How To Do Pelvic Floor Exercises | Physio Recommended At Home Techniques
Did you know that up to 50% of women experience pelvic floor dysfunction at some point in their lives?
Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegels, are a simple yet effective way to strengthen these essential muscles and improve bladder control, alleviate pelvic pressure, and enhance sexual function.
Whether you’re dealing with incontinence, preparing for childbirth, or simply want to maintain best pelvic health, incorporating physio-recommended exercises into your daily routine can make a significant difference.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the basics of identifying your pelvic floor muscles and share a progressive exercise plan that you can easily follow at home.
Key Takeaways
- Engage your pelvic floor muscles by imagining you're halting urine mid-stream and squeezing muscles around front and back passages.
- Focus on contracting pelvic floor muscles while breathing and relaxing other muscles for effective activation.
- Start with basic exercises like Kegels, reverse Kegels, and transverse abdominis activation to strengthen pelvic floor muscles.
- Progress to advanced exercises like incorporating resistance bands, dynamic movements, and Pilates or yoga exercises for added challenge and core strength.
- Prioritise daily practice, set reminders, and seek professional help if you're unsure about exercises or experience persistent issues.
Benefits of Pelvic Floor Exercise
Pelvic floor exercises offer a variety of benefits that can greatly enhance your daily life. Understanding pelvic floor anatomy in females is important as these muscles support the bladder, bowel, and uterus. By performing regular pelvic floor exercise, you can significantly improve bladder and bowel control, reducing issues like urinary leakage and incontinence.
These exercises help alleviate pelvic pressure and lower back pain, contributing to better overall pelvic health.
Incorporating these exercises into your routine can also enhance sexual function. The American Urological Association recommends pelvic floor muscle training for managing an overactive bladder, highlighting its effectiveness. Engaging in pelvic exercises regularly not only strengthens the muscles but also boosts your confidence in managing pelvic floor dysfunction.
This leads to an improved quality of life, making pelvic floor exercises essential for long-term health and well-being.
Finding Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
Now that you understand the benefits of pelvic floor exercise, let’s focus on how to identify and engage these muscles correctly. Finding your pelvic floor muscles is the first step to effectively performing keagul exercises. Here’s how you can locate them:
- Try to stop urine flow mid-stream. The muscles you engage to do this are your pelvic floor muscles.
- Imagine you're trying to stop the passage of gas. The muscles you tighten are part of your pelvic floor.
- Visualise squeezing in your vagina and back passage muscles simultaneously.
- Relax your thighs, bottom, and abdomen while focusing on lifting and squeezing around your front and back passages.
- Relax your thighs, bottom, and abdomen while focusing on lifting and squeezing around your front and back passages.
Basic Pelvic Floor Exercise Routine
Begin your pelvic floor exercise routine by getting into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down with your knees slightly apart.
- Start with 10 intense squeezes of your pelvic floor muscles. Focus on isolating these muscles, the same ones you'd use to halt the flow of urine. Hold each squeeze for a second or two, then release.
- Next, move on to endurance exercises. Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles less intensely, but hold each squeeze for longer, up to 10 seconds.
- Remember to breathe normally throughout. Release and rest for a few seconds between each squeeze.
- Finish your routine with 10 quick pulses. These short, rapid squeezes help prepare your muscles for sudden stresses like sneezing or coughing.
Repeat this entire routine 10 times. Consistency is vital for seeing improvements, so commit to doing these exercises daily. As you progress, you should notice enhanced pelvic floor strength and better bladder control.
Michelle Kenway is a fantastic Physio that has some great video tutorials on pelvic floor exercise – here is one for Kegels we recommend you watch before trying the above routine:
Advanced Pelvic Floor Techniques
To take your pelvic floor exercise routine to the next level, you’ll want to explore advanced exercises that focus on enhancing strength, coordination, and endurance.
Advanced exercises often involve resistance training or specialised equipment like pelvic floor trainers and incorporate movements that challenge your muscles in various ways.
Before you start, it’s vital to progress gradually and seek guidance from an experienced Pelvic Floor Physio to confirm safety and effectiveness – hence we don’t go into too much detail below. We don’t recommend progressing to advanced exercises without the guidance of a trained professional.
Advanced pelvic floor exercise may include:
Use ankle weights or resistance bands to increase the intensity of leg lifts, engaging your pelvic floor muscles more deeply.
