According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, about 25-45% of women suffer from urinary incontinence.
If your pelvic floor muscles are not functioning well, the internal organs will lack full support. This may stop you from being able to control your urine, faeces, or wind.
I’m sure the majority of us have heard the term "pelvic floor," or heard someone say “I laughed so hard I nearly peed myself’, but we may not be entirely aware of what it refers to or what changes this part of the body could experience during pregnancy and labour.
Why the fuss over pelvic floor muscles, you may ask?
The muscles that make up your pelvic floor are connected to the bones at the base of your pelvis. The internal organs above your pelvis are supported by these muscles, which act as a webbing across the base of your pelvis.
Although having strong pelvic floor muscles helps us control our bladder and bowel movements, their function is not limited to this. Along with helping to stabilise the hip joints and acting as the pelvis' lymphatic pump, strong pelvic floor muscles significantly enhance orgasm and sexual performance. And as such they are crucial!
Most people don't think twice about their ability to manage their bowels and bladder until something goes awry. Kegel exercises are a wonderful place to start when trying to rebuild the pelvic floor if you have either prolapse or stress incontinence suggests the Harvard Health Medical blog. Those preventive treatments are suggested to new moms in Europe, and they are covered by insurance.
Common causes of a weakened pelvic floor include pregnancy, childbirth, prostate cancer treatment in males, obesity and the associated straining of chronic constipation.
Having weak pelvic floor muscles can also cause sexual difficulties, such as reduced vaginal sensation. If the muscles are weak or working too hard this can cause painful sex or vulval pain and can also cause reduced bladder control.
Pelvic floor exercises are designed to improve your muscle tone. In addition, they improve your brain's connection to these muscles. Doing these exercises may prevent the need for corrective surgery.
Exercises for the pelvic floor can be done sitting, standing, or lying down. When learning the exercises, try to schedule five or six sessions every day. Three sessions per day are sufficient after you fully grasp the exercises' proper execution.
Try to relax the muscles in your abdomen. Keep your breath in check. Squeeze and elevate your pelvic floor muscles gradually, as if you were preventing the passage of pee or wind. Release slowly and gently then carry out the following exercises:
Slowly squeeze and lift, making sure to always be able to fully release. Try to hold when you are confident that you can raise and let go.
Hold tightly while breathing normally for 5 to 10 seconds. Release gradually. Do this 10 times, and repeat.
Between each one, take five to 10 seconds to decompress.
Squeeze and lift vigorously and quickly. Repeat this 10 times.
The muscles should always be squeezed and lifted any time you cough, sneeze, or clear your throat.