Pelvic Floor – Why You Shouldn’t Neglect This Important Muscle Group
Do you find that you wee a little bit when you jump, sneeze or laugh? Don’t worry it happens to more of us than you think! This is your body telling you that you need to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
DID YOU KNOW….
That both men and women have Pelvic Floor muscles?
That the Pelvic Floor is part of our core muscles?
Strengthening your Pelvic Floor muscles can improve overall wellbeing. Targeting this commonly neglected muscle group has life-changing benefits. We asked our qualified pilates instructor Claudia on why working your pelvic floor is so important and how to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. She has shared her hot tips with us below.
Benefits of having a strong Pelvic Floor
Having the ability to train our pelvic floor muscles means you gain control over your bladder release, develop stronger core muscles to protect the spine and back from injuries, prevent developing pelvic floor dysfunctions, have a deeper connection with the body and positive psychological impacts.
Understanding more about your pelvic floor and improving your overall pelvic health starts with learning that the floor of the pelvis is made up of layers of muscles and tissue that stretch like a hammock from the pubic bone at the front to the coccyx (tailbone) at the back, as well as to the side to each sit bones.
What do the Pelvic Floor muscles do?
These muscles take on the role of controlling the release of your wee and poo when it is convenient. We can loose control over these muscles due to ageing, after having a baby, becoming obese or surgery. Doing exercises that contract and relax pelvic floor muscles as well as working the pelvis will help to tighten the openings of these areas for better control. It can also assist a mother to endure less pain during childbirth when delivering her baby.
Why you might loose control
The Pelvic floor, along with brain signals will control your bladder, however if you have a weakened pelvic floor, you can experience leaks of urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh or exercise. These involuntary leaks can be improved by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles.
How to tell if you have Pelvic Floor pain
Pelvic Floor pain can often feel like a sharp or stabbing pain that shoots up vagina and rectum and can often worsen during sexual intercourse.
This pain can also get worse with exercise, in particular any abdominal exercises, such as sit ups and crunches.
Lower back pain can also be a symptom of Pelvic Floor issues.
If you are experiencing this, it’s a good idea to see your doctor or a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
How to strengthen your pelvic floor
Try this exercise each day to connect to your body and use it as method of meditation or self care:
- Find a comfortable space to sit up straight
- Relax your thighs, bottom and lower tummy muscles
- Draw in the muscles around your front and then relax them
- Draw in the muscles around the back and then relax them
- Repeat 10 times on both sides
All of our pilates classes help to strengthen all areas of your body. Check out Claudia’s toning session for a stronger core, or exercises to move better in your daily activities.
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