What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor muscles are at the base of the pelvis and attach from the pubic bone at the front to the tail bone at the back. They are like a hammock and support the bladder, uterus and bowel. They also help control the bladder and bowel and play a role in sexual function.

WHAT do my pelvic floor muscles do?
  • Stop you from leaking urine or stool
  • Helps with urine leakage by closing the wee tube (urethra)
  • Stops stool leaking by helping the anal canal to maintain good closure pressures
  • Maintain normal sexual function
  • Part of the clitoral organ lies within the pelvic floor musculature. Therefore, dysfunction of the pelvic floor can affect a woman’s ability to orgasm. Having optimal pelvic floor health can assist in improving intimacy for a woman.
  • Help support your pelvic organs – bladder, uterus and bowel
  • The pelvic floor acts like a hammock or trampoline sitting underneath your organs, providing support for your organs in times of high physical load and throughout life
 
HOW do I activate my pelvic floor muscles?
Below are a few cues to help you activate your pelvic floor muscles:

Back passage
Imagine you are holding wind in, or squeeze your anal sphincter and lift up and in

Middle passage
Imagine you’re lifting a scarf up through your vagina to your heart, or squeeze your labia closed and lift up and in

Front passage
Imagine you’re holding in the urge to go wee, or nodding your clitoris or retracting the clitoris inside you
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HOW MANY should I be able to do?
3 sets of 10 repetitions of 10 second holds in standing

HOW OFTEN
Daily or bring them in when you lift –
In this way you are doing them functionally throughout every day.
Pelvic floor safe exercises?Pelvic floor safe exercise are completely woman dependant
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PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION

Weak pelvic floor muscles
Possible signs and symptoms of weak pelvic floor include:
  • Urine leakage when you cough / sneeze/ lift or jump
  • Vaginal wind
  • Difficulty holding a tampon in place
  • Difficulty holding in wind
  • Bowel urgency

Overactive pelvic floor muscles
Possible signs and symptoms of an overactive pelvic floor include:
  • Incomplete emptying of bladder and or bowel
  • Pain with intimacy either on entry or with deep penetration
  • Pain is often felt in the lower abdominal region
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