Can pelvic floor exercises help treat incontinence?

You might already be aware of pelvic floor exercises, also known as kegel exercises. Women are frequently recommended them after giving birth, and men after prostate surgery. But did you know pelvic floor exercise can really help with incontinence?

This is because these exercises strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which support your bladder. When these muscles are stronger, you’re less likely to have leaks. If these muscles are weak, you can’t control your bladder quite so well.

So what are they and how do you do them?

They’re very simple. It’s easiest to start the exercises lying down or in a sitting position, and then as you get stronger you can do them standing up. Pretend you’re trying to stop the flow of urine. Pull in and squeeze those muscles. Hold the squeeze for 5 to 10 seconds, then rest for 5 to 10 seconds. Don’t hold your breath or tighten your tummy, bottom or thigh muscles at the same time – keep these muscles as relaxed as possible, and keep breathing!

Once you’ve mastered this technique, try for three or four sets of 10 contractions every day. You should feel the impact predominantly in the lower pelvic area – but if you’re in any doubt about your technique, contact a healthcare professional for advice.

The really great thing about these exercises is that as well as strengthening your pelvic floor, which is useful for anyone, you can do them anytime, anywhere. When you’re watching tv, sitting at a desk, or driving a car – no-one will ever notice! And when performed daily, similar to any other form of muscle exercise, you should feel the improvements in a few weeks.

Our friends at Bladder and Bowel Community have some great advice on the subject and some useful leaflets on how to do the exercises properly.

While not all bladder and incontinence problems can be improved using pelvic floor exercises, it’s definitely worth considering. However, if you are in any doubt about your condition, as always, we recommend you discuss this with a healthcare professional. And if you need help with products to help with your incontinence, don’t forget we offer a wide range of washable incontinence pants, disposable incontinence pants and pads, bed and seat protection and much more.

Call Arelle free on 0800 389 3597 or email info@arelle.com. We’re here to help.