Pilates and your Pelvic Floor: facts vs fiction
What is the pelvic floor and what does it do?
Firstly, here's a fact: We all have a pelvic floor (yes....even you men!) and we should all be looking after it by doing pelvic floor exercises regularly.
Fiction: Only pre and post natal ladies need to worry about their pelvic floor. NO! Everyone should be thinking about this as it will save a world of pain and poor health later in life.
Fact: The pelvic floor is made up of muscles and connective tissue that sit under the bones of the pelvis like a hammock. If you bring your index fingers and thumbs together to form a triangular shape, this is a good resemblance of the size, and shape, of your pelvic floor. The muscles connect to the pubic bone (pubis), sitting bones (ischial tuberosity) and tail bone (coccyx).
Male and female bladder/ pelvic floor diagrams
Fiction: The pelvic floor is only there to stop you from having an ‘accident’ when you’re out in public
Fact: There are three main functions of the pelvic floor muscles (and some additional supporting functions too):
They support your abdominal and pelvic organs (preventing prolapse)
Maintenance of continence functions (contracting to prevent or relaxing to allow, going to the toilet normally)
Sexual function: increasing sexual pleasure, reducing pain
All these functions are done by means of contracting and relaxing the muscles (through a variety of 'fast twitch' and 'slow twitch' contractions) and all functions are very important for our overall health.
Finding your Pelvic Floor
So we’ve discussed where it is and what it does - but how to isolate and switch it on? That’s another matter.
To contract your pelvic floor think about lifting your pelvic floor upwards and forwards from the back passage to the front passage keeping your bottom relaxed and your breath steady. Visualisations that I regularly use are to zip it up or think of it as working like a lift or elevator that can go from floor 1 to floor 10. You could also think of sucking through a straw from your vagina, anus, urethra to work each part (front, middle section and rear) of the pelvic floor.
For men, it’s a similar sensation as when you walk into cold water (the sea etc) or that you’re holding in wind. Still having trouble isolating it? There’s a great article here for men to help visualise where your pelvic floor is.
Fiction: You should do pelvic floor exercises when on the toilet.
Fact: You shouldn't hold your urine stream when you're performing pelvic floor exercises. It may be a good physical clue that you're holding some parts of your pelvic floor strongly, but it's not the entirety of what your pelvic floor does or needs to be strong, and it could also lead to urinary tract infections: Our bladders are intended to empty completely when we're on the toilet, so we shouldn't train them to do otherwise.
Pilates and your pelvic floor
What should you do with your pelvic floor when exercising? Should it be relaxed? Contracted? And by how much? Does attending a once-weekly Pilates session count as completing your requirement of pelvic floor exercises? Let's answer these questions first!
In Mat Pilates breathing, we contract our pelvic floor to around 30% of it's capacity during our exhale - and hold this in during the exertion portion of the exercise being performed - it is essential to continue to breathe as you contract the pelvic floor (and other core) muscles. That way you are working them in the correct manner and not bearing down/ placing pressure on the area you’re looking to strengthen. Some exercises may require a little more capacity and this can be dialled up if need be. We never, unless we're focussing on a pelvic floor exercise specifically, switch it on to 100%.
Fact: Relax your pelvic floor completely in between contractions. It's really important that during the inhale portion of the breathing pattern, the pelvic floor muscles are released completely so as to make the contraction more effective and get the muscle to work as best as it can. Think about your hand squeezing and opening and closing completely vs squeezing and then only slightly relaxing. It's more effective of a squeeze if the hand becomes completely relaxed before it squeezes again. Same is true for your pelvic floor muscles.
Fiction: One class of Pilates a week is enough in isolation to build up your pelvic floor back to it's prime.
Fact: Ideally you need to do pelvic floor exercises DAILY (if you have NO pelvic floor dysfunction) and more than that if you do (3 - 4 times a day).
So your options are to do more Pilates (get in touch with me if you're looking for Pilates private sessions in the Mount Martha, Mount Eliza and Mornington areas) and to work some additional pelvic floor exercises into your daily routine.
Pilates exercises for your Pelvic Floor
Here are some fantastic Pilates exercises you can try at home to strengthen your pelvic floor.
Pelvic tilts
Leg lift and extension/ bend extend (one at a time)
Heel slides across mat (one at a time)
Leg extensions (together)
Supine table top: Clam
Note: For any exercises on your back with your legs off the mat - ensure your back doesn’t feel any pain. Try drawing your ribs toward your hips whilst you breathe to ensure you’re connecting correctly. Most people find an imprinted spine helps achieve this. During pregnancy a supported supine position should be adopted rather than full supine (lying down) position.
For any more questions about the pelvic floor you'd like me to answer - send me a message!