How To Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor, According to a Physiotherapist

Ask someone to share the body parts they want to strengthen, and they'll rattle off a series of "mirror muscles", such as biceps, traps, pecs and glutes. But there's a less visible muscle structure that deserves a place on that list: the pelvic floor.

Located at the base of the pelvis, the pelvic floor is made up of a web of muscles and fascia that spans back to front and side to side, said Heather Jeffcoat, a doctor of physiotherapy who specialises in sexual dysfunction, pain and incontinence. "These muscles work together to support the pelvic organs, provide control for your sphincters to prevent leakage, help you maintain an upright posture, aid in sexual function and more", she said.

As is true with the other muscles in your body, the pelvic floor muscles do their job best when they are strong. That's why we asked Jeffcoat to share the best pelvic-floor-strengthening moves.

Ahead, for the best pelvic-floor-strengthening exercises—plus, insights on when pelvic-floor exercises could be especially beneficial.

Often described as a supportive hammock, there are a whopping 14 muscles that make up the pelvic-floor hammock, including the core muscles. These muscles' primary function is to support the pelvic organs (including the uterus, for those who have one, the bladder and the rectum), Jeffcoat said.

In addition to keeping your reproductive and excretory organs in place, the pelvic floor also aids in keeping you upright, supports childbirth for those who can become pregnant, and supports blood supply and lymphatic supply throughout the body, she said.

In order for your pelvic-floor muscles to operate optimally, they need to be able to contract and relax fully, Jeffcoat said. This ability to switch between the two modes is what allows us to control when we eliminate waste, among other functions.

Unfortunately, for a range of reasons ranging from childbirth and menopause to constipation and chronic stress, many people have pelvic-floor muscles that don't operate optimally. For a sense of scale, research shows that 24 percent of women and 16 percent of men have pelvic-floor dysfunction.

Some people have pelvic-floor muscles that can contract properly, but cannot relax fully. These people cannot produce optimal muscle force to contract, Jeffcoat said, usually as a result of chronic stress or frequently holding in pee. Often diagnosed as an overactive or hypertonic pelvic floor, this can lead to leakage, constipation and chronic pelvic or abdominal pain, hip pain and buttock pain, she said.

Other people have muscles that are consistently in a relaxed position because their pelvic-floor muscle fibre cannot contract, Jeffcoat explained. This causes symptoms similar to that of over-contracted muscles, such as leakage and pelvic pressure, as well as reduced vaginal sensation, and unexplained bladder, abdominal and pelvic pain, she said.

If you're experiencing symptoms associated with a contracted or weakened pelvic floor, your first move should be to work with your doctor or a pelvic-floor physiotherapist.

Why? In short, because the treatment protocol is different for different pelvic-floor conditions. If the muscles are found to be too relaxed, then doing strengthening exercises would be a part of the care plan, Jeffcoat said. Meanwhile, if the muscles are found to be non-relaxing, then doing stretching exercises would be a better start to the treatment plan, she said.

If you're currently experiencing any pelvic symptoms, remember it's always best to clear the moves with your provider before attempting any of them to ensure they're right for you.

Anyone with a pelvic floor—which is everyone!—can benefit from the pelvic floor care routine, according to Jeffcoat. Read on to learn about three pelvic-floor exercises you might consider incorporating into your routine.