Blog Details

Anyone can experience pelvic floor weakness, and exercises can help strengthen the pelvic floor, enhancing bowel and bladder control.

Doing pelvic floor exercises can also have other benefits, including:

• reducing the risk of vaginal prolapse
• helping with recovery after childbirth
• speeding recovery after prostate surgery
• reducing the risk of rectal prolapse

However, anyone who has recently had surgery or given birth should speak with a doctor before starting any pelvic floor exercises to ensure that it is safe.

Kegel exercises focus on tightening and holding the muscles that control urine flow.

To perform this exercise, a person should:

• Sit in a comfortable position, close the eyes, and visualize the muscles that can stop urine flow.
• Tighten these muscles as much as possible.
• Hold this position for 3–5 seconds. It should feel as though the muscles are lifting up as a result of the squeezing.
• Release the muscles and rest for several seconds.
• Repeat this up to 10 times.

People can vary this exercise by doing it while standing, lying down, or crouching on all fours.

This rapid movement helps the pelvic floor muscles respond quickly.

To perform this exercise, a person should:

• Sit in a comfortable position.
• Picture the pelvic floor muscles.
• Squeeze them as quickly as possible and release them without trying to hold the contraction.
• Rest for 3–5 seconds.
• Repeat this 10–20 times per set.
• Do two sets later in the day.

Bridge

While the bridge exercise primarily strengthens the buttocks, it also helpsTrusted Source work the pelvic floor.

To do this exercise:

• Lie on the back and bend the knees, with the feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Keep the arms by the sides with the palms facing down.
• Contract the buttocks and pelvic floor muscles, and lift the buttocks several inches off the ground.
• Hold this position for 3–8 seconds.
• Relax the buttocks and pelvic floor muscles, and lower the buttocks to the ground.
• Repeat this up to 10 times per set.
• Rest, then perform up to two additional sets.

As the strength of the pelvic floor increases, many people find that they can do more repetitions.

By: Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA

Read More