Bladder Control and More: Exercises and Tips for Keeping Your Pelvic Floor Strong
- T Benton
- Mar 8
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 2
Okay, let's talk about bladder control and good pelvic health. The pelvic floor is an integral part of our bodies, often ignored. A strong pelvic floor can improve core stability, bladder control, and sexual health. Whether you are a woman experiencing postpartum changes, an athlete aiming to boost performance, or someone dealing with incontinence, focusing on pelvic strength is vital. This article will discuss effective exercises and practical tips to maintain a strong and healthy pelvic floor.
Understanding the Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues that support the organs in the pelvis, like the bladder, bowel, and uterus. Strengthening these muscles can lead to significant health improvements.
However, Bailey (2023) states, "Before you start pelvic floor exercises, consult with a healthcare provider to ensure your symptoms are related to muscle tightness or weakness and not an underlying health condition like pelvic organ prolapse (when pelvic organs drop because of muscle weakness) or bladder problems (like bladder control loss)."
If there is an underlying condition causing your symptoms, pelvic floor exercises could worsen the condition. Also, please note that an overly tight or overactive pelvic floor can also be a concern. Therefore, it is essential to speak with your doctor and work to strengthen and maintain the right balance of relaxation in these muscles.
As I say in my articles, always speak to your healthcare provider before beginning any new health changes, including exercise, nutritional changes, or any other health and wellness changes.
Why Pelvic Floor Strength Matters
Strengthening the pelvic floor offers a variety of benefits:
Bladder Control: Strong pelvic floor muscles help manage incontinence, reducing the likelihood of accidents during activities such as running, jumping, or laughing. Many women see improvements after pelvic floor training.
Enhanced Sexual Health: Toned pelvic floor muscles can improve intimacy for both partners, resulting in a more satisfying sexual experience.
Core Strength and Stability: The pelvic floor is key in maintaining overall core strength. A strong core can significantly improve performance in various physical activities, from lifting weights to playing sports.
Support During Pregnancy and Postpartum Recovery: Pregnant individuals can benefit from targeted exercises that help prepare the pelvic floor for childbirth and promote faster recovery afterward.
Effective Exercises for a Strong Pelvic Floor
Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises are well-known for targeting and effectively strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Here is how to do them. You can easily do Kegel Exercises when you are meditating or practicing Yoga or Floor Exercises, which make Kegels easy to add to your existing workout routines. At the end of this article, you will find several inks to help you with Kegel's and other pelvic floor exercises.
Find Your Muscles: One way to identify your pelvic floor muscles is to try to stop the flow of urine mid-stream during bathroom trips.
Execute the Exercise: Once you locate these muscles, contract the muscles and hold for about 5 seconds, then relax for another 5 seconds.
Repetitions: Aim for 10-15 repetitions, three times a day. Consistency is key.
You can do Kegel exercises while sitting, standing, or lying down. Again, many people will integrate pelvic floor exercises into their existing exercise routine. For example, when sitting to do Chair Yoga or during deep breathing exercises. Kegel exercises are easy to do and can be done anywhere and anytime.
Bridge Pose
The Bridge Pose is excellent for engaging the pelvic floor while strengthening the glutes and lower back. If you'd like, you can do this exercise using an exercise band by looping a band around your legs right above your knees, as shown above, but the use of a resistance band is not necessary.
Start Position: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
Lift Up: As you raise your hips toward the ceiling, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles.
Hold and Release: Hold for 5-10 seconds, then gently lower your hips back down. Repeat 10-15 times.
Squats
Photo courtesy of Mart Production
While primarily targeting larger muscle groups, squats also help to engage and strengthen the pelvic floor.
Setup: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
Squat Down: Bend your knees to lower your body while keeping your back straight and chest lifted.
Engagement: As you rise, activate your pelvic floor muscles and push through your heels. Aim for 10-15 repetitions.
