What Is the Best Position to Poop When Constipated?

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Health specialist Wendy Powell explains how to use the bathroom the right way

Co-authored by Wendy Powell and Eric McClure

Last Updated: August 6, 2026 Fact Checked

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Best Pooping Position

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Other Pooping Positions

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Pooping Hacks

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Good Toilet Habits

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FAQ

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Video

The best way to poop is with your knees elevated over your hips and your spine tilted forward. This allows your rectum’s muscles to relax the easiest, which in turn makes it much easier to use the bathroom. To help break down the most efficient way to use the bathroom, we met with a gastroenterologist and a health specialist to get expert guidance on what you should do to improve the way you poop.

The Ideal Way to Sit on the Toilet

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An illustration showing the proper and improper way to sit on the toilet.

Health specialist Wendy Powell explains that the optimal way to sit on the toilet is with your knees slightly elevated over your hips, which typically requires a stool or squatty potty. Lean forward a little bit and rest your elbows on your knees to ensure that your rectal muscles relax.

Section 1 of 4:

The Best Position for Pooping

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The ideal position is the supported squat (feet raised, tilted forwards). As Powell explains, you should “lift your feet when you are sitting on the toilet” because “when your knees are above your hips, your body is in a much better-aligned position to defecate effectively and without effort.” She points out that this is the best way to help your rectal muscles relax, which creates the path of least resistance for your stool.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Wendy Powell
Health & Exercise Specialist

Expert Interview} Here are the concrete steps in a snapshot:
- Put your feet flat on a small stool.
- Ensure your knees are raised above your hips.
- Stick your abdomen out a bit.
- Put your elbows on your knees and lean forward to keep a straight spine.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Wendy Powell is a health and exercise specialist and founder of the MUTU System, a medically recommended online fitness education program for mothers.

Dale Prokupek, MD is a board certified gastroenterologist who runs his own private practice. He has over 30 years of medical experience diagnosing and treating digestive issues.

Section 2 of 4:

Other Positions for Pooping

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There are two other possible pooping positions (both are less ideal). Everyone has a muscle, known as a puborectalis muscle, that wraps around the colon. When you stand up or engage in physical activity, that muscle flexes and closes your rectum, making it basically impossible to poop if your sphincter muscles work.^{[2]
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Research source} Squatting and leaning forward is the best way to relax this muscle and use the bathroom, but you can also open it (not as well) in these two positions:
- Sitting with your hips flexed. After the squat described above, this is the best pooping position. Sit straight up with a straight spine, but flex your hip muscles and open them up to a roughly 60-degree angle. This may make it easier to relax your muscles and poop if you can’t elevate your feet at all.^{[3]
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  - This is why people with hip injuries are prone to constipation. The angle of your hips radically impacts how easy it is for your rectal muscles to relax.^{[4]
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- Sitting straight up. This is the “normal” posture everyone probably imagines when they think about someone pooping. You sit on the toilet, straight up, with your feet flat on the floor. It’s possible to defecate in this position, but it requires some effort and your puborectalis muscle will be partially flexed in this position, so defecating may be harder.^{[5]
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Section 3 of 4:

Hacks to Make Pooping Easier

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Apply pressure to your perineal muscle while trying to poop. The perineal muscle is located in between your anus and your genitals. If you’re struggling to poop, try massaging this muscle with two clean fingers while you’re on the toilet. This may help your rectal muscles relax so that you can go.^{[6]
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- If you aren’t having any success, slowly increase the pressure of the massage. Don’t hurt yourself or anything, but if you increase how hard you press, it may help you go.
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Try “splinting” if you have a vagina. This may sound a bit alarming if you’ve never done it before, but it is a medically sound practice. Wash your hands and gently insert your dominant thumb into your vagina. Reach “back” and gently massage the interior back wall of the vagina. You may even feel the poop stuck on the other side of your vaginal wall. Keep massaging until you feel like it’s time to go.^{[7]
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- The “splinting” technique works by forcing your pelvic floor to relax.
- If you do feel poop from inside your vagina, you can try literally moving the poop along with your finger, if you’re comfortable doing it.^{[8]
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Try an anal massage and digital stimulation. This one may sound a bit extreme, but it is proven to work. Put a sterile glove on and apply a dollop of body-safe lubricant. Then, gently apply pressure to your rectum with your index finger. If you don’t immediately go to the bathroom, insert the tip and move it around in a gentle circular motion. After 5-10 seconds, remove the finger and go. Repeat this process as needed.^{[9]
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- This is known as “digital disimpaction.” When you insert a finger in the tip of your anus, it forces the rectal muscles to relax. If you have a hard stool and you’re struggling to relax while using the bathroom, this should help you go.^{[10]
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  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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Take a laxative, if necessary. If you’re really stopped up, board certified gastroenterologist Dale Prokupek, MD says taking a laxative, such as MiraLAX, is good for cleaning out your colon.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Dale Prokupek, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist

