Are you the one who can’t laugh, sneeze, or cough without leaking a little urine? No worries. You are not alone.
Pelvic floor dysfunctions are common and can happen to anyone. But I’ve got good news. There are several exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor you may incorporate in your fitness routine.
Here’s everything you need to know about pelvic floor, problems with pelvic floor, and exercises to make your pelvic floor stronger.
Let’s read.
A Bit About Pelvic Floor
A group of muscles and connective tissues make up the pelvic floor. These soft tissues are connected to your pelvis, specifically the bones at the bottom of the pelvic. The organs present in the pelvic area include intestines, rectum, urethra, and bladder. In the case of females, cervix, uterus, and vaginal floor are also part of the pelvic floor.
Now, let’s see what does a pelvic floor do? Daily functions rely heavily on the pelvic floor muscles. They support the prostate, intestines, recctum, anus, urethra, cervix, and vagina. Also, pelvic floor muscles have a role in arousal and orgasm, as well as sexual health and function. Plus, they aid in the stabilisation of your hips and trunk, especially when standing and walking.
What is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
Pelvic floor disorders occur when pelvic floor muscles become malfunction or weak. As a result, they lose their ability to adequately support the pelvic organs. Some pelvic floor disorders include:
- Overactive bladder
- Urine or faecal incontinence
- Increased urge to urinate
- Pelvic organ prolapse such as uterine prolapse
- Uncomfortable or painful sex
What causes these problems in the pelvic floor? Here’s what you need to know.
Pelvic floor muscles become weaker because of pregnancy and vaginal birth. It may result in a wide range of issues from mild ache to prolapse of pelvic organs. Not only childbirth but there are many other causes that lead to weakening of pelvic floor muscles. These include:
- Age
- Surgery
- Menopause
- Repeated heavy lifting
- Prolonged sitting
- Endometriosis
- Habits that include preventing or limiting bowel movements.
Read about home remedies to treat loose motion in pregnancy.
Pelvic Floor Strong Exercises
After going through what pelvic floor is and causes of pelvic floor disorders, now the question is: How to strengthen the pelvic floor?
Well, by performing pelvic floor strong exercises you can strengthen your pelvic floor. So, if you recently had pregnancy, childbirth or are experiencing frequent urine leakages, have a look at the following list of exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor.
Get to know more about the best weight loss exercises.
1- Kegels
Kegels are a fantastic approach to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by tightening and relaxing it. This exercise aids in the faster and stronger activation of muscles to prevent leakage during coughing or sneezing.
How to strengthen the pelvic floor with kegels? Here’s the method:
- Begin by lying on your back on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the ground. As you become used to it, you can also do it while standing.
- Find out your pelvic muscles. For that, exhale slowly. Draw in your lower abdominal muscles. Then, squeeze the muscles around the urethra as though you’re attempting to stop pee from coming out. Contract for 1-2 seconds and then release. You’ll find out the muscle.
- Exhale. Then, swiftly contract and release your pelvic floor muscles, pulling your navel to your spine.
- Before releasing, try to contract for 1 second.
- Repeat for ten times, then take a 10-second break. Perform 2–3 sets.
Note: Kegel exercises should not be used to start and stop your urine stream. It will cause incomplete bladder emptying, which raises the risk of a urinary tract infection.
2- Bridge
While most consider bridge to work on the buttocks, it is one of the best heart exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor.
To perform this exercise:
- Lie down on the ground. Bend your knees at a 90 degree angle on the floor.
- Keep your arms on your sides with palms facing down. Your feet should be flat on the floor.
- Lift the buttocks several inches off the ground by contracting the buttocks and pelvic floor muscles.
- Hold for 3-8 seconds in this position.
- Lower the buttocks to the ground by relaxing the buttocks and pelvic floor muscles.
- Repeat for 10 times. Perform 2-3 sets.
3- Squeeze and Release
Another pelvic floor strong exercises include squeeze and release.
You can do this exercise in the following way:
- Place yourself in a comfortable position.
- Imagine the muscles of the pelvic floor.
- Squeeze them as fast as you can and then release them without holding the contraction.
- Rest for 3-5 seconds.
- Per set, repeat this 10-20 times.
- Later in the day, do two more sets.
As a result of this rapid movement, the pelvic floor muscles are able to respond more quickly.
4- Heel Slides
Heel slides are another great addition in exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor. This exercise targets deep abdominal muscles. As a result, pelvic floor contractions improve.
To do heel slides:
- Lie down on the floor. Bend your legs and keep your pelvis neutral.
- Inhale deeply into your rib cage and exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Draw your pelvic floor up, engage your core, and pull your right heel away from your body.
- Inhale and return your leg to the starting position after you’ve reached the bottom position.
- Repeat it.
- Before switching to the opposite leg, do 10 slides on each side.
5- Happy Baby Pose
It is another great exercise to strengthen your pelvic muscles.
How to strengthen the pelvic floor with a happy baby pose? Do this:
- Lie down on the floor and bend your knees.
- Bring your knees to a 90-degree angle to your belly. Soles of your feet should be pointing up.
- Grab the outside or inside of your feet and hold them.
- Your knees should be somewhat broader than your body at this point.
- Bring your feet up to your armpits after that. Ensure that your ankles are higher than your knees.
- Push your feet into your hands while flexing your heels.
- You can hold this position for a few breaths or rock gently from side to side.
Outlook!
Wrapping up, we can say that including exercises to strengthen pelvic floor in your daily routine is a great approach. It will engage these muscles and improve your overall health. However, remember, each time you execute an exercise, concentrate on form and function, as well as engaging the muscles.If you are new to these exercises, you can consult a well-known physiotherapist in Lahore. You can book an appointment via Helathwire.pk or make a call at (042) 32500989.