In the following text we will focus our attention on the pelvic floor/pelvic floor exercises. This is often neglected in sports or gymnastics. It has a holding and stabilizing function just like the abdominal or back muscles.
The position and heavy palpation make it difficult for many people to exercise this group. For the beginning we will go into the anatomy of this small muscle group. As the name suggests, the pelvic floor rests on the pelvis like a floor.
The tubular ends of organs pass through this floor. These are located centrally in the pelvic floor and consist of the end of the bladder, which is located at the front, and the rectum. Around these tubes there are ring-shaped muscles that ensure that urine and stool flow out in a controlled manner.
Thus, they do not only have a holding function, but should open in the appropriate dosage for emptying. Simplified is the pelvic floor, consisting of the deep and superficial layers. The deep part contains the pelvis diaphragm, which consists of two muscle groups.
These run in an arc and pull from the pubic bone at the front, to the coccyx at the back. The superficial layer consists of the diaphragm urogenital and is formed by several muscles. Seen from below, it forms a triangle that runs horizontally.
The muscles start at the two ischial tuberosities at the back and at the pubic bone at the front. This is where the end of the bladder is located and, in women, also the exit of the female sexual organ. The articles Physiotherapy for Coccyx Pain during Pregnancy and Exercises for Coccyx Pain during Pregnancy may also be of interest to you.
Pelvic Floor Gymnastics
Insufficiency of the pelvic floor muscles can have various causes. This can occur in all stages of life and is therefore present in every group of people. The prerequisite is a certain feeling for the body and an intact, nervous control of the pelvic floor muscles.
For the beginning the body perception should be trained in order to tense the individual muscle groups and processes. Of course, the muscles of the pelvic floor cannot be strengthened in isolation, but in order to address all muscles, various stimuli should be set. Metaphors are used to make it easier to tense the muscles.
Pictures are used to introduce the pelvic floor muscles and to target the various processes more precisely. In addition, breathing exercises can be used in pelvic floor exercises to improve body awareness. The pelvic floor moves with the inhalation and exhalation and can also be practiced through these.
After the body perception, it comes to a targeted strengthening of the musculature. In this phase of pelvic floor exercises, the strength is increased and the duration of the tension is prolonged. When the patient is more advanced, he will try to maintain the tension while performing other activities (e.g. walking or running stairs).
So that he can also perform the exercises in everyday life. A further increase is the tensing of the pelvic floor muscles in combination with abdominal, back and leg exercises. This ensures a comprehensive training.
1st ExerciseThe first exercise is intended to train the body perception and takes place in a sitting position. You work with sounds and try to imagine how the pelvic floor moves during these sounds. You straighten your upper body and make your back straight.
Their hands are below their ischial tuberosity and the palms of their hands are pointing upwards. The seat is not important in this exercise and can be a chair or a bed. Rather, the palms of your hands are relevant and serve to improve the perception of contractions.
Start saying a “K ́ ́” sound several times in a row. The louder it is, the more contraction you have in your muscles. In each “K ́ ́ sound, the pelvic floor is tensed.
Try to imagine how it presses against your fingers and you feel the vibration. After about 10 repetitions take a break and do 5 series. 2nd ExerciseIn the next exercise you sit on a chair or bed again and straighten your back.
Your hands lie loosely on your thighs. Imagine three fists in the middle of your pelvic floor. The first fist is in front of her pubic bone.
The second is in the center behind the first. And the third fist is just before her coccyx. Make another “K ́ ́ sound and imagine the front fist closing.
Repeat this again about 10 times. After the break, continue the exercise and this time imagine the middle fist closing with each “K ́ ́” sound.After the third break, repeat the exercise with the third and hindmost fist. If you feel secure and the feeling for the pelvic floor is good, you can omit the “K ́ ́” sound and try to tighten the individual fists without sounds.
Further exercises are listed in the article Pelvic floor exercises-pregnancy. The contraction (tensing) of the pelvic floor occurs during exhalation. So at the beginning of a training you can work with the exhalation or lute.
When the muscles tense up, they go up and only flatten again during inhalation. This mechanism is important to stabilize the trunk muscularly. Especially when carrying heavy loads, coughing or sneezing, the pelvic floor withstands the pressure.
Pelvic floor exercises should also be performed as a preparation before and during pregnancy. After a pregnancy, pelvic floor exercises should only be performed slowly on the second day. You can find information about this in the article Physiotherapy after pregnancy.
This does not apply to injuries to the pelvic floor caused by the birth. In this case you should wait even longer. After a few days pregnancy is then an important indication for pelvic floor exercises.
The pelvic floor had to perform increased work during pregnancy and is additionally stretched during birth. Thus a temporary weakness of the pelvic floor is inevitable. In most cases, the muscles rebuild themselves.
However, in order to support this process and to prevent any possible consequences, pelvic floor exercises are recommended. Pelvic floor exercises are often associated with the condition after a birth. There are more factors that promote weakness of the pelvic floor.
Operations in the urogenital tract, neurological diseases or traumas are among them. Men can also be affected. Nevertheless, the topic of the pelvic floor is associated with much shame and continence problems can lead to a reduction in self-esteem. Therefore, men should also be considered as a patient group in this respect. More information can be found in the article Pelvic Floor Training.
