The pelvic floor is a collection of muscles at the base of the pelvis.
They support the abdominal organs and facilitate functions such as urinating, passing stool, childbirth and sexual activities.
When the pelvic floor muscles are weak, strained or overly tight it may lead to pelvic floor dysfunction.
Signs and symptoms of Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Frequent need to urinate.
- Accidentally leaking urine when you cough, laugh, sneeze or exercise (Urinary incontinence).
- Accidentally passing wind.
- Pain in your pelvic region
- Feeling of urgency in needing the bathroom and not making it there in time.
- Difficulty emptying your bladder.
- Constipation or bowel strain
- Low back pain that cannot be explained by other causes.
- Sexual dysfunction such as erectile dysfunction, pain or numbness in the genitals during or after sex.
Risk Factors of Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Prostate surgery in men
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Multiple gestation i.e. expecting more than one child
- Trauma to the pelvic region e.g a fall
- Obesity
- Constant constipation
- Chronic coughing
- Prolonged vigorous physical exertion or high impact exercises
- Women in menopause
Physiotherapy Intervention
Pelvic floor exercises strengthen and increase neuromuscular control over the pelvic floor muscles that may reduce or eliminate symptoms associated with pelvic floor dysfunction.
Pelvic floor exercises begin with learning how to activate the pelvic floor muscles.
Follow these easy steps as you read this article to activate your pelvic floor:
- Find a comfortable position and focus on stable breathing
- To activate the pelvic muscles at the front, replicate the action of stopping the flow of urine mid-stream.
- To activate the pelvic muscles at the back, replicate the action of stopping passing gas.
- To activate both the front and back portion of the pelvic floor muscles, perform both actions at the same time.
The most common pelvic floor exercises are known as kegel exercises.
To do a Kegel exercise:
- Activate your pelvic floor muscles and hold for 5 seconds. It is important to keep breathing as you do this.
- After holding for 5 seconds, slowly relax your muscles for 5 seconds.
- Repeat this process 10 times at least 3 times everyday.
Kegel exercises are not only useful for management of pelvic dysfunction;
- They are important during and after pregnancy to strengthen pelvic muscles and prevent dysfunction.
- Improvement of sexual function
- Prevention of incontinence (accidentally leaking urine) while aging.
