Conditions
Weak Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor are a large sheet of muscles between your pubic bone and your tailbone, and these muscles help keep in place your bladder, vagina, uterus and bowel. These muscles can become stretched or weakened due to ageing and more specifically due to pregnancy. Once the pelvic muscles become weak they can sag and even lead to a prolapsed vagina. Also, these muscles give you control over your bladder and bowel movements, so their weakening can lead to some uncomfortable moments. There are a number of pelvic floor muscle exercises such as squeezes and contractions that can help you tighten the muscles and restore your bladder control.
The simplest exercise involves stopping the flow of urine when you are going for a wee. If you repeat this exercise 10-15 times in a row, you can gradually increase the length of your holds, and also the number of times you repeat it. For full instructions on pelvic floor exercises click here >>
+++UPDATE+++
In our Pelvic Floor programme first broadcast on the 15th April 2009 there were three products tested to help strengthen pelvic floor muscles. The products tested included a Pelvic Toner, a Pelvic Floor Exerciser and Pelvic Cones.
Comments and Questions
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hi I watched an episode where 3 ladies were testing out types of pelvic floor strengthening devices. There was one that was more effective than the other two and gave the lady 60 percent stronger pelvic floor muscles. I just want to know what it is called. ie the name of the product thanks
Hi Chloe, I believe they were called aquaflex and if you go on amazon at the moment you can get them for £14.95 with free delivery.
Hi I'm 28 and ever since I had my little boy aged 8 now I've had problems with my bladder. I can't jump, run, cough, sneeze, or even laugh with out weeing slightly. I have to wear panties liners all the time, I was told there was an operation I could have to help me but I just wanted to know if there was any other options I could try first.
Hi I am a 25 year old female and I have urge the other day I needed too do a wee when I was in the car had just parked and about to get out when I wet myself what can I do?
Hiya, im a 20 year old female, and for a long period of time my vagina began to feel loose amd everytime i have sexual intercourse and i can hardly feel anything, i have never giving birth and i havent had that many sexual partners, i just want to know what is wrong with me as im only 20 year old and dont want to feel like this.
hey, im 21 and had the same problem a few months ago. u cud of gone loose for a number of reasons. stress, bladder problems, being overweight etc. whats important is sorting it out. ive not had children and although ive had bfs, im really sensible bout who i sleep with. i would recommend the aquaflex pelvic cones, also if you go on amazon and type it pelvic cones, a brightly couloured set should come up which are heavier and improve on the aquaflex cones, i also use a pelvic dumbbell which helps with my kegal exercises. i do this religiously every day morning and night without fail except for when im on my periods. you have to keep going with this. you're not alone, alot of young girls with this problem won't get help because they're so embarrased but it doesnt have to be this way!
hiya im 35 and 4 years ago i was referred 2 gynae doctors by my gp queerying prolapse,i was not examined but offered a hysterectomy due to having problems with periods! i refused as i felt something was not rite,now two years ago i was rereferred as i have always maintained i had prolapses.the doctors found i had a rectocele which i had an laproscopic ventral rectopexy in march this year.i have had urodinamics which did show i had an irritable bladder and stress incontinence but the doctor that referred me to physio said i did not have stress incontinence! 1 gynae doctor i seen told me i needed surgery as i have small bladder prolapse but then going to see another in the same team is just fobbing me off, i have not had a relationship for about 4 years and all of this has me totally depressed as i dont know what else to do please any advice would be greatly appreciated as i want my life back :(
Hi, I'm a twenty year old female virgin and I've recently discovered that I'm leaking urine down below. It started ten days ago, right after I had a bowel movement and it hasn't stopped since. It's a constant dripping and it doesn't seem to stop at all. It's not a heavy flow but I can't go a minute without wearing pads. I've found that I can't wear pantie liners for this because its way to easy to leak through them and I feel gross and sticky. I'm immensely paranoid that I smell like urine or that my room smells like urine, even though my friends and family members tell me that I don't. I also have mild to moderate pains in my lower back and abdomen, although those pains come and go. I went to the doctors and without really even testing me he told me I had some sort of urinary infection and gave me antibiotics. But after awhile I started to doubt his diagnoses and went to the hospital. They ran a few tests, mainly taking urine samples and blood tests. Both urine and blood tests came back normal and so they ran scans on my abdomen and my kidneys. The scans didn't pick up anything and so I was sent home. The doctor at the hospital did tell me before I left to come back in a few days or so if the symptoms persisted and that they would organize one of the hospital urologists to have a look at me. My problem seems to be getting worse and I really don't know what to do. It's keeping me from sleeping, not only from the discomfort but also because every time I wake up I smell urine and I feel sticky and gross and it instantly puts me in a bad mood. I'm going back to the hospital tomorrow and hopefully they'll be able to help, but I can't help thinking that they won't be able to help me like last time and send me off without doing anything about my problem. I'm scared. I don't want to keep living like this, it's horrible and I can't afford to keep buying pads on a daily basis. I also don't want to have this get any worse and smell like urine all the time. Its really depressing me. If anyone has any thoughts on what's happening to me, please let me know. Thanks.
Hi im 33 years of age, i had a child 15years ago normal delivery since then and for the last 10years i constantly leak urine it gets worst when i raise my voice,cough,sneeze or dance or jump. I constantly leak during sex i have tried numerous exercises the problems got that bad i am now aware that i smell of pee and im embarrassed to leave the house this has caused me to suffer with depression. Please can you email me back ASAP!! Thanks
Hi i am 37yrs and have two children 20, and 16, i now have a grandson who is 3yrs, he always wants me to jump on the trampoline, and run with him but can't as a slight jump will cause me to wet myself, if i jump on trampoline you can see the big wet patch on my jeans ect, it also happens if i sneeze or cough. i have tried the exercises but no luck. any advice???
I av had 2 problems for some time now that are realy starting to get me down, i av to constantly urinate especialy at night wich means i get hardly no sleep at all, and i cant av sex at all any more as There is somthing wrong wich wont allow penatration at all, if i try to acheve penatration the pain is emence and it feels like there is some kind of obstuction as about 2 inches in it cant go any further at all, basicly it feels like 2 inches in iv begun to seal up and if anything trys to get past that point it feels like i am being torn apart, the pain is agonising, this is all getting too much for me now and i cant bare it any longer, no sleep no intamcey and the constant urinating , also because of the needing to wee all the time i am also dehydrated all the time too as i cant keep fluids in me so i suffer headaches every day too. Sombody pleaz help me!, my GP gave me OXYBUTININ to see if that would help with weeing so much but the side affects from those tablets were terrible in the extreem, i had to stop taking them and they didnt help anyway. Pleaz help me some one PLEAZ!.. KAREN
hi iam 23 and have just suffered tha loss of a baby after this happened i have pains in my belly and back this then went to my kiidney my doctor thought it was a water in fection and gave me antibiotics for this the pains went away i came on period 2 wks after my misscarrige and it ended 3 days later after this know i need the toilet all the time it is only a dribble and it hurts i have goot pains in my lower back belly pain it wakes me up early hours of the morning i can not sit back down as fell really unconfortable iam geneally not felling good in my self my urine is know turning pink and what looks like tissue rolled up but is brown keeps falling out of me can you please help and tell me what this is as i can deal with is any more thanks jenny myerscough
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