If your pelvic floor muscles aren’t strong enough, you’ll have problems with bladder and bowel continence. The pelvic floor can affect women’s sexual sensation since it supports the uterus. Weakness can even cause back pain. Pelvic floor exercises strengthen the muscles. The stronger those muscles are, the less fear you have that you’ll wet your pants if you sneeze or laugh. That’s especially true for pregnant or older women.
What are the pelvic floor muscles, and how can you strengthen them?
As the name implies, these core muscles are on the floor of the pelvis. They support the bladder, bowel, uterus, and core. They also regulate abdominal pressure. You can start with a simple exercise done on the toilet when you urinate. Focus on the muscles you’re using to allow the urine to release before you go. Attempt to stop your urine by tightening those muscles before you start urinating. A kegel exercise is done the same way but not while urinating. Instead of stopping a urine stream, tighten and relax the muscles you use to do that. You can do it anywhere.
Do a bridge and then squeeze.
A bridge starts by lying on your back with your knees bent with your feet flat on the floor. As you exhale, pull your belly in as tight as you can and squeeze your bottom tightly, lifting your body to a straight angle from your knees to the top of your head. Hold, then slowly lower your body as you inhale. To improve the pelvic floor workout, hold a ball or pillow between your knees.
A clamshell helps build the core muscles.
The clamshell is a simple exercise that starts by laying on your side with your upper body lifted and supported on the forearm of your lower arm. Bend your knees at a 45-degree angle, putting your upper arm on the floor for stability. Keeping your heels together, lift your upper leg like a clamshell opening. Hold and then lower the leg back to the starting position. Do ten, then switch sides.
- Do a side-style leg left. Lay on your side with the bottom leg bent and the top one straight. Lift the upper leg while you tighten the pelvic floor muscles. Slowly lower the leg and repeat. Switch sides.
- Doing a shallower squat with feet closer together can help strengthen the pelvic muscles. Keep your back straight and lean slightly forward while you bend your knees and lower toward the ground. When returning to the standing position, focus on tightening the pelvic muscles.
- Pelvic floor exercises can help stop the stomach from pouching. If the pelvic floor is weak, it causes your organs to droop and push out the stomach.
- Just like any exercise, focus on form and technique. It’s even more important for pelvic floor exercises and the reason most people need to locate where they are before starting.
For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness