All About Pelvic Floor Muscles and Kegel Exercises

Why Strengthening Your Pelvic Floor Matters & How to Do It

Are you a woman struggling with bladder or bowel control due to weak pelvic floor muscles? Don't worry—you're not alone.

A recent study published in Scientific Reports analyzed the medical records of more than 25,000 adult women at the University of Iowa Hospitals and found that at least 32% had been diagnosed with a pelvic floor disorder (PFD).

Over 60% of UK women have at least one symptom of poor pelvic floor health. Problems can range from mild leakage when coughing to severe urinary incontinence with complete loss of bladder control. (Source)

What are the pelvic floor muscles?

Pelvic floor muscles are the muscles that surround the bladder, anus, vagina, or penis. Many people overlook the fact that men also have pelvic floor muscles, but they can also become weak.

The pelvic floor muscles not only support your organs, but they also play an important role in the stability of your hip joints, so it's important for everyone to strengthen them to maintain a healthy life.

Most people have heard of pelvic floor exercises, or kegel exercises, but few people practice them consistently. Experts recommend doing kegels three times a day, but it's easy to forget. However, it's most important to strengthen these muscles before symptoms occur.

We often think of pelvic floor weakness as a problem that only affects women after childbirth, but the natural decline in collagen production as we age can also contribute to pelvic floor weakness. In addition, lifting heavy objects, running, and overexertion can also strain the pelvic floor, so men may also need to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles.

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How to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles

Unlike most muscles, your pelvic floor muscles aren't automatically activated during normal exercise. In fact, some exercises can actually strain and weaken them. That's why it's important to consciously "fire up" your pelvic floor muscles to effectively strengthen them.

The great thing about Kegels is that they can be done anywhere, anytime, but many people don't know how to do them properly.

1. Imagine the sensation of tightening the muscles that wrap around the tampon.

2. Inhale deeply and relax these muscles.

3. As you exhale, tighten the muscles and lift them up.

4. This process will naturally engage your abdominal muscles as well, flattening your stomach.

5. Repeat relaxing with each inhale and tightening and lifting with each exhale.

6. Repeat slowly, 10 times at a time, at least twice a day.

7. You can do them anytime, while sitting, standing, or lying down.

In addition, you can use Pilates moves to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles even more effectively. For example, the Shoulder Bridge exercise is an effective way to work both the pelvic floor and the glutes at the same time.

The best way to know if pelvic floor strengthening is working for you

Feeling like you're making progress is great, but it's not enough.

If you're investing your time, money, and effort into pelvic floor exercises, it's natural to want concrete results. The best way to track your progress objectively is by keeping a voiding diary to monitor your urination patterns. It helps you understand how close your pattern is to normal and measure improvements throughout your treatment.

Bladderly, an automated bladder diary app, measures urine volume by the sound of urination without the need for a urine cup. This makes it more comfortable and hygienic to track your urination patterns and allows you to record more accurate data with less discomfort.

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Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles isn't just an exercise, it's an important part of improving your quality of life. Every little bit helps build a healthier future. Start taking action now.

Everything will be okay!

*About pelvic floor dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition in which the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder, bowel, and uterus do not function properly. The three most common symptoms are urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Continence problems can cause women to have problems controlling their bladder or bowel, such as feeling the need to urinate more often or urgently, leaking urine when coughing, laughing, or lifting heavy objects.

Pelvic organ prolapse is when one or more of the organs normally held in place by the pelvic floor can bulge (prolapse) out of their natural position into the vagina. This can feel like a pulling or heaviness in the pelvic area, or a bulge in the front or back wall of the vagina.

Pelvic floor exercises can help manage existing symptoms and reduce the severity of some symptoms associated with pelvic floor dysfunction. Strengthening the pelvic floor can also prevent the development of symptoms such as urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.