The pelvic floor - your body's foundation.

Muscle activation and re-education

The pelvic floor muscles (female and male) are difficult to find and contract correctly. We can’t see them work, and we may not be able to feel them very well (e.g. post childbirth).

We need to learn to tighten the correct muscles at the correct time to provide the right kind of protection and support.

The vast majority of us tend to hold our breath, brace our abdominals, clench our buttocks and squeeze our knees together. This wastes a lot of valuable energy, all of it going to the wrong areas. None of it doing any good….

There is an important (although subconscious) relationship between the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor, called abdomino-pelvic synergy.

And what is the 1st thing to go with a pregnancy? An important muscle ‘partnership’ is disrupted, weakening our core stability.

Quick check:

Put one hand on the lower tummy, below the belly button.

Take a gentle breath in and cough, or blow your nose.

Does your hand bulge out with the effort, or does the tummy tighten up underneath it?

If the tummy bulges, it’s likely that the pelvic floor is bulging too.

If the tummy draws in under your hand, it’s likely that the pelvic floor is also tightening.

It is LIKELY; not certain. An internal examination is used to assess different components of the pelvic floor’s activity. You can ‘self test’ by inserting a freshly-washed finger into the vagina and trying to squeeze. Feel anything? (Try it in the bath or shower…!)

Pelvic floor activation and re-education should be the primary focus of rehabilitation.