The pelvic floor muscles have a very big impact on a woman’s health. Commonly called Kegel muscles, they are often underestimated. Find out what role they play and why it is important to strengthen them regularly.
Pelvic floor muscles and their importance
The pelvic floor muscles are one of the most important muscle groups. They attach to the pelvic bones and form something like a funnel that points downwards. They are characterised by their layered structure and fibres that run in different directions. The pelvic floor muscles in women provide a stable support for the body. Their specific location, however, makes it impossible to observe them and because of their delicate activity, their work can often go undetected.
The pelvic floor muscles have several very important functions in the body:
- proper retention of urine and organs in the abdominal cavity,
- thorax stabilisation,
- stabilisation of the sacral and nodal bones.
They are therefore responsible for the correct posture, prevent problems with incontinence, have a beneficial effect on the course of childbirth, as well as the enjoyment of sexual intercourse.
Weak pelvic floor muscles
Weakened or damaged pelvic floor muscles can cause many unpleasant ailments. These include, in particular, problems with urinary incontinence, severe bladder pain and back pain. Dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles can be caused mainly by age and obesity. Very often their weakening is also caused by pregnancy, childbirth, lack of physical activity, use of stimulants, improper diet and diseases and surgeries in the area of reproductive organs and urinary system.
How to train my pelvic floor muscles?
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles will have a positive effect on their condition and will certainly help to minimise the occurrence of the problems mentioned above. The first thing to do is to locate them in your body. The best way to do this is to try once to stop the stream while urinating. If you can do this, it is a sign that your pelvic floor muscles are working. But that doesn’t mean you can stop strengthening them altogether. But stopping the stream of urine exercise should not be done often, as it can contribute to many bladder problems.
You can exercise your pelvic floor muscles at almost any time of the day. You can do the exercises lying down, standing up or sitting down. They involve alternate stretching and relaxing. The break between contractions should last as long as the contraction. It is best to do three series of exercises of 10 repetitions. At the beginning, do it in a controlled manner in conditions which are comfortable for you. With time, you will be able to exercise in almost any situation.
Doing pelvic floor muscle training correctly
Correct exercise involves tensing and relaxing only the pelvic floor muscles. If you feel that your buttocks or thighs are also tensing up, you are doing the exercises wrong. And as a result, the exercises will not have the desired effect. You should also not feel any tension in your abdominal muscles when exercising. It is also very important not to hold your breath when exercising.
Pelvic floor muscle training – for whom?
This type of training is designed for both women and men. However, it is especially directed to women who are planning pregnancy, preparing for childbirth or struggling with the problem of incontinence. Regular exercise will certainly strengthen the muscles, which will help to minimise involuntary leakage of urine. In order to avoid embarrassing situations connected with uncontrolled urinating, it is good to use solutions available on the market which are designed to ensure comfort and convenience. One of them are URITAM incontinence tampons available in our offer. An innovative product created from the highest quality materials is a perfect protection and a way to restore women’s self-confidence!
Problems with urinary incontinence should not be underestimated. Apart from exercising, it is worth consulting a specialist, who will certainly choose the right methods of treatment.