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Exercises To Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor
kegel balls

This article aims to define the pelvic floor muscles and functions and to summarize the direct and indirect changes to women's pelvic floor muscles during and after menopause and through aging. A particular focus is also given to the evidence-based literature on how to keep pelvic floor muscles healthy during menopause and in postmenopause using conservative management therapy. “Some people have so much tension in their pelvic floor muscles that trying to do Kegels actually just increases their tension and pain,” she adds. If you notice more tightness or pain as you start your Kegels routine, stop and bring that up with your doctor or physical therapist. Exercises and treatment for tight pelvic floor muscles focus on relaxing the area instead of strengthening it. If you have bladder or bowel incontinence symptoms, decreased sexual sensation, pelvic organ prolapse, or back pain, it is vital to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Additionally, if you need more help, your health care provider can arrange to have you seen by a physical therapist that can provide more help. The connection breath is the first step towards learning how to perform kegels properly and learning to relax the pelvic floor muscles. When I tell a patient to contract their pelvic floor muscle, it’s not only about “pulling up” from the anal area. You also have to think about a vaginal contraction — squeezing the labia together like you’re trying to pick up a marble.
Inhale as you slowly lower your legs a few inches and then cross your left leg over your right, engaging your upper inner thighs and pelvic floor while also keeping your lower back relaxed. Keep breathing deeply and drawing the belly in and up throughout the move. Place the roller about a foot in front of you and come down to your knees. Use your front foot to keep the roller stable and lift up into a tall spine. Keep your right leg long and straight back behind the roller.
It’s particularly helpful if you aren’t sure that you’re contracting at all, or can’t tell if you’re making progress. If you use a tool in the beginning, you may choose to discontinue using it once your exercise routine is under way and you’re comfortable doing Kegels without it. When it comes to your gym routine, exercises that strengthen your pelvic floor muscles probably aren't at the top your list. Kegel exercises make giving birth more manageable, and women who give birth after regularly exercising their pelvic floor muscles are less likely to experience birth trauma.
Similarly, if you are experiencing pelvic pain you should see a physician before starting or continuing any kegel routine. The diamond-shaped group of muscles within our pelvic floor act as a sling to support our internal organs, keeping everything separate and working together. Your pelvic floor muscles provide optimum support to your bladder, vagina, and uterus. Over time, we inevitably experience weakening in these muscles. Do not become discouraged if you have urine leakage.
Focus on drawing these muscles down there inward, tightly. To begin this exercise we are going to start by sitting supported in a chair, or by lying down. Start by being seated or lying comfortably, once you get the hang of it, you can do them wherever you want. Men can also find relief by using urinary sheaths or urinals, especially if the symptoms are so severe that they cannot be controlled.
Hypopressive exercises are another breathing technique that some people may find helpful for pelvic floor issues, although there isn’t as much data to support it as there is for Kegels. Still, a recent randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine19 found that both types of exercises significantly reduced symptoms of pelvic floor problems. Find a doctor who understands the pelvic floor—this could be a gynecologist, urologist, or urogynecologist, for instance—or a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic health.
Taking care of your pelvic health can be done in multiple ways. It is important to see your OB/GYN once a year for an exam and lab work. Making sure you maintain a healthy weight is also important. If you are overweight, more pressure is put on the pelvic floor, straining the muscles and tissue that keep everything in place. During pregnancy, you are awash in hormones and carrying considerable extra weight. Your body supports this extra burden by arching your spine, which tilts the pelvis forward.
Even without weight, the pause and pulse of this move will have you feeling it. “If you have pain or discomfort, Kegels are a no-no. To relax your pelvic floor muscles, try imagining the muscles of the pelvis dropping, becoming very heavy or sliding off the bones,” advises Trausch. Kegel exercises are simple, risk-free, and painless.
Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Not only will you save yourself embarrassment, but you’ll feel more free when you don’t have to worry about pads or adult diapers. Regularly engaging in high-impact activities, including basketball or running, can increase your risk. If you have lung or breathing difficulties such as asthma, emphysema or recurrent bronchitis, you are at an increased risk. Surgery in your pelvic area – including cesarean section (“C-section”). The Urology Care Foundation invites you to share your experience with a urologic condition and how it has affected you or your family.
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