Incorporate dynamic plank exercises, such as raising one leg at a time while maintaining pelvic stability.
While in a glute bridge position, perform heel lifts to activate your pelvic floor muscles further.
Exercises like the hundred, roll-up, and teaser can challenge your pelvic floor muscles and improve overall core strength.
Use specilised devices that provide biofeedback or resistance to enhance your workout and track progress.
These advanced exercises can help individuals dealing with specific issues like pelvic organ prolapse or persistent incontinence. Always listen to your body and avoid any exercises that cause pain or discomfort.
Tips for Consistency and Progress
Success in pelvic floor exercise hinges on consistency and progressive overload. To achieve best results, you must commit to regular practice and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Aim to perform pelvic floor exercise daily, ideally at the same time each day, to make it a habit.
| Tips for Consistency | Tracking Progress | Advancing Exercises |
|---|---|---|
Set reminders on your phone | Increase hold times for exercises | Gradually add more challenging exercises |
Incorporate exercises into daily routines | Monitor improvements in bladder control | Progress to longer exercise sessions |
Prioritise exercises, even on busy days | Track reductions in pelvic pain | Increase repititions of exercises |
Make exercises a non-negotiable part of your daily schedule | Note improvements in overall pelvic floor function | Advance to more complex exercise variations |
Stay motivated by celebrating small victories | Regularly assess progress to adjust your routine | Continuously challenge your pelvic floor muscles |
When To Seek Professional Help
While pelvic floor exercise is an extremely beneficial, it’s vital to recognise when you might need professional guidance. If you’re experiencing persistent bladder or bowel control issues like urgency, leakage, or difficulty emptying, it’s essential to seek help.
Additionally, symptoms such as vaginal heaviness, pelvic pain, or discomfort during intercourse should be assessed by a healthcare provider.
Here are some signs that indicate it’s time to consult a professional:
- Persistent Incontinence: If you're still experiencing leakage after several weeks of regular exercises.
- Pain: If you feel discomfort during exercises or intercourse.
- Vaginal Heaviness: This can be a sign of pelvic organ prolapse and should be evaluated.
- No Improvement: If you're not seeing any progress in your symptoms after consistent exercising.
- Difficulty with Exercises: If you're unsure about how to perform the exercises correctly.
A continence and women’s health physiotherapist can provide an individualised assessment and design a customised exercise program to address your specific needs. They can also offer hands-on guidance to make sure you’re performing the exercises correctly.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re experiencing ongoing issues – it’s crucial to receive a proper diagnosis and tailored treatment.
Summing It All Up...
You’ve got this! By dedicating just a few minutes each day to these physio-recommended pelvic floor techniques, you’ll be well on your way to a stronger, healthier you.
Remember, consistency is key – make these exercises a non-negotiable part of your daily routine, and you’ll be amazed at the incredible improvements in bladder control, bowel function, and overall well-being.
Your pelvic floor will thank you, and you’ll be unstoppable in your pursuit of a better quality of life!
Please book appointment here or call us on (03) 4821 5023 if you have questions and want to learn about our pelvic floor physiotherpy services – book in for an assessment tailored to your care, needs and well-being.
Our North East Melbourne metro based physiotherapy clinic is open six days a week and you can book your appointment online for convenience.
Rosanna Physio
Rosanna Physio has been serving the people of Rosanna and its surrounding suburbs since 1989. We have the education, qualifications and experience to effectively treat any muscle or joint injury that requires expert physical therapy care.
Article References:
If you would like a deeper understanding of the subject matter covered in this blog, please click on the below links to learn more:
- National Health Service UK: https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/womens-health/what-are-pelvic-floor-exercises/
- Pelvic Floor First: https://www.pelvicfloorfirst.org.au/pages/pelvic-floor-safe-core-exercises-.html
- Continence.Org: https://www.continence.org.au/about-continence/continence-health/pelvic-floor
- Urology Health: https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/p/pelvic-floor-muscles
- Women’s Health.Gov: https://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/staying-healthy-and-safe
- Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/kegel-exercises/art-20045283
- Havard University: https://www.health.harvard.edu/bladder-and-bowel/step-by-step-guide-to-performing-kegel-exercises
- Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/kegel-exercises
- Better Health: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/pelvic-floor
