What to do?
To begin this exercise, you first have to make sure that you know which muscle to contract.
- Think of the you would use to control the passing of gas or to hold back bowel movement.
- Now, squeeze the ring of muscles around your vagina and rectum as you would in those situations. These are your pelvic floor muscles.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then release for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
What NOT to do?
Pelvic Floor Exercise aka Kegel Exercise can be quite tricky to get right. the feeling of contracting the pelvic floor can be quite faint, and you might be engaging other muscles instead of your pelvic floor. Here are some common mistakes that people make when doing pelvic floor exercises.
1. Do NOT squeeze your buttocks or thighs.
If you feel your buttocks or thighs tensing up, consciously release the tension.
Your glutes and thighs should be relaxed when training your pelvic floor.
2. Do NOT suck in your tummy
Your tummy/abdominal area should be relaxed throughout.
Rest your hands on your belly, if you feel abdomen going inwards, relax your abdomen and contract only your pelvic floor.
3. Do NOT hold your breath
Make sure to maintain a steady and calm breathing pace.
If you find yourself holding your breath when training your pelvic floor, try to work towards breathing smoothly.
How should it feel like?
You should feel a tightening or upward pulling in your vagina. you might feel a slight tingling sensation.
If you feel a downward push, stop immediately as you may be straining and causing harm to your pelvic floor.
If you feel unsure, don’t worry. Pelvic floor exercises can sometimes be a little confusing.
Our Women’s Health Physiotherapists can offer useful advice to help you get it right.
We are offering Free Pelvic Consultation at Vibrance, book your consultation today!