What is the pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is something commonly associated with women and pregnancy/childbirth, but both men and women have a pelvic floor and a strong and healthy pelvic floor is vital to many aspects of your life. Your pelvic floor is a combination of muscles and ligaments that essentially create a sling across your bony pelvic outlet to help hold all your internal organs in place. As well as supporting your pelvic organs, it is responsible for bladder and bowel control. It also contributes to sexual functions.
Pelvic Floor Problems
The pelvic floor and pelvic organs are a part of a complex system and at times, things can go wrong. Common issues associated with the pelvic floor are;
- Pelvic pain or dysfunction
- Urinary issues (difficulty urinating, urinary incontinence, urethral prolapse)
- Gynecological issues (uterine or vaginal prolapse, dyspareunia/pain with intercourse)
- Colorectal issues (constipation, rectal prolapse, faecal incontinence)
There is often the narrative that if you have issues with your pelvic floor, it must mean that it is weak. However, it is also common that issues can arise from an overactive or tight pelvic floor. This is why when doing pelvic floor exercises, it is just as important to focus on the relaxation stage as it is the contraction stage.
Training the Pelvic Floor
Just like any other part of your body, depending on your aim, there are different ways to train your pelvic floor. If you have never trained your pelvic floor before, it is important to take it slow at the start and practice contractions so you can get a feel for the movement first.
If you are not sure – these videos from Continence Australia can help guide you, they are also great to help visualise what your pelvic floor looks like.
Women’s Pelvic Floor – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0_JAoaM6pU&t=2s
Male’s Pelvic Floor – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQQSqLCF12g&t=1s
- Strength – if training for strength try completing 8-12 contractions, for 1-3 sets.
- Power – try completing 8-12 fast squeezes, ensuring to relax in between, for 1-3 sets.
- Endurance – try holding a contraction for 20 seconds for 1-3 sets.
