Exercising isn’t just for your biceps or abs — it can also improve your pelvic muscles. When your pelvic muscles get stronger, your internal organs get the support they need to improve your quality of life. Check out how exercise and bladder health connect and what you can do to strengthen those muscles.
What Is the Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles found in both cisgender men and women. They consist of three classifications, known as1:
- The levator ani and ischiococcygeal muscles
- The urogenital diaphragm
- The perineum membrane
These muscles control a person’s ability to contract and release their bladder, vagina and anus in addition to operating the organs related to those body parts. They can lose these abilities due to health conditions or aging.
Do Pelvic Floor Therapy Exercises Help the Bladder?
Pelvic floor therapy exercises help the bladder by strengthening the involved muscle groups. People may use these exercises after giving birth, experiencing a prolapsed pelvic organ or dealing with fecal incontinence. They may also loosen the pelvic muscles in individuals who struggle to urinate or defecate.
An overactive bladder (OAB) can also cause a frequent need to pee related to loosened pelvic muscles. Research shows 16% of adults have OAB symptoms,2 which they can manage with their doctor’s recommendations and pelvic floor exercises.
Best Exercises for Your Pelvic Floor
Try these exercises to target your pelvic floor. Your focus on exercise and bladder health may improve your quality of life alongside your doctor’s recommendations.
1. Heel Slides
If you’re one of the 25%–45% of women between 35 and 60 or 2%–11% of men with urinary incontinence, try heel slides to improve your ability to hold more urine in your bladder. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and tighten your pelvic muscles like you’re holding in gas. While you’re constricting those muscles, slide one heel out, hold for five seconds and release your muscles.
Draw your leg back and repeat at least 10 times on each side. You’ll slowly develop more core strength and muscle functionality3 if you practice this regularly.
2. The Butterfly
Tight pelvic muscles might prevent you from having comfortable, regular bowel movements. Loosen them by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet touching. Keep your feet together while resting each knee to the side like butterfly wings. Pillows should support each knee so you’re completely at ease while maintaining the position.
This position helped participants relax their muscles most effectively4 in a recent pelvic training study. Doing this stretch regularly may keep your pelvic muscles looser, allowing for more comfortable bowel movements while taking certain medications or living with a diagnosed pelvic disorder.
3. The Locust
Anyone searching for a slightly more complicated bladder exercise can try the locust. Lie chest down on the floor with your arms and legs extended behind you. Raise your arms and legs while keeping your chest on the floor. Hold that position for 10 seconds, if possible.
Doing so contracts the pelvic floor muscles, significantly improving their strength5 and the strength of other core muscles. Repeat this movement daily to experience an increased quality of life.
Improve Your Bladder Health with Exercise
Getting a strong pelvic floor by focusing on exercise and bladder health is possible with effective movements. Talk with your doctor about using these movements to treat your tightened or loosened pelvic muscles alongside their recommended treatment methods.
