Pelvic Floor

Although we talk about 'pelvic floor muscles', and there are indeed several of them, they all work together. It requires high level pelvic floor function and awareness to feel the difference between the different pelvic floor muscles. Remember that if you are weak or have never thought about this before, it may not be easy. It is quite common for people to try too hard to make the muscles work, if in any doubt, you must see a trained Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist to have your muscles assessed.

Bands of the muscles also encircle the bladder and bowel openings and help to keep them closed appropriately and so prevent incontinence when we laugh, cough, sneeze, exercise or simply when we feel that we are busting to go to the toilet.

• You will feel these muscles working if you gently tighten round the front passage as though stopping the flow of urine mid-stream. (It is not advisable to actually stop the flow of urine mid-stream more than once every 2 weeks or so. When you have a wee, you need to let the muscles relax so that you can empty your bladder fully.)
• You will feel these muscles if you gently tighten up around the back passage as though you were trying NOT to pass wind.

A training program might consist of 5-8 pelvic floor squeezes, holding each for 5 or so seconds, doing this three times a day. It may also include some longer holds of up to 20-30 seconds for "endurance".