Expert Interview} Simply pick up some MiraLAX (or your preferred laxative) and follow the directions on the bottle to take it as directed. You’d be surprised how much easier it is to use the bathroom!
- MiraLAX is pretty easy stuff to drink. It’s near-flavorless and inoffensive, so don’t worry about the taste.
- Laxatives like MiraLAX work by drawing water into your colon. The extra moisture softens your bowels and makes it a lot easier to go.^{[12]
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  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  
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Section 4 of 4:

Lifestyle Tips for Relieving Constipation and Improving Pooping

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Eat plenty of fiber every day. We asked Dr. Prokupek about the best way to improve your bowel movements, and he didn’t hedge at all in his answer: “Fiber, fiber, fiber, fiber, fiber.” He recommends getting 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day by eating foods like chia seeds or flax seeds. If you cannot get enough fiber from your diet, he says the next best thing is to take a fiber supplement, like psyllium husk.^{[13]
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Dale Prokupek, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist

Expert Interview}
- Want to get more fiber in your diet? The following foods are really rich in fiber: whole grain bread, nuts, oatmeal, spaghetti, popcorn, almonds, raspberries, artichokes, avocados, black beans, lentils, split peas, and any other fruits or vegetables.
Aim to drink around 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of water a day, and if you ever feel a little thirsty, drink water.^{[14]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} The more hydrated you are, the more water your bowels will have access to, which means it’ll be much easier for you to go whenever you feel the urge.^{[15]
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Even if it’s just 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking a day, the more moving around you do, the easier it will be to go to the bathroom. Regular exercise keeps your metabolism running smoothly, and the physical activity actually helps your intestines move poop along.^{[16]
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Use the bathroom whenever you feel the urge. Do not “hold it” or try to avoid using the bathroom whenever you feel the urge to go. The urge to poop is a natural signal that your body needs to get rid of waste, and keeping it in isn’t going to be good for your health. It can lead to constipation, IBS, gastrointestinal pain, and all kinds of other unpleasant stuff.^{[17]
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- It’s totally okay to hold it for a bit every now and then if you end up in a situation where it’s not possible (or convenient) to go, but try to not make it a habit.
This is more of a byproduct of healthy bowel habits than a way to get them in the first place, but using the bathroom at the same time every day is a good sign that your body is working optimally. If possible, try to have a bowel movement at roughly the same time every single day.^{[18]
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Common Questions: Healthy Bathroom Behavior

Does using a squatty potty or footstool actually help?

Yes! Using a small platform to raise your feet off the ground will make it much easier to hold your knees over your hips, which is the ideal position to go to the bathroom—especially if you’re struggling to go. You can buy a dedicated squatty potty, or just use a small box or footstool to keep your feet elevated.^{[19]
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What is the best position for immediate constipation relief?

Health specialist Wendy Powell says that you’re best off with your legs propped up on a stool, your elbows on your knees, and your back lurched forward 20-degrees or so.^{[20]
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Expert Source

Wendy Powell
Health & Exercise Specialist

Expert Interview} You may also find it easier to go if you widen your hips out a bit, but that’s not mandatory.

Can bad posture while pooping cause hemorrhoids over time?

Yes. Bad posture on the toilet makes it harder for your body to pass a bowel movement, which means you’ll spend longer on the toilet and have to put more pressure on your muscles to use the bathroom. Excess sitting and prolonged pushing are both linked to hemorrhoids, so if you want to avoid hemorrhoids, fixing your posture is a great first step!^{[21]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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Is it better to lean forward or sit completely upright?

Health specialist Wendy Powell points out that leaning forward is better. Sitting upright partially contracts the rectal muscles that hold your rectum closed, while leaning forward will help all of those same muscles relax. If you ever naturally found yourself leaning on your knees while you poop, this is why! Your body is most comfortable going in that position.^{[22]
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Expert Source

Wendy Powell
Health & Exercise Specialist

Expert Interview}

How does your physical position affect bowel movement speed?

The speed is a byproduct of how easy it is for the poop to move, and your physical position determines how contracted or relaxed all of those muscles are, so they’re directly related. Leaning forward with your knees above your hips is the optimal position for allowing all of those rectal muscles to relax.^{[23]
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Trustworthy Source

PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source}

How often should you poop every day?

The ideal frequency is 1-2 times a day, although it’s not usually a big deal if you go more than that. You should always let your body guide you when it comes to bowel movements. If you think you need to go, go. So long as you’re going at least once a day, it’s all good.^{[24]
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Research source} If you go more than 4 times a day or you don’t go every day, it’s worth contacting a GI doctor to get an exam. It’s possible nothing is wrong and that’s just your body’s normal rhythm, but it’s worth getting it looked at.