6 Things All Women Need to Know About Their Pelvic Floor
There are a lot of myths and misinformation about the pelvic floor. Despite being a really important area of the female body, many people are unsure what it does, where it is and how to activate it. This short blog will provide you with some important information all women need to know about their pelvic floor.
1. Where is my pelvic floor and what does it do?
The pelvic floor is a collection of muscles that span (like a bowl) from your coccyx (tailbone) to your pubic bone and your sit bones to either side. The pelvic floor muscles in women have 3 openings and encircle the anus, vagina and urethra. The pelvic floor muscles have some really important jobs, they control your continence (when you wee and poo) as well as support your pelvic organs (bladder, bowel and uterus) and have a role to play in sexual pleasure.
2. The correct way to activate your pelvic floor; don’t forget to squeeze your anus.
Imagine you’re trying to hold in wind, so squeeze your anus. At the same time imagine you need to go for a wee but are trying to hold on by squeezing into your vagina and urethra. So, it’s a back to front squeeze and lift up inside you while trying to keep your tummy, buttocks and legs relaxed. Don’t hold your breath! Breathe steadily as you squeeze and hold. It’s not always easy to do, if you find any elements difficult, your pelvic health physiotherapist is just the person to give you some individual advice and an evaluation.
3. How to spot pelvic floor dysfunction.
Pelvic floor dysfunction can present in a few different ways. Some women may feel pain or tightness in their pelvic floor or painful sex, others may be experiencing leakage from their bladder or bowel or even constipation. Sometimes women may feel a heaviness, bulge or dragging in their vagina. As you can see, dysfunction can look very different for different women, depending on what the individual issues with the pelvic floor might be.
4. The pelvic floor is not always weak and loose, sometimes it’s too tight.
Many people think all pelvic floor issues are caused by it being weak and too loose. While for some women this can be the cause of their problems, it isn’t always the case. Sometimes the pelvic floor can be too tight as a result of scaring, trauma or over activity in the muscles. This can also be the cause of incontinence and pelvic pain. This is the reason an individualised pelvic floor assessment is so important if you are having issues. If you are just doing strengthening exercises they may be making your symptoms worse.
5. Relaxation is just as important as being able to squeeze.
Being able to relax the pelvic floor muscles isn’t always easy. There is a group of women for who this is difficult to achieve. In order for the pelvic floor to work well and effectively it is important that the muscles are strong and have good endurance. But it is also important they can work through their whole available range, just like any other groups of muscles in the body. It’s really important to make sure the pelvic floor is totally relaxed between squeezes if you’re working on pelvic floor strengthening exercises and ensure you aren’t gripping or constantly trying to hold on.
6. Leaking urine when you run, cough, sneeze or laugh is common but not normal.
These symptoms are very common and at least one in three women in their lifetime will experience pelvic floor dysfunction. However, these symptoms aren’t normal and help is available. It’s a really good idea to see your GP or pelvic health physiotherapist to get an assessment. This will determine what might be causing the problem and identify a programme to get you feeling better and taking part in the activities you love with confidence.
Contact Bethany for more information on pelvic health physiotherapy. Bethany offers physiotherapy appointments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at InForm Physiotherapy in Silverstream, Upper Hutt. Call 045 274 155 for bookings.