On this page 3 sections
Quick answer
- The pelvic floor supports your bladder, bowel and womb.
- Daily squeeze-and-relax exercises help at any age, but can take a few months to show results.
- Leaks, heaviness or pain are treatable, so ask for help.
Your pelvic floor is a sling of muscles supporting your bladder, bowel and womb. Strong, flexible pelvic floor muscles help with bladder and bowel control, and can make sex feel better too.
Pregnancy, birth, getting older, constipation, coughing and heavy lifting can all strain them, so pelvic floor exercises are useful at any age, not just after having a baby. The NHS says they can be effective at reducing leaks, but you may need to do them for a few months before you see the benefit.
How to do them
- Sit, stand or lie comfortably. Imagine you are trying to stop yourself weeing and passing wind at the same time. That is the muscle.
- Squeeze it quickly, without pulling your tummy in, hold for 2 seconds, then relax.
- Repeat 10 times, breathing normally.
- Build up gradually to holding each squeeze for up to 10 seconds, with a rest between.
- Practise every day.
MythYou should practise by stopping your wee midstream.
Stopping your wee is a way to find the muscles once, not an exercise. Cleveland Clinic warns that stopping and starting your wee regularly can lead to infection.
Sources
Written by the Splash teamSources checked
This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US). How we write and check articles.