17 December 2015
Our Guide to doing Pelvic Floor Exercises Properly
We all know the importance of doing our pelvic floor exercises but we don’t always remember to do them or are unsure if we are doing them right. It is actually not that hard to do your pelvic floor exercises so we have come up with a useful guide for you to have a look at. It includes how to do the exercises, finding the right muscles and how long it takes to feel a difference. Pelvic floor exercises are especially useful for stress incontinence and can reduce the effects of this condition considerably. They can be done at almost any time or anywhere, at home, work or even queuing for the bus! Where do I begin? 1. The best place to start is to find the right muscles. To do this try and stop the flow of urine when you go to the toilet. If you do this, then the muscles you used are the right ones for pelvic floor exercises. This is only a test – it is not a good idea to make a habit of this. 2. If you are doing step 1 correctly, as the muscles contract it should feel as though you’re squeezing and lifting them slightly up into the body. There shouldn't be any tensing of the buttocks or thighs, although tightening your anus can help (as if holding in wind). 4. Once you’ve found the right muscles, you can start exercising them several times a day (30-40 repetitions in total). You can do these in many different positions: sitting, standing or lying down. How do I do the exercises?
1. At first, just hold and squeeze your muscles for a second or two. Then gradually build it up to 10 seconds. Repeat as often as you can, building up to 10 repetitions.
2. Rest between squeezes for the same amount of time as you have contracted your muscles, i.e. rest for 10 seconds after holding for 10 seconds.
3. You can also try some fast, hard contractions where you squeeze as hard as you can, then let go straight away. Again, repeat up to 10 times.
4. As well as doing these exercises several times a day, you should also squeeze your pelvic floor muscles when you need them, e.g. laughing, coughing, bending, or anything that makes you leak urine.
How long before I notice a difference?
You should notice a difference within 2 to 4 months of regular exercise, but physiotherapists recommend you continue for around 6 months.
Once you’ve got your bladder weakness under control you can then reduce the number of times you need to do these exercises. However, we recommend you carry on using these muscles every day, when you need them, to keep them working effectively.
For more information or help do take a look at our managing your incontinence page on our website.
Best wishes
Incontinence UK
www.incontinenceuk.co.uk