Here are a couple of useful tip sheets to help you get started on Pelvic Floor Exercises:
Tips for Maintaining Pelvic Floor Health
Regular Exercise
Stay consistent when it comes to strengthening your pelvic floor. Incorporate exercises into your daily routine to see long-term results. Consider a mix of weight training, yoga, and aerobic activities. Not only will this improve your pelvic floor strength, but it will also enhance your overall physical health. Exercises that strengthen your core, such as bridges, squats, planks, and crunches, are ideal as they target pelvis muscles.
Posture Awareness
Good posture plays a crucial role in pelvic floor health. "Having poor posture, from slumped shoulders to tilted pelvis, can have a negative effect on the health of your pelvic floor – the sling of muscles that bear the weight of your internal organs when you sit or stand. How we sit, stand and go about our daily routines can affect pelvic floor strength and necessary flexibility." (Coyle, n.d.).
Be mindful of maintaining an upright posture, whether sitting, standing, or walking. Engaging your core while maintaining good posture can support your pelvic floor. You will find several links for information on good posture at the end of this article.
Mindfulness and Relaxation
Photo courtesy of Katrin Bolovtsova
Maintaining pelvic floor health requires more than just contraction; relaxation is crucial, too.
Practices like deep breathing, yoga, or meditation can help alleviate tension in the pelvic area. Try consciously relaxing your pelvic floor muscles when facing stressful situations to enhance comfort.
Relaxation plays a key role in maintaining good health. Relaxation helps us to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, improve digestion, reduce pain, and ease stiff muscles, including our pelvic muscles. Think of your pelvic muscles like your bicep muscles. You want to improve their overall strength, but you would not want them always to be tight and stiff. Muscles need to relax, and relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and meditation are excellent ways to help our muscles relax.
You will find some many resources on Mindfulness, Meditation, and Relaxation at the end of this article.
Nutrition and Hydration Play Their Role
Photo courtesy of Cats Coming
Nutrition and adequate hydration are key to good health, serving as foundational elements that support not only our overall well-being but also specific bodily functions.
A balanced diet, rich in various nutrients, and proper hydration are crucial in maintaining and enhancing our pelvic floor health. The pelvic floor, a group of muscles and tissues that support the bladder, uterus, and rectum, is essential for various bodily functions, including urination, bowel movements, and sexual health.
When we consume a well-rounded diet that includes a spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients, we provide our bodies with the necessary tools to function optimally.
Foods high in fiber, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, are vital because they contribute to digestive health and can prevent constipation. Constipation can lead to increased straining during bowel movements, which places additional pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. This pressure can weaken these muscles over time, potentially leading to issues such as pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence. Moreover, a diet low in fiber can exacerbate digestive problems, further complicating pelvic floor health.
Staying hydrated supports tissue health. Speak to your healthcare provider to determine the optimal daily intake of water for you based on your unique needs.
Overall Well-being
Understanding and maintaining pelvic floor strength is essential for everyone, not only for specific demographics. Regular exercise and lifestyle changes can keep your pelvic floor strong and functional.
Always work with your doctor to develop a customized health plan for you. Then, incorporate practical exercises, prioritize hydration and nutrition, and make time for relaxation. Doing so can improve your overall well-being, boost your confidence, and help you to lead a more active, fulfilling life.
We at Blissful-Health.org want to help you on your journey to better health and wellness. You will find helpful links to improve your health and well-being at the end of this article.
Here's to your Good Health! ❤️
T. Benton
Owner & Writer @blissful-health.org
Copyright © 2025 Blissful-Health.org. All Rights Reserved.
Links for Pelvic Floor Health:
Links for Good Posture:
Links for Relaxation and Meditation:
Resources:
Bailey, A. (2023, May 30). Pelvic floor exercises and instructions. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/pelvic-floor-exercises-7484238
Coyle, M. (2024, June 4). Your posture and your pelvic health. Coyle Institute. https://coyleinstitute.com/your-posture-and-your-pelvic-health/
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