Pelvic Floor Exercises

Pelvic floor training

The muscles of the pelvic floor perform a variety of tasks, both in men and women. Training the pelvic floor muscles can therefore be recommended to everyone, it keeps the muscles fit and elastic at any age. Pelvic floor training is particularly recommended before and after giving birth.

Pelvic floor exercises are simple and can be integrated into everyday life without much effort.

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What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor lies like a horizontal plate in the lower pelvis and closes off the abdomen from below. It stretches from the pubic bone to the sacrum and coccyx and is pulled up a little laterally along the ischial tuberosities.

The pelvic floor consists of three layers of muscles as well as ligaments and connective tissue. For the rectum, the urethra and, in women, the vagina, openings lead through the pelvic floor.

What are the tasks of the pelvic floor?

The muscles of the pelvic floor are closely connected to the abdominal and back muscles, and a variety of tasks can be performed through flexible interaction. The pelvic floor supports the inner abdominal and pelvic organs and bears their weight. It cushions pressure loads that arise, for example, when coughing, sneezing or lifting heavy loads. It stabilizes the spine and makes an important contribution to upright walking. The pelvic floor also ensures that the bowel and bladder sphincters work by grasping and controlling them.

In women, the pelvic floor surrounds the vagina, in men the base of the penis, and thus also plays an important role in sexuality: in women, the pelvic floor muscles regulate the width of the vagina, in men they support the erection. A strong pelvic floor also increases sexual sensitivity.

In women, the pelvic floor is lined with more connective tissue in order to be able to stretch better during pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy, the pelvic floor supports the uterus and carries the weight of the unborn child. During childbirth, the muscles are strongly stretched and support the movement of the child through the birth canal. Immediately after a birth, it is important to rest and relieve the strain, the muscles need time to recover from any birth injuries. Midwives and physiotherapists give tips and show movements and postures that are gentle on the pelvic floor. Then slowly and carefully targeted exercises should be started to reactivate and strengthen the muscles.

A weakened or poorly trained pelvic floor, for example, promotes the development of urinary incontinence or fecal incontinence. Pelvic floor weakness is caused by obesity, poor posture and, in women, especially by pregnancy and childbirth.

How can the pelvic floor be trained?

The muscles of the pelvic floor work involuntarily, which means that they fulfill their function even without being aware of it. However, you can also specifically tense and let go of the pelvic floor muscles and strengthen and train them with special exercises.

At the beginning of the training, the main difficulty is to perceive the muscles of the pelvic floor and to be able to specifically control them. Women feel the pelvic floor tension on the perineum or in the vagina. Men feel a tense pelvic floor on the perineum between the scrotum and anus. The most memorable is the feeling of the pelvic floor when deliberately interrupting the urine stream.

Basically, pelvic floor training can be recommended to everyone - both women and men. It is particularly important before and after birth, as well as in cases of bladder and intestinal weakness, obesity, poor posture, lowering of the uterus, weak connective tissue, after operations in the pelvic area and on the prostate, as well as potency problems.

Pelvic floor exercises are simple and can be done standing, lying, or sitting. Many of the exercises, such as the pelvic floor lift, can also be carried out without being noticed, for example in the office or while waiting for the bus.

Pelvic floor lift

This exercise is done while standing. Stand hip-width apart, upper body straight. One imagines the pelvic floor as a lift that slowly travels to higher floors. Tense the pelvic floor muscles slowly and pull the "lift" up, so to speak. The tension should be held for a moment. Then slowly let the “lift” sink back down “stick by stick”.

Cat hump

In this exercise, kneel down and support yourself on your hands ("four-footed stance"). The arms are hip-width apart. At the beginning the back is straight. Then take a deep breath. When you exhale through your mouth, you consciously form a "cat hump". In doing so, pull your back upwards and at the same time lower your head between your arms. Then breathe in again and straighten your back at the same time. Alternate several times.

Se s selmarsch

This exercise is performed while sitting on a stable surface, such as a chair. Back to the front of the chair. Your legs are at right angles, hip width apart. Now start pressing your heels firmly against the floor, thereby activating the rear pelvic floor. Hold the tension. You can also alternately press your left and right heels against the floor. To activate the front pelvic floor, press the tips of your toes against the floor. Repeat the exercises in the same sequence.

You can find more pelvic floor exercises in the information brochure of the Vienna Social Fund.

Note Midwives, physiotherapists, training facilities and institutions such as adult education centers offer guided pelvic floor training.