Why you need more than kegels to stop peeing your pants

When someone is experiencing symptoms like bladder leakage or urgency, heaviness or pressure in their pelvic floor from a prolapse most people ( even well intended health care providers) automatically think the pelvic floor is weak and it must be strengthened. And then to strengthen the pelvic floor we must do kegels. Except now there are tons of people kiboshing kegels for “functional” exercises that are “better” for your pelvic floor, telling you not to waste your time with kegels and well frankly, even as a professional who specializes in this area - its confusing.

The truth is, its more complex then just a simple do or don’t do kegels or its weak and we must strengthen it.

As a pelvic floor physio when I do an assessment - I am looking at the strength of your pelvic floor muscles, yes but I am also checking the coodination and endurance of the muscles and if you are able to relax and lengthen them.

A healthy pelvic floor can contract AND relax. this is often one of the missing pieces - we squeeze and clench and kegel our hearts out and forget the muscle needs to relax too. Imagine walking around all day with your bicep contracted - eventually it would get sore and tired - so why do we think we need to sqeeuze our pelvic floor every time we move?

Also, during an assessment I am looking outside of your v@gina!!!! I am looking at your posture and alignment, your foot and ankle, your hips, pelvis and low back, your ribs and upper back. I am looking at you as a person. Your sleep, your stress, your habits.

Yes we need a strong pelvic floor - yes kegels can help - sometimes - but they are not the full picture.

Sometimes the solution is not about your pelvic floor at all. Sometimes your pelvic floor is doing the best she possibly can in the enviroment that shes in! So lets stop blaming her and calling her weak and look beyond your v@g!

Also a moment for the pelvic floor - it is a intricate structure of THREE layers of ~15 muscles, ligaments and fascia that works as part of a team with all the other muscles in your body!!!

Its not simple but it also doesnt have to be complicated!!! Find a pelvic floor physiotherapist who looks outside of your V@gina!!