Strengthen your pelvic floor at any age with this exercise recommended by a Pilates specialist
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As women age, maintaining pelvic floor strength becomes increasingly important, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegels, offer significant benefits for women at different life stages, helping to prevent or reduce common issues like urinary leakage, difficulty urinating, and fecal incontinence.
In midlife and beyond, these exercises can improve bladder and bowel control, reduce urge incontinence and nocturia (nighttime urination), enhance sexual function, support pelvic organ health, and aid recovery after childbirth and pelvic surgeries.
Regular practice is key for results, with improvements often seen within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent Kegel exercises. Besides Kegels, other exercises such as bridge pose and squats can complement pelvic floor strengthening by engaging related muscles. Yoga poses can also help relax pelvic floor tightness and improve mobility, supporting healing and overall pelvic health.
For a specific pelvic floor exercise, you can use a Pilates ball or sit in a comfortable position with a lengthened spine. The exercise involves inhaling, allowing the pelvic floor to relax on the ball, and then exhaling to draw the tailbone, pubic bone, and sit bones towards each other and up towards the belly button. This exercise can be easily incorporated into a regular routine, performing it eight to 10 times at the start or end of a workout.
Pelvic floor exercises are crucial at every stage of life. Post-pregnancy, they can restore stretched or weakened muscles to regain continence and pelvic support. In younger adulthood, building pelvic floor strength can prevent future problems and improve core stability. In menopause and older age, these exercises can counteract natural muscle loss due to aging and hormonal changes.
Strengthening the pelvic floor can also improve core stability, making it a valuable, non-invasive way for women to maintain urinary control, sexual health, and pelvic organ support. Consulting a healthcare professional is recommended before trying new pelvic floor exercises, and the Fit&Well Newsletter offers achievable workout ideas, health tips, and wellbeing advice to guide you on your journey.
[1] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Pelvic floor exercises. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/pelvic-floor-dysfunction/art-20045902
[2] NHS. (2020). Pelvic floor exercises. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/pelvic-floor-exercises/
[3] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2021). Pelvic Floor Muscle Training. [online] Available at: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/pelvic-floor-muscle-training
[4] Healthline. (2021). Pelvic Floor Exercises: How to Do Them and Why They Matter. [online] Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pelvic-floor-exercises
[5] Yoga Journal. (2021). 8 Yoga Poses to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor. [online] Available at: https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/8-yoga-poses-to-strengthen-your-pelvic-floor
- Incorporating yoga into a health-and-wellness routine can help women improve pelvic floor tightness and mobility, contributing to pelvic health during all stages of life.
- Engaging in fitness-and-exercise routines that include pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegels, bridge pose, squats, and yoga, can aid in reducing common issues like urinary leakage and fecal incontinence for women of all ages.
- In the pursuit of maintaining pelvic organ health and improving bladder and bowel control, science supports the effectiveness of regular pelvic floor exercises, particularly when complemented by other exercises focusing on related muscles.
- Women going through menopause can benefit significantly from pelvic floor exercises, as they can counteract natural muscle loss and hormonal changes, helping to manage issues like urinary incontinence and sexual function.
