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Pelvic Floor Health

Strengthening Your Foundation

Your Hidden Support System

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles you may not think about, but they affect bladder control, bowel function, and intimate health. Taking care of them matters at every age.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a hammock-like group of muscles stretching from your pubic bone to your tailbone.

What It Does

  • Supports organs: Holds up the bladder, uterus, and rectum
  • Controls bladder: Helps you hold and release urine
  • Controls bowels: Helps you hold and release stool and gas
  • Sexual function: Contributes to sensation and orgasm
  • Stability: Works with core muscles for posture and movement

Signs of Pelvic Floor Problems

Weakness May Cause:

  • Urinary incontinence: Leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise
  • Urgency: Sudden strong need to urinate
  • Incomplete emptying: Feeling bladder isn't fully empty
  • Bowel issues: Difficulty controlling gas or stool
  • Pelvic organ prolapse: Feeling of bulging or heaviness in vagina
  • Pain: Pelvic pain or pressure
  • Sexual issues: Decreased sensation, pain during intercourse

Tightness (Overactive Pelvic Floor) May Cause:

  • Pain during intercourse
  • Difficulty with penetration
  • Constipation
  • Incomplete bladder emptying
  • Pelvic pain
Very Common

Up to 1 in 3 women experience pelvic floor problems at some point. It's nothing to be embarrassed about, and most issues can be improved with proper care.

Risk Factors

Increases Risk
  • Pregnancy and vaginal delivery
  • Multiple pregnancies
  • Menopause (hormonal changes)
  • Aging
  • Obesity
  • Chronic constipation/straining
  • Chronic cough
  • Heavy lifting
  • High-impact exercise
Protective Factors
  • Regular pelvic floor exercises
  • Healthy weight
  • Good posture
  • Treating constipation
  • Proper lifting technique
  • Not smoking (reduces coughing)

Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. They're beneficial for prevention and treatment of pelvic floor weakness.

How to Find Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

  • Try to stop your urine stream midway (do this only to identify the muscles, not as regular exercise)
  • Imagine you're trying to hold in gas
  • Imagine you're lifting a marble with your vagina
  • You should feel a "squeeze and lift" sensation inside

How to Do Kegels

1
Empty Your Bladder

Start with an empty bladder for comfort.

2
Get Comfortable

Lie down, sit, or stand - once you're practiced, you can do them anywhere.

3
Squeeze

Tighten your pelvic floor muscles (imagine lifting and squeezing).

4
Hold

Hold the squeeze for 5 seconds (build up to 10 seconds over time).

5
Relax

Fully relax for 5 seconds. The relaxation is as important as the squeeze.

6
Repeat

Do 10-15 repetitions, 3 times per day.

Common Mistakes
  • Holding your breath (keep breathing normally)
  • Squeezing buttocks, thighs, or abdomen instead
  • Pushing down instead of lifting up
  • Doing too many too fast (quality over quantity)
  • Not relaxing fully between squeezes
When to Expect Results

With consistent practice, most women notice improvement in 4-8 weeks. Continue exercises long-term to maintain strength.

Urinary Incontinence

Involuntary leakage of urine is common but not something you have to live with.

Types

  • Stress incontinence: Leaking when you cough, sneeze, laugh, jump, or lift (most common in younger women)
  • Urge incontinence: Sudden strong urge followed by leakage before reaching the toilet
  • Mixed: Combination of both
  • Overflow: Bladder doesn't empty fully, causing dribbling

Treatment Options

  • Pelvic floor exercises: First-line treatment for stress incontinence
  • Bladder training: Gradually increasing time between bathroom visits
  • Lifestyle changes: Weight loss, reducing caffeine, managing constipation
  • Medications: For urge incontinence
  • Pessary: Device inserted in vagina to support bladder
  • Surgery: For severe cases not responding to other treatments
You're Not Alone

Many women suffer in silence with incontinence. It's a medical condition with effective treatments - not just "part of aging" or "normal after having kids." Please seek help.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

When pelvic floor muscles weaken, organs they support can bulge into or out of the vagina.

Types

  • Cystocele: Bladder bulges into front vaginal wall
  • Rectocele: Rectum bulges into back vaginal wall
  • Uterine prolapse: Uterus descends into vaginal canal
  • Vaginal vault prolapse: Top of vagina drops (after hysterectomy)

Symptoms

  • Feeling of bulging or something coming down
  • Heaviness or dragging sensation in pelvis
  • Feeling like sitting on a small ball
  • Symptoms worse after standing, lifting, or by end of day
  • May need to push tissue back to urinate or have bowel movement
  • Discomfort during intercourse

Treatment

  • Mild cases: Pelvic floor exercises, lifestyle modifications
  • Pessary: Removable device that supports the prolapsed organ
  • Surgery: To repair or reconstruct pelvic support

Pelvic Floor After Pregnancy

Pregnancy and delivery significantly affect pelvic floor muscles.

During Pregnancy

  • Pelvic floor exercises are safe and recommended throughout pregnancy
  • Help prepare muscles for birth
  • May reduce risk of incontinence

After Delivery

  • Start gentle Kegels as soon as comfortable (even within days)
  • Don't be discouraged if you can't feel much initially - muscles are stretched
  • Consistency is key - improvement takes weeks to months
  • If issues persist beyond 3-6 months, seek professional help
Important

Leaking urine or pelvic heaviness is common after childbirth but shouldn't be accepted as permanent. With proper exercises and treatment, most women can improve significantly.

When to See a Doctor

  • Urinary leakage affecting your quality of life
  • Feeling of prolapse or bulging
  • Pain during intercourse
  • Difficulty emptying bladder or bowels
  • Pelvic exercises not helping after 3 months
  • You're unsure if you're doing exercises correctly
  • Any concerns about pelvic floor function
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy

Specialized physiotherapists can assess your pelvic floor, teach proper exercise technique, and provide treatments like biofeedback. Ask for a referral if needed.

Concerned About Pelvic Floor Issues?

Don't suffer in silence. Schedule a consultation to discuss your symptoms and treatment options.

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