When was the last time you did anything good for your pelvic floor?
It’s probably not something you’ve given much thought to, unless you’re having troublesome symptoms, like problems holding in your wee, or painful sex.
Winnie Wu, a pelvic health physiotherapist, says most people don’t even know what their pelvic floor muscles are, let alone why it’s important to look after them.
‘Your pelvic floor is there to support your pelvic organs – your uterus, your bladder and your rectum. So you really want to make sure that the pelvic floor layer is functional and is doing its job, so that you don’t experience things like leaking or prolapse or any other symptoms like pain,’ says Winnie, founder of women’s health practice Papaya Clinic.
The strength and health of your pelvic floor can be affected by pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, chronic constipation, endometriosis and menopause.
Read more: We created a feminine sex toy for our friend who’d never pleasured herself
The impact
If your pelvic floor isn’t operating at its best, Winnie says it can impact on your everyday activities.
‘It can be very disabling. It can affect physical activities, such as going for a long walk, hikes, chasing after a bus and jumping on the trampoline with kids,’ she says. ‘Other types of dysfunctions, such as pain during intercourse, or pelvic pain in general, can impact on your relationships and your intimacy.’
While these symptoms might seem embarrassing, Winnie wants to encourage women experiencing them to speak up and get help, as there’s plenty of assistance available.
‘Prevention is important too,’
Winnie says.
Looking after your precious pelvic floor muscles throughout your life will help prevent serious bladder or bowel problems, and contributes to a healthy sex life.
So how can we keep this important muscle group healthy and strong?
To squeeze or not?
Maybe you’ve heard about ‘kegels’ and you’re wondering if they’re a good idea. Or perhaps you’ve been told that interrupting your urine mid-flow is good for your pelvic floor.
Winnie cautions against trying anything without getting personalised advice from a healthcare professional first.
‘Don’t just follow whatever is on social media, or from googling “kegels”. It can make symptoms worse, especially if you have pelvic pain,’ she explains.
‘Pelvic floor muscle training should be tailored to the person because everyone’s pelvic floor is different. Sometimes people don’t need to strengthen the pelvic floor – they need to “down-train” it.’
Getting support
Even if you don’t have any symptoms, Winnie highly recommends every woman who is near, or beyond, menopause age should see a women’s health physio to get their pelvic floor checked.
By getting personalised exercises from a physio that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine, you can help keep your pelvic floor strong throughout life.
‘You want your pelvic floor to support your daily activities as you age,’ says Winnie. ‘So if you cough, your pelvic floor muscles should contract to counteract the pressure and prevent leakage. If you’re lifting heavy shopping bags, your pelvic floor should have enough tone, strength and endurance to support your pelvic organs on top. This is so you don’t get a sense of heaviness or other worrying pelvic symptoms.’
And if you’re experiencing symptoms that indicate your pelvic floor may need support, talk to your GP or a women’s health physio.
If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your GP or a women’s health physio:
Signs of an unhealthy pelvic floor
- Bladder issues – you have an increased urge to wee, can’t hold your wee, feel the urge but then aren’t able to wee, or leaking when coughing, sneezing, laughing or doing physical activities such as running
- Bowel issues – being unable to completely empty your bowel, fecal incontinence, passing wind when bending over or lifting, or feeling the urge to poo but not being able to
- Pain with sex
- Pain or a feeling of heaviness in the vulva or pelvic floor area
- Constant constipation.
