Women’s bodies go through many changes as they age. One area of the body that many women may not focus on is the pelvis.
The pelvic floor can undergo changes over time for a number of reasons, which can increase the risk of all sorts of issues. The good news is that there are steps that can be taken to address these changes and maintain a healthy pelvic floor.
Pelvic Floor Problems
The Pelvic floor muscles hold up your bladder, support the uterus, bowel, small and large intestine. The pelvic floor can change for many reasons, resulting in the muscles getting both weaker or tensing up.
The pelvic muscles can get weak from pregnancy and childbirth, being overweight and having low oestrogen levels can also weaken pelvic floor muscles. Women with a weak pelvic floor may develop stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This happens when the pelvic floor muscles have stretched or weakened. Physical activity can also put pressure on the bladder causing the bladder to leak.
Other women may experience tension in the pelvic floor. This can lead to overactive bladder (OAB), where your brain tells your bladder to empty – even when it isn’t full, or the bladder muscles are too active. They contract to pass urine before your bladder is full. Learning to relax the pelvic floor muscles may help reduce these problems. Tension in the pelvic floor can also lead to pain during sex.
Is Pilates good for Pelvic Floor Muscles
The short answer is, YES!
Pilates is most definitely good for pelvic floor muscles.
The pelvic floor runs from the bottom of your pelvis and supports your pelvic organs. Think your bladder, bowel and uterus in women.
The signs of a weak pelvic floor can cause issues with our bladder and bowel control. It is not uncommon, and the good news is that, as a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday.
To strengthen your pelvic floor, it is recommended to exercise daily and make it part of your routine. A standard Pilates class requires you to activate your pelvic floor before each exercise by gently pulling up and drawing the hips inward to hold tension. Pelvic floor muscles take time to strengthen and require daily training, however if you put in the work, it will pay off and your pelvic floor will improve.
How Pilates strengthens the pelvic floor
Pilates is great for your pelvic floor, as it teaches you how to engage and strengthen it during every minute of your class!
- Pilates teaches you to activate your pelvic floor muscles prior to and during exercises. Regular Pilates goers know the cues…inhale, pull up through your pelvic floor, draw your hip bones together. The goal is for your pelvic floor to be working before and as you lift/lower/picking something up.
- Pilates teaches you to move with good posture. This means maintaining a good spinal position! Your instructor will guide you with neutral or imprinted positions depending on the exercise given.
- In Pilates, you are taught to exhale with every effort. Never hold your breath or pull your tummy in strongly during an exercise. This increases the downward pressure on your pelvic floor. Pilates breathing is given for each exercise to ensure you are breathing in a way that supports your body.
- Pilates provides supported positions. For some of us, the use of the small Pilates ball under our tailbone can aid us in building up our pelvic floor by minimising strain.
Some pelvic floor tips!
- The trick with any strengthening work, including your pelvic floor, is to start gradually.
- Be kind to yourself. Some days are not the same as others and you may find that when you are fatigued, unwell or experiencing back pain that your pelvic floor muscles may not work as effectively.
- Relax and rest the pelvic floor on the inhalation of every exercise. This gives your muscles time to recover. You want a pelvic floor that can activate but can also relax!
- If a Pilates exercise feels like it is straining your pelvic floor, speak to your instructor about an alternative exercise. They are there to help you!
Short on time?
It is all well and good to say that you should exercise at least 30 minutes a day, everyday. But what if you are short on time, due to juggling kids, work, housework, etc?
Research shows that even small amounts of pelvic floor training will benefit you. Exercise your pelvic floor whilst you are at the stop lights, washing your hands or washing the dishes. Simply pull up from the front and back passages and draw the hip bones together. Count for 10, release and repeat. Remember that any activity is better than none.
Just in case you didn’t know – pelvic floor exercises are also known as Kegel Exercises or “Kegels”
References: https://www.