Pelvic Floor Muscles

Top tips on Activating and Strengthening them

As a general rule almost all Pilates movements will help the pelvic floor muscle group. Having stronger glutes and stronger abdominal muscles help in alleviating the work load of the pelvic floor muscles.

Men as well as women suffer with issues in this group of muscles. For mostly people it is their lack of activation and or weakness. Although a number of issues can be as a result of over activation and or their impingement upon other tissues including nerves.

It is of greater concern to women especially post baby. Incontinence being the most embarrassing issue, as well as other pelvic floor issues.

The group of pelvic floor muscles act as a ‘bottom’ sling between the sitting bones, coccyx and pubic bones.

There are three holes within the pelvic floor, the urethra, vagina and anus. The pelvic floor muscles should wrap quite tightly around these holes to help keep the passages closed. Invariably childbirth and or a difficult birth can cause weakness in this area.

Left untreated a weak pelvic floor can result in a prolapse – where internal organs that sit in the pelvic region can move down into the vagina.

Pilates works on activating and strengthening those muscles that are related to the pelvis, hips, and lower back.