If you have problems doing the exercises, or if you don't understand any part of this information, ask your doctor, nurse, continence advisor or physiotherapist for help.
Do your pelvic floor exercises every single day. Have faith in them.
You should begin to see good results in a few weeks.
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[] PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES
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Physiotherapists, Doctors and Nurses know that pelvic floor exercises can help you to improve your bladder control. When done correctly, pelvic floor exercises can build up and strengthen the muscles to help you hold urine.
WHAT IS THE PELVIC FLOOR? Layers of muscle stretch like a hammock from the pubic bone in front to the bottom of the backbone. These firm supportive muscles are called the pelvic floor. They help to hold the bladder, womb and bowel in place, and to close the bladder outlet and back passage. HOW CAN PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES HELP? Pelvic floor exercises can strengthen these muscles so that they once again give support. This will improve your bladder control and improve or stop leakage of urine. Like any other muscles in the body, the more you use and exercise them, the stronger the pelvic floor will be.
HOW DOES THE PELVIC FLOOR WORK? The muscles of the pelvic floor are kept firm and slightly tense to stop leakage of urine from the bladder or feces from the bowel. When you pass water or have a bowel movement, the pelvic floor muscles relax. Afterwards, they tighten again to restore control.Pelvic floor muscles can become weak and sag because of childbirth, lack of exercise, the change of life, or just getting older. Weak muscles give you less control; and you may leak urine, especially with exercise or when you cough, sneeze or laugh.
LEARNING TO DO PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES: It's important to learn to do the exercises in the right way, and to check from time to time that you are still doing them correctly.
1.) Sit comfortably with your knees slightly apart. Now imagine that you are trying to stop yourself passing wind from the bowel. To do this you must squeeze the muscle around the back passage. Try squeezing and lifting that muscle as if you really do have wind. You should be able to feel the muscle move. Your buttocks and legs should not move at all. You should be aware of the skin around the back passage tightening and being pulled up and away from your chair. Really try to feel this,
2.) Now imagine that you are sitting on the toilet passing urine. Picture yourself trying to stop the stream of urine. Really try to stop it. Try doing that now as you are reading this. You should be using the same group exercises that you used before; but don't be surprised if you find this harder than exercise 1.
3.) Next time you go to the toilet to pass urine, try the "stop test" about halfway through emptying your bladder. Once you have stopped the flow of urine, relax again and allow the bladder to empty completely. You may only be able to slow down the stream. Don't worry; your muscles will improve and strengthen with time and exercise. If the stream of urine speeds up when you try to do this exercise, you are squeezing the wrong muscles.
Do not get into the habit of doing the "stop test' every time you pass urine. This exercise should be done only once a day at the most.
Now you know what it feels like to exercise the pelvic floor!
TIPS TO HELP YOU:
1.) Get into the habit of doing your exercises with things you do regularly - every time you touch water in the home, every time you answer the phone if you are at the office ...whatever you do often,
2.) Do the "stop test" once a day when passing urine. Stopping your urine should get faster and easier.
3.) If you are unsure that you are exercising the right muscle, put one finger in the vagina and try the exercises - to check. You should feel a gentle squeeze, if you are exercising the pelvic floor.
4.) Use the pelvic floor when you are afraid you might leak - pull up the muscles before you sneeze or lift something heavy. Your control will gradually improve.
5.) Drink normally at least 6-8 cups of water every day. And don't get into the habit of going to the toilet "just in case". Go only when you feel that the bladder is full.
6.) Watch your weight. Extra weight puts extra strain on your pelvic floor muscles.
7.) Once you have regained control of your bladder, don't forget your pelvic floor. Continue to do your pelvic floor exercises a few times each day to ensure that the problem does not come back.
You can do pelvic floor exercises wherever you are. Nobody need know what you are doing!