Take Control: The Power of Pelvic Floor Health
Welcome to an in-depth exploration into the important relationship between pelvic floor health and strength training, especially tailored for women over 40 navigating post-childbirth changes and/or the menopause transition. Grab a cuppa, and let’s look at ways to improve your pelvic floor strength—a key to your physical health and overall confidence.
The Pelvic Floor: Your Hidden Strength
The pelvic floor muscles form a supportive hammock across your pelvic opening, crucial for organ support and functional strength. These muscles aid in bladder and bowel control, reduce prolapse risk, and improve recovery post-childbirth. Yet, our modern sedentary lifestyle often undermines their strength, leading to various issues.
Strength Training: A Support for Pelvic Health
Integrating strength exercises into your routine is not just about building muscle; it's about creating a resilient foundation for your pelvic floor. Some of the benefits of pelvic floor exercises include: improving bladder and bowel control; reducing the risk of prolapse (in women); better recovery from childbirth and surgery (in women); improved sexual function; increased social confidence; and quality of life.
Exercises such as squats, glute bridges, and clamshell exercises play a significant role in this process.
Each of the following exercises targets the pelvic floor indirectly by strengthening the muscles around it.
Squats: The squat, a natural and fundamental movement, is a powerhouse exercise for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Unfortunately, our sedentary lifestyle has made squatting a rarity. Here's how to squat effectively:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms in front of you for balance. Bend your knees and lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, pushing your hips backwards, keeping your back straight, leaning slightly forward and chest lifted. Make sure you only go as low down as is comfortable. Press through your heels to return to a standing position. Repeat this 10-12 times per day.
Glute Bridge: Glute bridges builds strong glute muscles and enhances the stability of your hips, which in turn supports your pelvic floor muscles. To perform a glute bridge: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Pressing your feet into the floor, lift your hips toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down. Repeat this 10 times, rest for about a minute, then do another 10. Try and do this three times a day if you can.
Split Table Top: This exercise might sound a little brutal but it’s actually quite easy and happens to strengthen the pelvic floor. Just as with the glute bridge, lie down so your back is completely flat on the floor, and lift your legs so they are bent at a 90-degree angle, with the inner thighs squeezing together slightly and with your feet pointing straight up Slowly move your legs outwards, as far as it’s comfortable. Keeping a slow pace, move your knees back together again. Make sure you are tightening your pelvic floor muscles as you draw your thighs together. Repeat this 10-15 times and try to do three cycles a day.
Bird Dog: The Bird Dog also benefits many muscles, not just the pelvic floor. Find a space then start on all fours, with your hands directly below your shoulders, and knees straight under your hips. Keeping your back and neck completely straight, move your right arm and left leg out, straightening them completely. Hold this position for about two seconds, then lower your arm and leg slowly back to their starting positions. Do this again with your left arm and right leg, hold for two seconds, and release. Continue to alternate like this 10 times and try to do 3 sets a day.
Clamshells: The Clamshell exercise can engage the deep muscles within the pelvic floor. Lay on one side with knees slightly bent. Engage your lower abdominal muscles and your pelvic floor. While keeping your feet together you will lift your top knee up only as high as comfortable without rocking your hip backwards. Hold your knee up 3-5 seconds and then slowly lower back down. Perform 10-20 reps on one side and then switch and perform with your other side. You can add a band above the knees for added resistance once the bodyweight version becomes easier.
(Video - Knee Banded Clamshell)
Kegels: The Direct Approach
While the above exercises strengthen the pelvic floor through indirect engagement, Kegel exercises target these muscles directly. By regularly performing Kegels, you can significantly improve pelvic floor strength and control.
So, how do you know you are doing Kegels properly? Like any exercise, it can be difficult to know at first. But with a daily commitment, it becomes instinctive.
Here are a few tips for doing Kegel exercises for women:
Which Muscles Do I Use? If you can stop your urination flow mid-stream, you have identified your pelvic floor muscles. That’s the most difficult part of the exercise. (If you’re having problems identifying the correct muscles, stop and make an appointment with a Pelvic Floor PT)
How Many Should I Do Per Day? Performing with an empty bladder, your first goal should be to tighten your pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds. Then relax them for 5 seconds. Try to do 5 reps on your first day. As you gain confidence, aim for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions. (A total of 10 full Kegels per session.) As you gain strength, you can work up to 3 sessions of 10 full Kegels per day.
Join the Journey Towards Enhanced Pelvic Health
Incorporating these exercises can significantly minimise dysfunctions like urinary incontinence and prolapse, improving your health and confidence.
If you are seeking more personalised guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out for information about my Women’s Strength Coaching programs.
Contact me today, and let’s strengthen your tomorrow together!
Disclaimer
This blog is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. Experiencing pelvic floor issues? I recommend consulting a pelvic floor physiotherapist. Always check with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimen.
