Even though your pelvic floor serves as the foundation for your internal organs. And even though at least 25% of women will experience some form of pelvic disorder in their lifetime, we still aren’t talking about it enough. (1)

Yes, the discussion around the pelvic floor has gotten marginally better. Celebrities are mentioning their pelvic floor struggles. And health officials in the UK recently announced that girls should start receiving instructions about pelvic floor exercises as part of the school curriculum — as early as age 12. (2)

But we still have a long way to go. 

You must know how to care for this body part — and here are my top 5 reasons why your should.

1. No more leaking

When actress Kate Winslet announced years ago that she couldn’t jump on trampolines because she wets herself, people acted shocked. 

But according to the American Urological Foundation, 1 in 3 women aged 60 and over report leaking urine sometimes. And half of women 65 and over deal with urinary incontinence (the medical term for wetting yourself when you laugh, cough, sneeze, run, or jump). (3)

Strengthening the muscles in your pelvic floor can put an end to this nightmare. By learning how to contract your pelvic floor muscles properly and building up their strength, you can keep the urethra closed. And diminish the feeling that you have to urinate constantly. (4,5)

Plus, research suggests that pelvic floor exercises improve sexual function in women with urinary stress incontinence. (6)

PRO TIP: It can be tough to know where to start when it comes to pelvic floor exercises. After all, there’s a lot of information out there, and it can be confusing. But don’t worry, I’m here to help!

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that the pelvic floor muscles are connected with other muscles in your body. So if you want to get stronger down there, you need to strengthen your whole body. That means doing pelvic floor safe exercises and other activities like core work, fascia release exercises, and scar work.

Don’t forget that Kegels aren’t the only way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles! There are lots of great exercises that you can do safely and effectively. I will be covering this and more in my upcoming masterclass.

2. Better posture

Your posture and your pelvic floor are inextricably linked. The pelvic floor muscles help to control the muscles used when both standing and sitting. This is why so often, pelvic pain and back pain seem to travel together. (7)

Poor posture and too much sitting can cause your pelvic floor muscles to weaken and stress incontinence to increase. Likewise, when your pelvic floor is weaker, your posture is worsened. It’s kind of a vicious cycle that can only be stopped when you focus on pelvic health. (8)

Creating a stronger pelvic floor now can mean you’re able to stay upright without pain well into your golden years. 

PRO TIP: When I was younger, I used to sit in the same spot for hours on end. My mom would often tell me to get up and move around, but I never listened. Now that I’m a bit older, I realize how harmful sitting for too long can be.

It turns out that prolonged sitting is the new smoking for the pelvic floor! Weak muscles in this area can lead to problems, including pelvic pain. So if you’re like me and have a hard time getting up and moving around, try to break up your sitting time into small chunks.

Ideally, you should try to move every 30-45 minutes or so. But if that’s not possible, at least make sure you get up and walk around.

3. Reduced chance of pelvic organ prolapse

Whether you have pelvic organ prolapse right now or not, statistics show you’re likely to experience it, especially the older you get. According to the Association for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support, 50% of women will struggle with their internal organs falling into their vagina due to weakened muscles. And that’s not to mention the pain, incontinence, and sexual dysfunction that many women with pelvic organ prolapse experience. (9)

What’s more, the traditional medical treatments for prolapse are not efficacious. Women have about a 20% chance of requiring pelvic surgery by age 80, and one out of every three surgeries for the condition requires a follow-up surgery. (10)

And it’s important to note that the mesh implants that were used for years as a pelvic organ prolapse treatment have been labeled as unsafe by the FDA. (11)

PRO TIP: I always tell my patients to get a second opinion before going ahead with any surgery. It’s important to make sure you’re making an informed choice, and that’s why I always tell my patients to get informed consent from the MD before starting any procedure. That way, you know what they’re getting into and can make the best decision for yourself.

4. Stronger orgasms

So many women struggle with weak or non-existent orgasms. And part of the reason is weak pelvic floor muscles. When your pelvic floor muscles are in peak condition, women often report more sexual satisfaction and better orgasms. (12) 

Furthermore, studies indicate women with stronger pelvic floors have higher rates of sexual activity. (13)

PRO TIP: When you have an Orgasm, it’s like putting your mind on vacation. You relax and feel happier with expanded blood flow to the pelvic floor! Plus, reaching peak sexual stimulation can make us feel more confident, which will improve our moods even further. So orgasms are good medicine for women, and stronger pelvic floor muscles equal stronger orgasms.

5. Increased confidence 

It’s funny that many of my clients often report non-physical improvements in their lives after completing pelvic floor therapy. 

They tell me that their confidence has increased, they report feelings of increased self-worth, and that they’ve gotten better at building boundaries. Clients often say that they feel empowered and ready to tackle other problems in their lives after healing their pelvic floors. 

For those of us that understand that your physical foundation is also tied to your mental health, it’s not a huge surprise. After all, traditional medicine has talked about the importance of the root chakra (the base of your security and safety) for millennia. (14)

It only makes sense that when your pelvic floor is strong, your sense of stability improves, and you have less to worry about — which makes you available to tackle other things. 

Join me to learn more

The great news is that you don’t have to spend hours every day devoted to strengthening your pelvic floor and reaping the benefits.

You can make these huge changes to your life in just a few minutes a day.

I’ve healed over 15,000 women from pelvic floor disorder, and I’m known as the top pelvic floor therapist in the country. 

Click Here to join me on my upcoming live workshop and find out the 1 exercise all women need to be doing to improve their pelvic health.

References:

1. “Prevalence and Trends of Symptomatic Pelvic Floor Disorders in US ….” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3970401/.
2. “Project documents | Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non ….” https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10123/documents. 
3. “Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI): Symptoms, Diagnosis ….” https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/s/stress-urinary-incontinence-(sui).
4. “Physiotherapy for women with stress urinary incontinence: a review ….” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4175265/. 
5. “Activation of Pelvic Floor Muscle During Ankle Posture Change on ….” 10 Oct. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6192454/. 
6. “The role of lumbopelvic posture in pelvic floor muscle … – PubMed.” 15 Sep. 2010, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20833070/. 
7. “Sitting posture affects pelvic floor muscle activity in parous … – PubMed.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16942457/. 
8. “[Stress Urinary Incontinence and Female Sexual … – PubMed.” 4 Nov. 2019, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31703185/. 
9. “Pelvic Organ Prolapse Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments —.” https://www.pelvicorganprolapsesupport.org/pelvic-organ-prolapse-help-and-hope. 
10. “Lifetime Risk of Stress Incontinence or Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4174312/.
11. “Urogynecologic Surgical Mesh Implants | FDA.” 16 Apr. 2019, https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/implants-and-prosthetics/urogynecologic-surgical-mesh-implants.
12. “The effect of pelvic floor training on sexual function of treated patients.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14530833/. 
13. “A strong pelvic floor is associated with higher rates of … – NCBI.” 21 May. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4573594/.
14. “The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine – NCBI – NIH.” 13 Apr. 2005, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1142191/.