3 effective ways to strengthen your pelvic floor
Your pelvic floor muscles do a lot of heavy lifting, but can weaken over time without a little attention. Here’s how to keep yours in top working order.
Our pelvic floor could be one of the most over-looked and under-estimated parts of our body.
Out of sight, it’s often out of mind, too.
This trampoline or hammock-like group of muscles stretch from the pubic bone at the front to the tail bone at the back and support the bladder and bowel, as well as the uterus in women.
Robyn L’Estelle Brennen, a senior physiotherapist and midwife with a special interest in pelvic floor health, says the muscles are critical for bladder and bowel control and to avoid continence problems.
She says the pelvic floor also plays a role during arousal and orgasm.
“For women, a number of factors can weaken the pelvic floor,” Robyn says.
“Having babies is one factor because pelvic floor muscles stretch to two-and-a-half times their normal length during pregnancy and childbirth.
“Genetics can be a factor and constipation where people strain to go to the toilet can also weaken the pelvic floor.”
Shan Morrison, a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist and Continence Foundation of Australia member, says ageing, hormonal changes that come with menopause, chronic coughing, heavy lifting and being overweight also place strain on the pelvic floor that, over time, can make it weaker and less effective.
Take control of your pelvic floor
“Bladder problems are very common and one in three women who have a baby then experience urinary incontinence,” Shan says.
“But many women don’t seek help because they think it’s just part of having a baby and there’s nothing they can do about it.
“But there are simple things you can do to strengthen your pelvic floor that will make a real difference.”
One effective strategy is to do pelvic floor exercises – Robyn says women can start exercising their pelvic floor from adolescence onwards.
“Before childbirth is certainly a good time to start. There’s strong evidence that doing these exercises from the start of your first pregnancy decreases your chance of getting urinary leakage after the birth,” she says.
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Three easy ways to strengthen your pelvic floor
1. Pelvic floor contractions (three sets of 8-12 daily)
Lie down, relax your body, breathe and imagine an invisible string pulling upwards through the entrance of the vagina.
Hold for five seconds and then release and repeat.
Or place a rolled towel on a chair, sit on the towel and lift up and away from the towel for a few seconds, keeping your breathing at a normal pace.
Repeat.
A physiotherapist can help ensure you learn how to exercise your pelvic floor correctly.
2. Anal sphincter exercises
Stand and tighten the muscles around the anus as if holding in wind.
Lift upwards and forwards and squeeze, as if stopping the flow of urine.
You should feel a tightening around the back, middle and front passages.
Hold and squeeze for five seconds.
Relax and repeat.
Keep your shoulders, bottom, thighs and upper tummy muscles relaxed and continue to breathe normally.
3. Practise good toilet habits
“Go to the toilet when you get the urge to open your bowels and don’t strain, and don’t get into the habit of emptying your bladder ‘just in case’,” Shan says.
“Only go when you need to.”
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Written by Sarah Marinos
