Pelvic Floor Lifts: How to Do Them, Benefits, and Common Mistakes

How to do a pelvic floor lift?

A pelvic floor lift, often referred to as a Kegel exercise, involves the conscious contraction and relaxation of the muscles that support your pelvic organs, aiming to strengthen them for improved continence, support, and sexual function.

Understanding Your Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is a hammock-like group of muscles and connective tissues that stretch from your pubic bone at the front to your tailbone at the back, and from side to side across your sitz bones. These muscles, primarily the levator ani and coccygeus, form the base of your core and play several vital roles:

• Support: They hold up your pelvic organs (bladder, bowel, uterus/prostate) against gravity and intra-abdominal pressure.
• Continence: They control the openings of your urethra and anus, preventing accidental leakage of urine or feces.
• Sexual Function: They contribute to sexual sensation and orgasm.
• Core Stability: They work in conjunction with your deep abdominal muscles and diaphragm as part of your inner core unit.

Understanding these functions highlights why maintaining the strength and coordination of your pelvic floor is crucial for overall health and quality of life.

Benefits of a Strong Pelvic Floor

Regularly performing pelvic floor lifts can yield significant health benefits, including:

• Improved Urinary and Fecal Continence: Strengthening these muscles helps prevent leakage when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exert yourself, and can manage overactive bladder symptoms.
• Support for Pelvic Organs: A strong pelvic floor reduces the risk of pelvic organ prolapse, where organs descend from their normal position.
• Enhanced Sexual Function: Increased blood flow and muscle tone can lead to improved sensation, stronger orgasms, and reduced pain during intercourse for some individuals.
• Better Core Stability: As part of the deep core system, a well-functioning pelvic floor contributes to spinal stability and can help prevent lower back pain.
• Post-Partum Recovery: Pelvic floor exercises are essential for women recovering from childbirth, helping to restore muscle tone and function.
• Men's Health: For men, these exercises can aid in managing post-prostatectomy incontinence and improving erectile function.

Preparing for Your Pelvic Floor Lift

Before you can effectively perform a pelvic floor lift, it's essential to correctly identify the muscles. Many people initially struggle with this, often engaging their glutes or abs instead.

• Finding the Right Muscles:
  • Urination Interruption: While urinating, try to stop the flow mid-stream. The muscles you use are your pelvic floor muscles. Do not make this a regular practice, as it can interfere with proper bladder emptying.
  • Stopping Gas: Imagine you are trying to prevent passing gas. The muscles you squeeze and lift are your pelvic floor muscles.
  • Internal Sensation: For women, insert a clean finger into the vagina and try to squeeze around it. For men, try to lift the base of the penis without tensing other muscles.
• Relaxation is Key: Before each contraction, ensure your pelvic floor muscles are fully relaxed. Tension can hinder effective strengthening.
• Positioning: Begin by lying down in a comfortable position, such as on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. This minimizes the effect of gravity and external muscle engagement, allowing you to focus solely on the pelvic floor. As you gain proficiency, you can progress to sitting and then standing.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Pelvic Floor Lift

Once you've identified the muscles, follow these steps to perform a proper pelvic floor lift:

• Step 1: Get Comfortable. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms relaxed at your sides. Ensure your back is in a neutral position, not overly arched or flattened.
• Step 2: Identify the Muscles. Take a few deep breaths and consciously relax your glutes, inner thighs, and abdominal muscles. Focus your attention on the area between your tailbone and pubic bone.
• Step 3: The "Lift" Contraction. Imagine you are trying to stop the flow of urine and prevent passing gas simultaneously. Gently draw the muscles up and in towards your belly button. Think of it as lifting an elevator or sucking a thick milkshake through a straw. You should feel a distinct internal lift, not a bearing down or outward push.
• Step 4: Hold the Contraction. Hold this gentle lift for 3-5 seconds. During the hold, continue to breathe normally and avoid tensing your glutes, abs, or inner thighs. The movement should be subtle and internal.
• Step 5: Release Fully. Slowly and completely relax your pelvic floor muscles. It's crucial to let them fully descend and soften. This relaxation phase is as important as the contraction itself, allowing the muscles to recover and preventing over-tightening.
• Step 6: Rest and Repeat. Rest for 3-5 seconds, allowing your muscles to fully recover, before performing the next lift.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect technique can diminish the effectiveness of your pelvic floor exercises or even cause problems. Be mindful of these common errors:

• Holding Your Breath: Breathe naturally throughout the exercise. Holding your breath increases intra-abdominal pressure, which can counteract the lift.
• Bearing Down or Pushing Out: The action should always be an "up and in" lift, not a downward push. Bearing down can weaken the pelvic floor and contribute to prolapse.
• Engaging Other Muscles: Avoid squeezing your glutes, tightening your abdominal muscles, or clenching your inner thighs. The movement should be isolated to the pelvic floor. If you feel these muscles working, you're likely overcompensating.
• Not Fully Relaxing: Failing to completely release the contraction between repetitions can lead to muscle fatigue and tightness, which can be just as problematic as weakness.
• Overdoing It: More is not always better. Starting with too many repetitions or holding for too long can lead to muscle fatigue.

Integrating Pelvic Floor Training into Your Routine

Consistency is key for strengthening your pelvic floor. Here's how to integrate it effectively:

• Types of Contractions:
  • Slow Lifts (Endurance): Focus on a gradual, sustained lift and hold for 5-10 seconds, followed by an equally slow and complete release. These build endurance.
  • Quick Lifts (Reactive Strength): Perform rapid, strong contractions, holding for 1-2 seconds, followed by immediate, full relaxation. These train your muscles for quick responses, like when you cough or sneeze.
• Progression: Start by practicing in a lying position. Once you're confident with the technique, progress to sitting, then standing, and eventually incorporate lifts into daily activities.
• Frequency and Duration: Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions of slow lifts and 3 sets of 10-15 quick lifts, performed daily or every other day. Listen to your body and adjust as needed.
• Functional Integration: Once you've mastered the basic lift, practice engaging your pelvic floor before and during activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting heavy objects, or performing abdominal exercises. This proactive engagement helps protect your pelvic floor.

When to Seek Professional Help

While pelvic floor lifts are generally safe and beneficial, some individuals may benefit from professional guidance:

• Persistent Symptoms: If you continue to experience incontinence, pelvic pain, or other symptoms despite consistent effort.
• Difficulty Identifying Muscles: If you struggle to locate and activate your pelvic floor muscles correctly, a professional can provide biofeedback or manual guidance.
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse: If you suspect or have been diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse, a specialized physical therapist can tailor an exercise program.
• Pre- and Post-Natal Guidance: Pregnant and postpartum individuals often benefit from personalized pelvic floor assessment and training.
• Chronic Pelvic Pain: In cases of chronic pain in the pelvic region, a pelvic floor physical therapist can assess for muscle tension or dysfunction.

A Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist (PT) or Physiotherapist specializes in assessing and treating pelvic floor dysfunction. They can provide a personalized program, offer manual therapy, and use biofeedback to ensure you are exercising your pelvic floor correctly and effectively.

Conclusion

Mastering the pelvic floor lift is a powerful tool for improving core health, continence, and overall well-being. By understanding the anatomy, practicing correct technique, avoiding common mistakes, and integrating these exercises into your daily routine, you can significantly strengthen these vital muscles. Remember that consistency and patience are key, and never hesitate to seek professional guidance if you encounter difficulties or have specific health concerns.