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How do you perform pelvic floor exercises?

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How do you perform pelvic floor exercises? (by Sportsperformance Physiotherapy)

Pelvic floor exercises have many benefits for women, but many people misunderstand and perform this exercise incorrectly, thinking that contracting the abdominal, gluteal or thigh muscles means contracting the pelvic floor muscles. Let's take the time to learn about proper pelvic floor exercises so that you don't waste your efforts without seeing results.

 

How do you perform pelvic floor exercises?

  • Lie, sit or stand with your knees slightly apart
  • First, relax your thighs, buttocks and abdomen
  • Concentrate and use all 3 different groups of pelvic floor muscles together, i.e. the urethral, vaginal and anal muscles
  • Tightening this group of muscles slowly as if you are trying to withhold passing urine or flatus. You should have a 'tightening and lifting inward' feeling

'Long Squeezes' or 'Slow Contractions'

When you have tightened your muscles to your limit, hold the contraction for 10 seconds, release gradually, rest for 10 seconds and then repeat the above steps. These help build up the muscle group's endurance.

 

'Short Squeezes' or 'Quick Contractions'

Same exercise while holding the contraction for a second or two and then relaxing. These help your muscles react quickly to sudden pressure (from coughing, sneezing or jumping) on the bladder.

Start with 3 cycles daily; for each cycle, you may combine 'slow contractions' and 'quick contractions'.

For 'slow contractions', contract, hold and release the muscles up to 10-30 times; for 'quick contractions', contract, hold and release the muscles up to 5-10 times.

 

When to perform the exercise?

For beginners, do it while you are lying on the bed; when you are getting used to it later, you can do it while you are sitting or standing during your daily living, e.g. doing housework.

 

Important Notes

  • You should squeeze and lift the pelvic floor muscle (do not push as if you are passing faeces)
  • Don't practise the pelvic floor exercise during urination - Don't hold your breath or stop breathing while doing the pelvic floor exercise
  • Don't squeeze other muscles at the same time as you squeeze your pelvic muscles, for example, the back muscles or the buttocks
  • Sometimes it takes 2 - 6 months to notice the improvement
  • Incontinence can have many causes. Seek advice from your healthcare providers if you have any queries
  • Patients who have suffered from urethritis or vaginitis should not undergo this exercise before their symptoms are stable

 

Pre-natal Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy during your pregnancy is designed to prevent problems and to treat any aches and pains which occur as the pregnancy progresses.

Post-natal Physiotherapy: After the baby is born (Post-natal), looking after a baby involves lots of strain on your back from bending and lifting. In addition, sitting to feed your baby, may also lead to back problems if you don’t pay attention to your posture. Our physiotherapists will advise you an individually tailored programme of exercises to return you to pre-pregnancy fitness, addressing any weakness in the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles as well as exercise to close any separation of the abdominal muscles.

 

Further reading: