Strengthen your pelvic floor with this daily routine
Where is the pelvic floor (core)?
The pelvic floor muscles are in the middle of the pelvis, between the tailbone and the pubic bone. The key function of these muscles is to support the bowel and bladder.
How do you activate your pelvic floor?
Sit comfortably with legs apart, about hip distance. Inhale to prepare, and while you exhale, imagine that you are trying to stop yourself from passing the wind. To be able to do this, you need to not only squeeze the muscles but also lift them. Repeat 10 times.
Research has also shown that simultaneously engaging the transversus abdominis and obliques may help deepen pelvic floor muscle engagement.
How can you do this?
As you breathe, gently press the centre of your sacrum into the mat beneath you. Now, visualise your lumbar and thoracic junction (your mid-back), and connect them just like you did with the sacrum, using your breath to guide you.
So, with each breath and gentle press, you are getting those muscles fired upand ready to support you.
How do you know you have a weak pelvic floor?
You might experience urge incontinence.
You might have lower back pain.
Your urine is spraying while peeing.
You are suffering from constipation or very small poops.
Causes of a weak pelvic floor
Pregnancy and childbirth can undoubtedly weaken the pelvic floor.
Being overweight can contribute to the pelvic floor not functioning effectively (contraction and release).
Menopause–due to the decline of oestrogen levels, the pelvic floor muscles become thinner and less flexible.
Prostate cancer surgery can cause a weak pelvic floor as a side effect of treatment.
How can you strengthen your pelvic floor?
Professionals advise that you can improve your pelvic floor reliability with daily exercise routine. I was surprised to learn that a brisk walk (slight incline) for 20–30 minutes can also make a difference. In addition, you will need to do some pelvic floor exercises.
Here are a few exercises for your home practice:
Bridge – start supine, with bent legs, feet, and hips-distance. Inhale to prepare, exhale articulate your spine into the bridge. Ensure your gluteus are activated. Move back on the mat with exhale (dropping one vertebra at a time back on the mat).
Dead Bug – start supine, with bent legs. Inhale, lift one leg into a table-top position; exhale, drop the leg down on the mat—alternate leg. Ensure that you are lifting the leg from the hip (feel the weight of the leg).
Quadruped – start with hands on the mat (under shoulders) and knees on the floor (under hips). Exhale and lift the opposite arm/leg. Inhale and return both limbs to the floor. Lift the other arm/leg. Ensure your back is parallel to the floor (avoid body movement).
Healthy pelvic floor management
Drink plenty of fluids every day. Eat a healthy diet containing plenty of fibre. Maintain a healthy weight. Start doing pelvic floor exercises. Avoid undesirable workouts which can weaken your pelvic floor. Here are some examples:
Heavy Lifting
Double legslift
Deep squats
Sit-ups with unsupported straight legs
Running or jumping
High-intensity abdominal exercises
In summary, you can prevent your pelvic floor from getting weak if you look after it. But, you need to start soon and establish a daily habit. Once you start, you will be able to come up with some new ways on how you can activate your pelvic floor when you are standing. I’m doing it as I write this blog!