Let’s talk more about pelvic floor and the menopause

By Roxy Bugrova

I’ve been a personal trainer for many years now and have seen how the menopause or weak pelvic floor muscles can impact women of all ages.

Many women forget to focus on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, but like any other muscle in the body, your pelvic floor should be exercised regularly to keep the muscles strong and active. More than 1/3 of women experience issues with their pelvic floor at some point during their lifetime. It can be affected by childbirth but also excessive exercise, being overweight, a sedentary lifestyle and ageing. 

What are the benefits of strengthening your pelvic floor? 

• Helps stop incontinence 
• Helps manage prolapse
• Relieves some menopausal and peri-menopausal symptoms 
• Lowers the risk of incontinence following childbirth 

Finding your pelvic floor muscles

The pelvic floor muscle group is bigger than many people think and acts like a hammock for the lower abdominal organs.

You can feel them if you imagine you are trying to stop the flow of urine when going to the toilet. These are the muscles we will focus on! 

The Pelvic Lift

1. Lie on your back on the floor, legs flat, feet relaxed, hip distance apart

2. Create a triangle with your hands placed below your tummy button

3. Breathe deeply for two minutes making sure your hands move with your abdomen with each breath you take, focus on inhaling and exhaling trying, to make your tummy move three inches in when inhaling and three inches out when exhaling 

Hip Abductors

1.Begin lying on one side with your head resting on the arm which is on the floor

2. Bring your knees towards your tummy so that you have a 90-degree bend at the knee and your heels are in line with your hips

3. Slowly raise your top leg, then lower and repeat ten times. Engage your glutes throughout (making sure your hip doesn’t move)

4. Turnover and repeat on the opposite leg

5. Be sure to inhale and exhale deeply throughout the exercises