You’ve probably heard of “Kegels” or pelvic floor exercises, but do you actually know how or why to do them?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base or ‘floor’ of your pelvis which support and hold in place your internal pelvic organs, including bladder, intestines, and uterus. Like any other skeletal muscle, you can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles with regular exercises!
“Kegels”, or pelvic floor muscle contractions, are these exercises.
Having a strong pelvic floor is especially important for women, as the pelvic floor is what stops the flow of urine and faeces, holds your uterus and other organs in the correct position, and helps with sexual function.
Unfortunately for some women, especially those who have been through pregnancy and/or menopause, the pelvic floor muscles can become weak and dysfunctional, leading to incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse
So the short answer is yes you should be doing pelvic floor exercises, regardless of whether you have any current pelvic floor issues or not – prevention is always better than a cure!
Unfortunately, many women who think they are doing these exercises correctly are simply squeezing their abdominal or gluteal muscles, which actually weakens the pelvic floor further. If you’re unsure whether you’re doing the exercises correctly or not, a physiotherapist can assess this for you and explain to you how to ensure you’re doing the technique correctly.
If you’re dealing with any of the issues mentioned in this post, or you are concerned you’re not doing these exercises correctly, book an appointment with Bronte at SSPC East Bentleigh to discuss how to starting working on your health!
