“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.
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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
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.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.
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.
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Related: The One Thing You Should Never, Ever Do on the Toilet, According to GI Doctors
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Dr. Amanda Neri, PT, DPT, founder of The Pelvic Institute and host of The Pelvic Freakshow podcastDr. Shirin Lakhani, MBBS, MRCGP, DRCOG, aesthetic physician and intimate health expertDr. Rachel Gelman, DPT, pelvic floor physical therapist and Pelvic Wellness ownerHence then, the article about pelvic floor doctors reveal the one exercise every woman over 50 should be doing was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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