I've been working on this to send my clients, and I thought it might be useful on the forum. If any of it is unclear would you let me know?
Hope it helps.
The PELVIC FLOOR
Introduction
The Test.
Cant find your Pelvic Floor?
Asymmetrical Pelvic Floor?
Prolapse?
Urge incontinence?
The Exercises
Introduction.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction is very common, and one of the symptoms is stress incontinence - leaking when coughing, laughing, running etc. Your chances of having it increase with pregnancy and childbirth. Now it is reported as a possible side effect of HRT. People who have not been pregnant or take HRT can get Pelvic Floor Disfunction, including men. You are likely to have it if you suffer from low back pain. (Pelvic Floor Exercises have been shown to have the same effect on men as Viagra it may be not as instant a solution but certainly a healthier one!) The pelvic floor is key to bowel, bladder control, to vaginal strength, to sexual arousal and performance,) and to stability for the lumbar spine. Its possible to overtrain it, leading to Urge Incontinence where the pelvic floor becomes too strong, and the pressure on the urethra too much.
The pelvic floor has close links with Transversus Abdominus, which has been shown to be as effective at helping with bladder control as the pelvic floor.
To get an idea of where your pelvic floor is think of it as the bottom floor of your body, slung between the bones you sit on, sit-bones, the base of the bony pelvis, your pubic bone and your tail bone. It is an endurance muscle on until the day you die.
1) THE TEST
At the end of the day - (cleaning your teeth before you go to bed?) Can you do 10 of the following exercises standing, the 10th as good as the first?
a)Slowly draw in the back passage, as though you want to stop breaking wind, then the central passage as if you were drawing a tampon upwards in the vagina, and then the front as if you were halting urine flow. Hold for 10 secs, as high up in your body as you can - think elevator - and release slowly, all the way down to the basement. Breathe normally throughout - make sure you do not hold your breath.
b) "Blink" your pelvic floor muscles 10 times
c) Draw in the muscles at your pubic hair line and feel your front pelvic floor muscles draw on.
If you can't do 10 in good form then you need to practice some Pelvic Floor exercises 6 times during each day.
2) CAN'T FIND YOUR PELVIC FLOOR?
If your pelvic floor is very weak or you have poor feedback from this area, you may first need to recognise where your pelvic floor muscles are and what it feels like when they are on.
Try sitting leaning forward on a rolled up towel. Your Pelvic Floor muscles will be in good contact with the towel - try sliding them together horizontally to begin with (think curtains, or doors closing). This may be enough to start with. If strong enough try drawing them upwards. In this position your front pelvic floor muscles will be at an advantage. Leaning backwards, your back passage muscles will be in a stronger position.
Try sucking strongly on your thumb, the tip at the roof of your mouth and drawing on your Pelvic Floor. You may find you are much more aware of where it is and that the contraction is much stronger.
3) ASYMMETRY?
If you are having problems, it's worth finding out if you have an asymmetry in your pelvic floor, (which is close linked to your Transverse Abdominus muscles). Sitting, find the bones at the front of your pelvis, and then slide your fingertips down and in a couple of inches. Release your belly and breathe out completely. You should be able to feel your Transverse Abdominus contracting. Does it feel symmetrical? If it doesn't see if you can encourage symmetry in your pelvic Floor and transversus contractions (see below) - think of a pair of curtains sliding shut and opening again. If after a few weeks of trying