flush toilet, was a surprisingly recent but remarkably potent answer. Though sit-down privies and latrines have existed at least since Egyptian antiquity, for almost all of history the vast majority of Homo sapiens defecated squatting, in the open. As the planet filled up and humans clustered together in cities over the second half of the previous millennium, open defecation became a scourge, leading to rising rates of diseases such as dysentery — still a major problem in parts of the world without modern sanitation.

As they spread to homes across northern Europe, toilets led to revolutions in sanitation, medicine, social relations and even psychology.

With more and more people going to the bathroom at home and in private, defecation became a solitary and almost unspeakably vulgar act. For several hundred years, into the 18th century, English monarchs did their business in front of literal privy councils while enthroned upon an upholstered box containing a chamber pot.

In the period of late empire in which it was popularised, the private toilet and bathroom came to be seen as the sine qua non of European achievement. Like any technological solution, however, the water closet set in motion new problems.

Around mid-century, a predecessor of the Squatty Potty was on sale at Harrods. Yet no solution to the problems posed by the modern toilet really took off. Until now. T he most primitive things sometimes require extraordinary sophistication to produce. As the rectum fills with the products of digestion, it signals, through nerves running into the sacral region of the spinal cord, that defecation may be necessary.

The internal and external anal sphincters then begin a culturally mediated pas de deux, the former pressing for release and the latter restricting discharge until the opportune moment. The pelvic floor muscles relax, the perineum descends, and the external anal sphincter opens up, delivering your creation into the world.

It takes mammals about 12 seconds to pass a stool, with humans accomplishing the task at a rate of one to two centimeters of faeces per second. In a deep squat, with our buttocks about mm from the floor, it takes us under a minute, on average, to go from initiation to a sense of elimination, according to one study. Imagine that your bowels are a prison revolt, and the inmates — your faeces — are trying to storm the gates.

With a straight shot, they can easily come pounding down the door. When we sit to defecate, we need to force our feces through a bend in our rectum created by a little hammock-shaped muscle called the puborectalis. While standing or sitting, the puborectalis helps to keep us continent by cinching our bowel closed. This is an eminently good thing.

Straining to force your crap around the puborectalis can induce haemorrhoids, intestinal inflammation, fainting — even strokes, brain haemorrhaging and heart attack. One theory has it that the pain from a thrombosed haemorrhoid was so distracting that it cost Napoleon the battle of Waterloo. Various treatments and lifestyle adjustments may help a person pass the stool and prevent the issue from happening again.

In this article, we look at possible causes of large stools that are difficult to pass. We also discuss the treatment options and explain when to see a doctor. Constipation can cause stools that are hard to pass. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases note that constipation is a common condition, affecting about 16 out of adults in the United States.

Among those aged 60 years and over, it affects 33 out of people. Possible causes of constipation include :. The symptoms of constipation may include :. Fecal impaction is a condition in which the body is unable to move a large, dry, hard stool through the colon or rectum. The symptoms can include :.

Fecal impaction can be dangerous without treatment, so a person should seek medical help straight away if they have symptoms of fecal impaction. A bowel obstruction is a severe condition in which an obstruction in the intestines blocks the normal digestion process.

As a result, it can be difficult or impossible to move stools through to the rectum. In people with hypothyroidism , the thyroid is unable to produce enough of the thyroid hormones, which affects many bodily functions. Hypothyroidism can cause constipation. Other symptoms may include :. The test subjects reported that pooping while squatting took an average of 50 seconds whereas pooping while sitting took an arduous seconds. The paper also noted that sitting necessitated " excessive expulsive effort " to shift biowaste, whereas squatting was a comparatively carefree exercise.

So, if you're a toilet user, how can you adjust your pooping habits to protect your bowels? Well, Enders suggests that climbing on top of the toilet seat and perching while you poop " might be fun ," Enders. However, she also suggests having a little stool in front of your bowl to elevate your feet. So remember kids - squat when you poopy, to keep a healthy booty. While these fears are common, there is very little chance that you will become ill from a public toilet.

Try to find ways to address your anxiety. He can provide you with tips on dealing with anxiety, and if necessary, can refer you to a mental health specialist.

Take deep breaths. This will help your body and your mind relax. Avoid public restrooms. Before heading to work or to a social event, give yourself time to go to the bathroom at home.

Build this activity into your schedule. For example, if you typically have a bowel movement early in the morning, try waking up a bit earlier or leaving for work a little later to allow enough time. Don't rush yourself out the door.

Talk to your doctor. If your bowel movements are unpredictable, talk to your doctor. Most people find themselves needing to poop on a fairly regular schedule. If you're having trouble predicting when you need to go, you might be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or another ailment. The more descriptive you are, the more likely it is that he will be able to offer a diagnosis and a treatment. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Make sure the back of your pants is not resting against the back of the toilet seat. If the floor is wet or appears to be very dirty, roll the bottom part of your pants up as high as you can get them or take the bottom of your pants and do one fold to or a little past your knee. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Remove your cell phone or any items that could fall into the toilet from your pockets. Related wikiHows How to.

How to. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: November 8, Categories: Defecation Bowel Movements. Article Summary X To poop while standing up at a toilet, first squat over the seat by bending your knees slightly and leaning forward a little. Italiano: Defecare Stando in Piedi. Deutsch: Die Toilette im Stehen benutzen. Nederlands: Staand poepen op een toilet.