Exercise is the key to strengthening your pelvic floor and pelvic floor exercises need to be carefully instructed by a women’s health/continence physiotherapist to be done effectively.

Pelvic floor exercises can help to improve bladder and bowel control, reduce and/or control a prolapse, improve recovery after childbirth in females and prostate surgery in males.  A strong pelvic floor also allows for increased sexual sensation and orgasmic potential.  Having a weak pelvic floor with all its symptoms can lead to very poor quality of life with individuals refraining from having personal, intimate or social relationships.  Therefore strengthening the pelvic floor and gaining control normally has a very positive impact on quality of life.

Sometimes the muscles are so weak that exercising is not enough and a person would need muscle stimulation.  Electrical stimulation through the use of vaginal or anal electrodes as instructed by the physiotherapist will allow the person to gain initial control of the pelvic floor.  Electrical stimulation would need to be supplemented with daily home exercises.

– carolyn@willingness.com.mt