One in four people will experience pelvic floor issues at some point in their lives. Ignoring these problems can lead to serious health complications, including chronic low back pain, organ-related dysfunctions, and a variety of pelvic health problems. The pelvic floor is essential to a healthy body and strong core, yet many people—men and women alike—struggle with a weak pelvic floor.
This guide explores common causes of pelvic floor issues, what to avoid, and six effective pelvic floor exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor and relieve pain.
Why Is Your Pelvic Floor So Important?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that play a key role in supporting your spine, pelvis, and internal organs. When these muscles are weak or uncoordinated, you may experience issues such as:
- Incontinence: Difficulty controlling urination, leading to leaks.
- Low back pain: A weak pelvic floor undermines the stability of your spine and pelvis.
- Core weakness: The pelvic floor works with your abdominal and back muscles to stabilize your core.
- Pelvic organ prolapse: In women, organs like the bladder, rectum, uterus, and vagina may start to drop due to weak pelvic muscles.
Activities to Avoid with a Weak Pelvic Floor
If you’re experiencing pelvic floor weakness, it’s crucial to avoid activities that place excessive strain on these muscles. These include:
- High-impact activities: Running, jumping, and similar exercises increase abdominal pressure, which can strain your pelvic floor.
- Certain abdominal exercises: Movements like hanging leg raises, planks, and crunches with fixated legs can lead to compensatory strategies that worsen pelvic floor issues.
- Straining during bowel movements: This places unnecessary pressure on the pelvic floor, exacerbating weakness.
- Breath holding: Holding your breath during activities can weaken and miscoordinate your pelvic floor muscles.
- Heavy weightlifting: Without proper pelvic floor contractions, lifting heavy weights can cause strain, leading to pain and further weakening.
6 Pelvic Floor Exercises to Strengthen and Relieve Pain
Incorporating targeted pelvic floor exercises into your routine can strengthen these muscles, alleviate pain, and improve overall stability. Here are six highly effective exercises:
1. Transverse Abdominal Exercise
This exercise activates the deep abdominal muscles that support your core.
- Lie on your back with your legs straight.
- Take a deep breath in.
- As you exhale, slowly make an “S” sound while engaging your lower abdominal muscles.
- Hold the contraction for five seconds, then release.
- Repeat for 10 repetitions.
2. Key Goal Elevators
This exercise mimics an elevator’s motion, gradually contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Inhale deeply.
- As you exhale, imagine your pelvic floor lifting like an elevator from the first floor to the fifth, reaching your maximum contraction at the top.
- Hold for two seconds, then slowly lower the contraction from the fifth floor back down to the first.
- Perform 10 repetitions, avoiding compensation from your thighs, glutes, or abs.
3. Quick Key Goals
Quick contractions are essential for improving muscle responsiveness.
- Lie on your back with knees bent.
- Inhale deeply.
- As you exhale, contract your pelvic floor muscles up to 80% effort.
- Hold for two seconds, then release.
- Perform 10 repetitions.
4. Clamshell Exercise
This exercise strengthens the connection between your transverse abdominal muscles and pelvic floor.
- Lie on your side with your knees bent, keeping your feet aligned with your back.
- Inhale deeply.
- As you exhale, engage your transverse abdominals and pelvic floor muscles to about 30% effort.
- While maintaining this connection, lift your top knee towards the ceiling, keeping your feet together.
- Hold for three seconds, then lower slowly.
- Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
5. Side Leg Raise
This movement targets both the pelvic floor and hip stability.
- Lie on your side with your bottom knee bent and top leg straight.
- Inhale deeply.
- As you exhale, engage your transverse abdominal and pelvic floor muscles to 30% effort.
- Lift your top leg towards the ceiling, hold for three seconds, and slowly lower it.
- Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
6. The Bridge
This classic exercise strengthens the glutes and pelvic floor simultaneously.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Inhale deeply.
- As you exhale, engage your transverse abdominal and pelvic floor muscles to 30% effort.
- Lift your buttocks towards the ceiling, hold for three seconds, then lower slowly.
- Repeat for 10 repetitions.
Tips for Success
- Consistency: Practice these exercises daily for the best results.
- Form: Focus on controlled, precise movements to ensure the pelvic floor muscles are being activated properly.
- Avoid compensation: Make sure you’re not overusing your thighs, glutes, or abdominal muscles during these exercises.
Final Thoughts
When done correctly, these six exercises can lead to a significant improvement in pelvic floor strength, pain relief, and overall stability. A strong pelvic floor not only supports your core but also prevents complications like incontinence, back pain, and pelvic organ prolapse. By committing to a regular exercise routine and avoiding strain-inducing activities, you can enjoy better pelvic health and a stronger, more stable core.
Also read: Why Does Pain Persist After Abdominal Surgery?
About:
I’m Hina Sheth. I have been treating complex orthopedics, sports and pelvic floor physical problems for over 25 years with amazing results. Now I want to bring my knowledge to the global community so I can spread my knowledge to you.
Our bodies are complex systems of 600 muscles and organs intertwined in a fascial system that all work together. Imbalances in this system such as trigger points, visceral and myofascial restrictions can lead to joint, pelvic, and organ issues.
Factors like nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress play a crucial role. Unfortunately, our current healthcare model does not look at our bodies as a whole and oftentimes compartmentalize musculoskeletal injuries and dysfunctions.
At Rebalance, our goal is to holistically treat this complex system to restore harmony in the body. By addressing these imbalances, we help clients improve their overall health and well-being. Our vision is to empower individuals to create a healthier lifestyle for themselves.
