The Benefits of Pelvic Floor Exercises

Your pelvic floor muscles have a huge impact on the proper function of your lower body organs including your bladder and bowels. 

When you have a baby these muscles can become weaker.

This results in potential leakages from either your bowels or bladder. This is why strengthening your pelvic floor muscles is vital.

In this guide, we will discuss the further benefits of pelvic floor exercises and what they entail.

What are pelvic floor exercises?

Also known as kegel exercises, pelvic exercises help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. 

They are performed by repeated contraction and relaxation of the muscles that form the pelvic floor.

These muscles support the bladder, bowel, and for women, the uterus, playing a crucial role in urinary and bowel control, as well as sexual function. 

How to perform pelvic exercises

To perform these exercises, you must first identify the pelvic floor muscles, typically by attempting to stop the flow of urine midstream. 

Once identified, the exercises involve contracting these muscles for a few seconds and then relaxing them, repeating this process several times. 

Regular practice of pelvic floor exercises helps strengthen these muscles, providing a range of health benefits.

How long do pelvic floor exercises take to work?

The time it takes for pelvic floor exercises to show results can vary depending on your starting point and the consistency of your practice. 

Generally, most people begin to notice improvements within 4 to 6 weeks of regular exercise. 

For some, significant changes, such as improved bladder control or enhanced sexual function, may take up to three months. 

Consistency is key—performing the exercises correctly and regularly, typically at least three times a day, is essential for seeing and maintaining results. 

It’s also important to continue these exercises even after improvements are noticed to sustain the benefits and prevent potential future issues.

How to do pelvic floor exercises after birth?

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do them:

• Find the right muscles – Identify your pelvic floor muscles by trying to stop your urine flow midstream. Once you’ve identified these muscles, avoid doing this regularly while urinating to prevent any bladder issues.

• Get comfortable – Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. You can start with a lying-down position if sitting is uncomfortable initially.

• Contract the muscles – Tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold the contraction for about 5 seconds. Ensure you are only tightening the pelvic floor muscles and not your abdomen, buttocks, or thighs.

• Relax the muscles – After holding for 5 seconds, relax the muscles completely for another 5 seconds. 

• Repeat the exercise – Aim for 10 repetitions of contracting and relaxing. As you become more comfortable, gradually increase the hold time to 10 seconds and the relax time to 10 seconds.

• Consistency – Perform these exercises three times a day. Incorporate them into your daily routine, such as while brushing your teeth, during feeding sessions, or when sitting comfortably.

• Progress gradually – Start gently, especially if you’ve had a difficult delivery. As your strength improves, you can increase the duration and intensity of the contractions.

If you experience any discomfort, pain or are unsure if you’re doing the exercises correctly, consult your healthcare provider for guidance.

Can you overdo pelvic floor exercises?

Yes, you can overdo pelvic floor exercises.

Overdoing pelvic floor exercises can lead to excessively tense muscles, resulting in extreme pelvic pain. 

Conversely, if you don’t practise them frequently enough, your progress will diminish, and your pelvic floor will weaken.

Can you do pelvic floor exercises while pregnant?

Yes, pelvic floor exercises can be done when you’re pregnant.

These exercises are highly beneficial during pregnancy as they help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.

Strengthening these muscles can help manage and prevent common pregnancy-related issues such as urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. 

Additionally, strong pelvic floor muscles can facilitate easier labour and recovery postpartum. 

Pelvic floor exercises are safe for most pregnant women, but it’s always best to consult with a healthcare provider to ensure they are appropriate for your specific situation. 

Regularly practising these exercises can contribute to overall pelvic health, making pregnancy more comfortable and aiding in a smoother postnatal recovery.

What are pelvic floor exercises good for?

Pelvic floor exercises are beneficial for several reasons:

Strengthening the Pelvic Floor Muscles 

These exercises target the muscles that support the bladder, uterus, rectum, and small intestine. 

Strengthening these muscles helps maintain pelvic organ support and function.

Improving Bladder Control

Pelvic floor exercises can help prevent or reduce urinary issues by strengthening the muscles that control urine flow. 

They are particularly useful for stress incontinence (leakage of urine during activities that increase abdominal pressure like coughing or sneezing) and urge incontinence (a sudden, intense urge to urinate).

Enhancing Bowel Control 

Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can also help manage faecal incontinence by improving control over the bowels.

Supporting Postpartum Recovery

After childbirth, pelvic floor exercises can help restore muscle tone and function, aiding in recovery from vaginal delivery and reducing the risk of prolapse.

Preventing Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Regular pelvic floor exercises can help prevent or manage pelvic organ prolapse, a condition where the pelvic organs drop from their normal position due to weakness in the pelvic floor muscles.

Enhancing Sexual Health 

For women, these exercises can increase vaginal tone and potentially enhance sexual pleasure. 

For men, they can help with erectile dysfunction and improve the strength of erections.

Helping You Strengthen Your Pelvic  Floor Muscles

It’s clear to see that pelvic floor exercises offer you many benefits. 

They not only allow you to maintain pelvic wellness but can improve your overall quality of life.

At POW8R, we have an online fitness app that is specially designed to help women in their exercise and fitness journey.

Wherever they are currently pregnant or experiencing postpartum our classes can help.

Please check out the membership plans we have available.