Pelvic power guide
To help women increase their 'pelvic power', the CSP has produced a self-help exercise guide women can use in their own time to strengthen their pelvic floor.
Pelvic power exercise guide
Many women experience problems with their pelvic floor at some time during their life. But how many women realise that their pelvic floor muscles are an important part of them being able to achieve full sexual satisfaction?
The pelvic floor muscles span the bottom of the pelvis to assist in keeping all your insides in, act as sphincters to close the bladder and bowel and assist in sexual activity and pleasure.
Symptoms
There are many possible causes of pelvic floor dysfunction often associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Symptoms of weak pelvic floor muscles include:
- urinary leakage during activities such as coughing, laughing, sneezing or during sporting activity
- a prolapse which may be first felt as a general pelvic discomfort or as something 'coming down'.
Many people think that these symptoms are all part of old age, but it can also happen to any woman during her childbearing years.
Sexual intercourse
Sexual activity is an important part of life for most people and strong pelvic floor muscles are believed to contribute to orgasm and sexual fulfilment. Weak pelvic floor muscles may mean less satisfaction and also anxiety over possible urine loss during intercourse.
Improving your pelvic floor muscles
It is crucial that people trying to improve their pelvic floors actually recruit the right muscles. You should imagine that you are trying to stop yourself from passing urine and at the same time trying to stop yourself from passing wind. It should feel like a 'lift and squeeze up' inside.
There are three main ways to check if you are contracting your pelvic floor muscles correctly:
- Use a small mirror to look at the area between your legs. The skin between your vagina and back passage should move up and inwards away from the mirror when you contract your pelvic floor muscles. If instead you see any bulging - STOP - you are doing entirely the wrong action - it is potentially harmful.
- Feel inside your vagina with your thumb pad facing backwards first on one side and then the other. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles and see if you can feel them working inside squeezing your thumb.
- Ask your sexual partner to say if they can feel the muscles squeezing during sexual activity.
Exercising your pelvic floor muscles
If you are working the muscles correctly there are simple ways to make them even stronger.
- Your aim is to be able to do 10 holds of 10 seconds each and 10 fast contractions. Begin by finding out how long you can hold the contraction for and how many you can repeat at each session and then try some short fast contractions and gradually build up to the 'magnificent 10'.
Frequency of exercise
These pelvic floor muscle exercises are best done 4 times each day. It is important that you keep breathing naturally whilst doing the exercises and you may find that your abdominal muscles are also working at the same time. You should find benefit from the exercises in 12 - 20 weeks time.
Remembering to exercise
It is easy to forget the pelvic floor muscles. Try and make sure they are a part of your daily routine - just like brushing your teeth. Below are some useful ways to remember to exercise these muscles:
- Work your pelvic floor in any position - such as standing, sitting or lying down
- Put up little reminder notes or colour stickers in places you will see - such as around your desk, kitchen or in the car
- Carry out some pelvic floor muscle exercises after you have emptied your bladder
- Use the commercial breaks in TV programmes to exercise
Preventing problems
To ensure that you are not doing yourself any harm always tighten your pelvic floor muscles whenever you lift anything, cough or sneeze. Resolving any excess weight or constipation problems will also be helpful.
Getting help
If you cannot feel your muscles working and pulling inwards you may need extra help in localising them. Chartered Physiotherapists in Women's Health are experts in pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation. Their association (ACPWH) can be contacted via the CSP or via the ACPWH website They also have specific leaflets available which are appropriate for pregnancy and the post-natal period.
