Maintaining Pelvic Floor Health Through Menopause: Tips, Exercises, and Strategies

When it comes to protecting our pelvic floor health, there’s no such thing as being too cautious. This muscle is responsible for supporting a number of key organs, including our bladder, bowel, and uterus. When the pelvic floor muscle isn’t at its best, neither is our continence – and that’s something we want to protect for the long term, throughout menopause and beyond. The alternative isn’t at the top of anybody’s wish list!

As women, our pelvic floors face all kinds of demands and challenges throughout each season of life. From those who’ve been pregnant or given birth naturally to the hormonal challenges of menopause, this is a muscle group that’s constantly adapting. As well as reproductive and hormonal changes, its strength can also be challenged from high-impact sports, heavy lifting, obesity, and chronic illnesses. 

With so many factors working against a healthy pelvic floor, how can we protect its wellbeing and functionality throughout menopause? Luckily for you, we’ve gathered some of the best tips, exercises, and strategies for the job. 

 

What, exactly, is the pelvic floor?

For a muscle that has such an influence on our day-to-day experience, many of us are unfamiliar with what our pelvic floor is, as well as the purpose it serves. The pelvic floor is made up of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that extend from the pubic bone to the tailbone. These muscles are crucial in providing everyday support for the bladder, bowel, and uterus, and help to control when urine, faeces, and gas are released. 

These muscles are also super important to our sexual function, providing necessary support and sensation throughout intercourse. If the pelvic floor is weakened, so, too, can a woman’s sexual pleasure be reduced.

 

Signs of pelvic floor dysfunction

There are a range of signs that can point to issues with the health and wellbeing of your pelvic floor. These symptoms can include urinary incontinence (such as untimely leaks when coughing, sneezing, or exercising), a pelvic organ prolapse (which is marked by a feeling of pressure, or fullness, and occurs when pelvic organs shift out of their position), bowel issues (such as constipation or incontinence), pain, discomfort, and a decrease in sexual enjoyment and sensation. 

As our pelvic floor health can ebb and flow over the course of different life seasons and physical events, it’s important to pay close attention to your pelvic floor, monitoring it for any changes or disruptions. The sooner a symptom is noticed, the better it can be treated.

 

Your health and wellbeing is too important to risk. Contact the Australian Menopause Centre to find the highest quality of personalised menopausal healthcare.

 

How to maintain great pelvic floor health throughout menopause (and beyond)

In the same way that a sweaty session at the gym can help you to work targeted muscles, pelvic floor exercises can help to build your pelvic floor muscles. These are often referred to as Kegels, and are a group of exercises designed to strengthen these muscles and improve their performance.

You don’t need to wait for menopause to incorporate Kegel exercises. In fact, the earlier in life you begin strengthening this muscle with intention, the better. However, menopausal women can give their pelvic floor support amidst changing hormonal levels by prioritising Kegel muscles into their everyday routines.

The great thing about Kegel exercises is they can be done anywhere, anytime. Simply lift, hold, and then relax your pelvic floor muscles. Begin by doing a few Kegels at a time, building the length of time and the number of Kegels you’re doing in each set as you progress. We recommend performing Kegel muscle sets 2-3 times a day.

Don’t be surprised if you’re not able to hold a Kegel for long at first – it may take some practice! Challenge yourself to increase the length of time you’re holding for day by day, working your way up to 5-10 seconds. 

A sample Kegel set looks like:

• Tightening your pelvic floor muscles for three seconds before relaxing for three seconds. This counts as one Kegel.
• Repeat this 10 times. If you need to work your way up, begin doing this five times and keep growing your progress as your pelvic floor strengthens. This counts as a set of Kegels. 
• Start by doing one set in the morning and one set at night, before building up to three times a day. 

Kegels aren’t the only way to strengthen your pelvic floor health, although they’re a great foundation to build on. Exercises that focus on building core stability are also a fantastic asset when it comes to building and maintaining your pelvic floor strength. Pilates and yoga are strong contenders for first place here when it comes to this desired outcome – if you’re not already incorporating these exercises into your routine, now’s the perfect time to give them a try and discover the many benefits they can offer. A local studio can give you in-person support when it comes to learning a new form of exercise, but with a wealth of options online, you can also practise these core-building movements in the comfort of your own home.

If you’re really looking to build your pelvic floor strength, there’s also a wide range of Kegel exercise supports you can purchase that can elevate your pelvic floor strengthening routine. Perifit offers a device that’s connected to a mobile game, allowing you to strengthen your pelvic floor and improve your overall pelvic health while also working your competitive muscles.

 

Conclusion

On the long list of changes menopause brings with it, challenges to our pelvic floor health is one area where we need to pay close and ongoing attention. Thankfully, with some simple at-home exercises, you can build a pelvic floor health exercise routine that increases the strength of your pelvic floor both now and into the future. To find holistic support for every aspect of your menopause experience, reach out to our friendly, expert team at the Australian Menopause Centre. We’re ready to equip you for all of the challenges menopause brings your way.