Why is it important to maintain good pelvic floor fitness?
1. Prevention of problems is easier than cure!
2. The pelvic floor muscles are working throughout the day to support your bladder, uterus and bowels – weakness in the muscle can lead to a prolapse. A prolapse is when the walls of the vagina become over stretched and can bulge down. This can lead to difficulty in emptying the bladder, incontinence, back ache and incomplete emptying of the bowels. A prolapsed uterus can also lead to painful intercourse.
3. A strong pelvic floor is able to work with the bladder and bowel sphincter to stop urine and faecal leakage.
4. Sexual satisfaction - the pelvic floor plays a significant part in sexual satisfaction for both women and man.
5. Maintain core stability and therefore reduce back pain.
What factors - other than childbirth - can put the pelvic area under strain?
1. Being overweight.
2. Chronic coughing i.e. repetitive cough
3. Straining to open bowels – i.e. constipation.
4. High Impact exercises i.e. running / aerobics.
5. Smoking.
6. Heavy lifting / repetitive liftingBelow are some exercises to tone your pelvic floor: Firstly it is important to exercise the pelvic floor muscles correctly.
Tighten the ring of muscle around your back passage as though preventing a bowel movement or wind escaping and then tighten the muscles around the front passage as though you are stopping yourself passing urine, without tightening your actual bottom or inner thighs.
You should feel a gentle pull in of your lower tummy and be able to breathe normally. It is very important to start doing the exercise initially lying, then sitting and move into standing - each position works the muscle a bit harder. Work on building up to holding the muscle in for the count of 10 seconds, 10 times and 10 quick squeezes.
During intercourse – tighten your pelvic floor muscles to increase his satisfaction and strengthen the muscles.
Research has shown that drawing in your pelvic floor muscle just prior to a cough or a sneeze significantly reduces the chance of a urine leakage. This is called the KNACK.
When in the gym try holding in the pelvic floor muscle gently while doing squats, lifting weights or walking on the treadmill. Or while out walking think stand tall gently draw in pelvic floor muscles and lower tummy – improving your posture and the pelvic floor.
Any Pilates exercise aims to work the pelvic floor and lower abdomen.
Exercise them on the gym ball – the ball gives an unstable surface which challenges the muscle to work harder.
How can you remember to do your pelvic floor exercises?
Research strongly suggests that exercising the Pelvic Floor muscles during pregnancy significantly reduces the chances of developing urinary stress incontinence and lower backpain. Although the exercises might not be difficult to do, they can be difficult to remember to do!
Here are some hints and tips:
Prompt 1: When driving around in your car, aim to contract and release your muscles every time you get stopped at a red traffic light!
Prompt 2: If you are sitting in front of a PC for long periods at the office, do your pelvic floor exercises every time you hear a “new email” pinging on your PC or each time you have to answer the phone!How to Contract Your Pelvic Floor Muscles:1. Sit on a firm chair with your knees slightly apart or side lying in good posture.
2. Tighten the ring of muscle around your back passage as though preventing a bowel movement or wind escaping. Then tighten the muscles around the front passage.
3. Aim to hold both front and back pelvic floor muscles tight for 5-10 seconds (without holding your breath) and then release. Repeat this up to ten times.
4. Follow with 5-10 quick squeezes (i.e. tighten back and front passages and relax).
5. The Pelvic Floor muscles work with your lower abdominal muscles.
Therefore as you draw up your pelvic floor muscles, you should also feel your lower abdomen drawing in slightly. Aim to repeat both exercises 3-6 times a day.
April 2010
Information supplied by Samantha Gillard, women’s health expert and co-founder of FitBack & Bumps | 
Just After The Birth
