Overview:

The floor of the pelvis is made up of layers of muscle and other tissues. These layers stretch like a hammock from the tail bone at the back, to the pubic bone in front. A woman’s pelvic floor muscles support her bladder, womb (uterus) and bowel (colon). All these organs are very close to each other and are connected. The pelvis has holes for passages to pass through, that is the vagina, ovaries and the fallopian tubes.
The rectum demonstrates the relationship to the muscles of the pelvic floor within its openings for urethra, vagina and rectum.

The musculature of the pelvic floor acts as a cradle for the bladder, the uterus and the rectum/small intestine and keeps these organs in their correct position. The pelvis operates only well when it is relaxed not very strong and not too weak.

When women are aroused, the erective tissues makes harder and thicker lips and the clitoris swells. The clitoris stretches inside the body that is why the erection is not as obvious from outside as for men.

Menstruation:
When the uterus works a lot it can cause pains. For menstruation women needs more strength. To relax a little, it is recommended to take warm herbal tea eg. Frauenmantel, pfefferminze.

Why strengthening the pelvic floor is important:

Pelvic floor weakness can occur as a result of childbirth or ageing. Poor posture, bowel and bladder habits, core weakness, and other factors can all contribute to weak pelvic muscles. Because the intestines, bladder, and uterus (the uterus hangs like a puppet it does not grow on the stomach) are maintained by the pelvic muscles, when they weaken, the organs of your body are not well supported and may descend or displace. As a result, a prolapse would occur. Urinary and faecal incontinence can be caused by either weak or tight pelvic floor muscles.

Sexual function is also dependent on the pelvic floor muscles. Women will have less pelvic pain during intercourse if these muscles are healthy and strengthened.
The pelvic floor muscles support the baby and aid in the delivery of the infant during pregnancy. During pregnancy and childbirth, however, the muscles may weaken, resulting in leaking or prolapse. Before the only solution was to remove the uterus but now vaginal cones have been developed as a simple and effective method for the non-surgical treatment of weak pelvic floor muscles and for the prevention of the conditions associated with this problem.

Physiotherapy treatment comprises assessing these muscles and prescribing pelvic floor muscle exercises that particularly target these muscles.Pelvic floor exercises have a number of advantages, including:
-Reduces the possibility of vaginal and rectal prolapse.
-Helps with post-pregnancy recovery by speeding up healing after childbirth improved bladder and bowel habits.
-The workouts can benefit women’s health, which often requires attention after pregnancy.

Women with tight muscles may require trigger point release and muscle lengthening before beginning to strengthen them. The opening of the bladder, vagina and anus are connected to other muscles eg. thighs, bottom and stomach.

Strengthening the bladder:

It is important to keep warm and take foods such as potatoes, millet and oat flakes and also using the sauna and massaging feet, from the leg to thighs. Drinking a lot of water to keep the bladder healthy.
The bladder is like a balloon and when in good order, one to one and a half litre by day, drinking slowly not to stress the muscle is good. It is possible to train the bladder to hold on for up-to four hours before going to the toilet, so that one does not rush to the toilet every time they drink.
To help the urine to hold, It is possible to ignore or tell your bladder to hold on or to bend down and breathe in heavily in the stomach.

Exercises for the pelvic floor:

Where is the pelvic floor? If you put hand in between the legs, there is the pelvic-floor.

It is important to train the pelvic. Pelvic training gymnastic can be done everywhere, sitting or standing, at least 15 minutes exercise every day:
-sit down straight on a chair
exercise by tensing all the three parts (urethra, vagina, anus), then relax the muscles

• variation: start with tensing the urethra, then add tensing the vagina and lastly add tensing the anus, then relax the muscles
• variation “elevator exercise”: take the vagina up into the stomach in three steps, then go down slowly, going down is not easy.

When you have pelvic problems , your gynaecology can recommend you for therapy.