Pelvic Floor Exercises

Doing pelvic floor exercises to develop strong pelvic floor muscles can help you overcome incontinence, prepare for and recover from childbirth, and overcome sexual and erectile dysfunction.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is the muscles stretching from side to side below the hip bone, and from your pubic bone in front to the tailbone in rear. The openings from your bladder, your colon, and your uterus (for women) all pass through your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor supports your pelvic organs and the contents of your abdomen.

Why do pelvic floor exercises?

Weak pelvic floor muscles are common. These muscles become weaker with inactivity, and often through hormonal changes in women's bodies, especially pregnancy and childbirth. Factors such as being overweight, ongoing constipation, and a chronic cough can put extra pressure on the pelvic floor and pelvic surgery can also damage the muscles, particularly in men.

A poorly toned, weak pelvic floor will not do its job properly. Women with weak pelvic floor muscles frequently experience incontinence and reduced sexual response. But research has shown that the pelvic floor responds to regular exercise and that pelvic exercise can help relieve chronic pelvic pain syndrome. For more information, see Heal Pelvic Pain: The Proven Stretching, Strengthening, and Nutrition Program for Relieving Pain, Incontinence, I.B.S, and Other Symptoms Without Surgery.

Two-Part Video: A Urologist Talks about Pelvic Floor Muscles and Exercises

How to do pelvic floor exercises (also known as kegel exercises).