Copyright Parade
Key Points Pelvic floor muscles weaken with age, menopause, childbirth and certain lifestyle factors. Experts recommend kegel exercises and diaphragmatic breathing to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. Using a toilet stool and proper posture aids pelvic health and eases defecation. Some muscles you think about strengthening more than others. If you’re 50 or older, you might know the importance of strength training, which helps prevent bone and muscle loss, both of which naturally occur with age if you don’t do anything to prevent it. With this in mind, you may use the weight machines at the gym or dumbbells, both of which are effective for strengthening muscles. But what about your pelvic floor muscles? Are you regularly doing anything to strengthen them? The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that form a supportive sling at the base of the pelvis, stretching from the pubic bone to the tailbone. Pelvic floor muscles are used for more than you may realize. They play crucial roles in bodily functions like peeing, pooping and having sex. Like other muscles, pelvic floor muscles can weaken as we age, which is why it’s important to strengthen them. Here, three pelvic floor doctors share the one exercise they wish all women 50 and older would do regularly and give other tips for supporting your pelvic floor. Related: The Exercises This Pelvic Floor Specialist Recommends to Every Single One of Her Patients How the Pelvic Floor Changes With Age “Just like any other group of muscles, the pelvic floor muscles can lose strength and tone over time if not regularly activated,” says Dr. Amanda Neri, PT, DPT, founder of The Pelvic Institute and host of The Pelvic Freakshow podcast. Dr. Neri explains that hormonal changes during menopause also impact pelvic floor muscles, sharing, “For women, as estrogen levels decline with age, the pelvic tissues lose elasticity. This makes the pelvic floor more prone to weakness and dysfunction.” 🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊 According to Dr. Neri, estrogen plays a role in keeping tissues healthy. When pelvic tissues lose some of their elasticity during menopause, she says this can lead to symptoms such as painful urination, incontinence, increased urination and increased urgency around needing to use the toilet. She adds that thinning of the vaginal tissue and changes in pH balance can lead to vaginal dryness, which can make sex painful. If you have given birth vaginally, this can also impact pelvic floor muscles, Dr. Shirin Lakhani, MBBS, MRCGP, DRCOG, an aesthetic physician and intimate health expert, reveals. “Pregnancy and childbirth earlier in life have a cumulative effect. The stretching of the pelvic floor and any tears or instrumental deliveries can mean the muscles never fully regain their original strength,” she says. Besides childbirth, Dr. Lakhani says that other lifestyle factors can impact the pelvic floor muscles. She explains that chronic coughing, constipation, heavy lifting and high-impact exercise can all put repeated pressure on the pelvic floor over the years. Related: ‘I’m a Pelvic Floor Therapist—Here’s My Advice for Staying Active When You Have Bladder Issues’ The One Exercise Women 50 and Older Should Do Daily, According to Pelvic Floor Experts Pelvic floor physical therapist and Pelvic Wellness owner Dr. Rachel Gelman, DPT, CSC, emphasizes that pelvic floor needs vary from person to person. If you have any concerns about your pelvic floor, she recommends consulting a pelvic floor therapist who can recommend a pelvic floor exercise program tailored specifically to fit your individual needs. That said, there is one pelvic floor exercise all women 50 and older can benefit from. “I would recommend kegel exercises as they are easily accessible and you don’t need anything other than yourself to do them,” says Dr. Lakhani. “When done correctly, they can definitely strengthen the health of your pelvic floor.” Never done kegel before? Here’s how Dr. Lakhani says it’s done: Lie or sit in a comfortable position. Breathe in and out. On the out breath, contract your pelvic floor muscles for between three and 10 seconds. On your next inhale, release the contraction. Relax all your muscles completely. Repeat nine times. Dr. Lakhani recommends doing this kegel exercise two to three times a day. If you’re consistent, she says most people will likely notice a difference in six to 12 weeks. “Women should notice better bladder control, less pelvic heaviness, improved vaginal comfort and stronger sexual sensation,” she explains. Related: 10 Best Kegel Weights, According to Pelvic Floor Experts Other Helpful Ways To Support Your Pelvic Floor Muscles Doing kegels regularly isn’t the only way to support your pelvic floor muscles. Dr. Neri says that diaphragmatic breathing is also beneficial, which she says helps relieve pelvic tension, something many people don’t even realize they have. To do it, she says to place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly. Breathe in slowly through the nose and feel the air move into your chest and then into the belly. Take a pause. Breathe out slowly through the mouth, pursing your lips. Keeping your hands there allows you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe and build that brain and body connection. Dr. Neri recommends doing 10 to 20 breaths of diaphragmatic breathing. “You cannot overdo diaphragmatic breathing. I recommend doing it once a day and five days a week at a minimum,” she tells Parade. If you are consistent, she says you can expect to notice a significant reduction in any tension or pain. This, she says, can lead to less painful sex. Another way to support your pelvic floor muscles in everyday life, according to Dr. Gelman, is pooping properly. “Often, constipation and pushing or straining to defecate contribute or cause pelvic floor dysfunction. Using a toilet stool to mimic a squat position is the number one thing I recommend to my patients. We are not meant to sit on the toilet to poop, we are meant to squat. So if we can replicate a squat position, it helps relax the puborectalis muscle and make it easier to defecate,” she says. Kegels, diaphragmatic breathing and pooping properly are all ways you can support your pelvic floor muscles every single day. Just like how maintaining strength in your other muscles can make everyday functioning easier, the same can be said for strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. Up Next: Sources Dr. Amanda Neri, PT, DPT, founder of The Pelvic Institute and host of The Pelvic Freakshow podcast Dr. Shirin Lakhani, MBBS, MRCGP, DRCOG, aesthetic physician and intimate health expert Dr. Rachel Gelman, DPT, pelvic floor physical therapist and Pelvic Wellness owner
