Exercises for Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
End worries about urinary leaks with these simple tips for strengthening your pelvic floor muscles
Sep 16, 2009
Jan 29, 2021
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If you've ever worn an absorbent pantiliner or pad because you worry about accidentally leaking urine when you exercise, garden, sneeze, or cough, you're not alone. These forms of stress incontinence are common bladder control problems. They affect up to 50 percent of women at some point in their lives, according to the American Urological Association.
Your pelvic floor muscles prevent the leakage of urine and stool by supporting your pelvic organs. These muscles, located between your legs and attached to your pelvic bone, may be weakened by pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, menopause, or aging. Yet bladder control problems are not a normal part of life, at any age.
There's good news: You can make your pelvic floor muscles stronger through exercise, just as you strengthen your other muscles for good health. Exercising your pelvic floor muscles regularly helps reduce or eliminate leakage problems. If you are pregnant, or have other medical conditions, be sure to consult your health care professional before beginning these exercises.
Success depends upon two steps—finding the right muscles to work and exercising them correctly:
Find your pelvic floor muscles by:
To exercise these muscles:
Keep at it, even if you miss a day or two. It may take a month or more to see progress, but pelvic floor muscle training can end your worries about urinary leaks.