Love Your Pelvic Floor

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April 3rd, 2018

Now you may be desk-bound for many hours a day but that’s simply not a good enough reason to neglect the unsung hero that’s even busier than you are, supporting all your internal organs on a 24/7 basis.

Yes folks, it’s the pelvic floor…

…and if you’re not sure what and where that is, take a look at the pink bits in the picture

Rear view of pelvis showing some of the pelvic floor musculature

Remember back in the mists of time someone told you to “do your pelvic floor exercises”?

Well whoever told you that was right and if you don’t want to be spending your hard-earned cash on incontinence products, it’s better to start them sooner rather than later.

Time to dredge from your memory banks that information you were given on squeezing your nether regions as if trying to stop yourself peeing and give it a go now.

You should also practice that little move that stops your bottom making embarrassing noises while you’re having tea with the vicar.

Next, try engaging both sets of muscles at once, as well as working on each set independently. Now draw up and release both sets from front to back. And from back to front. Keep it varied – no one said pelvic floor exercises had to be boring did they?

You may have been told some stuff about elevators going up and down and stopping part-way between the top floor and the ground floor. If not, use your imagination to tighten up and release your pelvic floor muscles as fully as possible (both front and back) in slow and controlled moves as well as in quick, tensing motions. Stop at all six floors between the top floor and the ground floor. Most importantly, when you get to the ground floor and release the tension, relax totally. It’s just as important as being able to tense up.

Believe it girl (and boy!), there will be emergencies for which you’ll be glad you’ve done that stuff.

There are also some non-emergency situations when you’ll be glad of a well-functioning pelvic floor as it’s been shown to improve things in the bedroom department too.

Feeling more motivated to do them now?

If there’s one thing the pelvic floor dislikes, it’s being sat on for hours on end, so give these moves a go while you’re standing around waiting for the kettle to boil, or at any other opportunity that presents itself. No one even needs to know you’re doing them, as long as you can avoid that slightly glazed facial expression that gives it away.

This is just the tip of the iceberg – there are many, oh so many ways to improve pelvic floor function and any half-decent personal trainer will have lots of ideas on this. With the right exercise, you can put a stop to those awkward “help I need to sneeze but think I might wet my pants” moments. Yes, we’ve all been there (yes – really!) but we don’t have to think of it as the norm.

And while you sit there contemplating whether or not to get a personal trainer, please do me a favour and get on with a few pelvic floor exercises!

It may not give you a bunch of flowers but I promise your hard-working pelvic floor will repay you in many other life-affirming ways.

Nicky Hall is a Personal Trainer at FitActive Personal Training based in Upper Oddington, Gloucestershire. Both FitActive’s personal training sessions and Fit in 45 and BodyFit classes include exercise for pelvic floor health and general wellbeing.