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Pelvic floor exercises

Posted , 8 users are following.

jean04098
jean04098

I've read on here and I'm sure elsewhere on the net that doing pelvic floor exercises alone can be pointless because most women aren't doing them correctly and so need to be taught first. I was just wondering if anyone could elaborate on that? What's the correct way to do them? I'm sick of silly articles on the Internet, I'm starting to think the people who write them don't even know what they're talking about and one article contradicts the next. Same with the so called specialists I've seen, I ask repeatedly if I'm doing them right and they just stick a finger in and as soon as I clench they say I'm doing them right but doing them has never helped me. I'd appreciate any information on this, i have more faith in the opinion of women who've been through these issues than any specialist right now.

0 likes, 21 replies

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  • diann34970
    diann34970 jean04098

    Posted

    Funny you asked because I had my first appointment with a specially trained nurse practitioner. Mine was to include a Manometry and EMG ( electromyogrphic) study to provide information about the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. Stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles is then preformed to help relax and strengthen these muscles. The treatment is said to be not painful. Using a sensor that they place inside of my vagina for both measurement and treatment purposes and I'm supposed to bring the sensor to each appointment. The sensor cost $50.

    I didn't do it because I'm feeling fine at 13 weeks and had it in my mind if it's not broke why fix it!! We talked at length about kegel and to do it properly. What I remember most from her saying is that tighten up, hold and then breath out. I may do the therapy at s later date since the insurance pays for it but right now I'll insert the Premarin twice weekly and do my kegel.

    That's all I know and hope will help and not to confusing.

    I'm in the U.S. and they may be doing different procedures.

    My doctor at the woman's center for advanced pelvic surgery is awesome and I'm thankful I had him as my doctor.

    • jean04098
      jean04098 diann34970

      Posted

      Thank you for the information, it's much appreciated 😀 This whole thing is so confusing, so much conflicting advice all over the place. Even from one specialist to the next the advice can be totally different, I wish they'd get their act together and stick to something lol
  • doris29
    doris29 jean04098

    Posted

    My Dr said my pelvic floor was perfectly fine but I still had a rectocele.

    I squeeze everything like I'm stopping a wee and try to pull up to my belly button hold for 10 then do 9 more 3 times a day

    • jean04098
      jean04098 doris29

      Posted

      Thank you for sharing 😀 my pelvic floor seems ok to me but I'm no expert and haven't been diagnosed properly. I've always felt it was because I was stretched so much and not stitched up after having my daughter, the difference down there after her was unbelievable. I was really tight before and had to spend a fair bit of time preparing for intercourse, since having her 12 years ago it's so diiferent, to give an example during a Pap smear I can't feel the speculum go in or open, before it used to be almost painful. I've always felt it was just so streched it couldn't support everything. But the focus always seem to be on the pelvic floor so maybe I'm wrong.
    • doris29
      doris29 jean04098

      Posted

      Mine was through birth injury too hun. After my third. My insides were all good till the last baby. Having been forced to push at 5cm this happened.

      Never had bowel issues before, it is purely from the labour

    • jean04098
      jean04098 doris29

      Posted

      I had no problems giving birth, small baby, no prolonged pushing or anything. I think I was just unlucky.
  • chris00938
    chris00938 jean04098

    Posted

    Pelvic floor exercises can't correct a prolapse once it gets past a certain fairly mild point.  So maybe you're expecting too much from the exercises?
    • jean04098
      jean04098 chris00938

      Posted

      Maybe.I was just hoping they could slow down things getting worse, but so far no good lol
    • jean04098
      jean04098 chris00938

      Posted

      I've been doing them for years lol I'm close to giving up 😂
    • chris00938
      chris00938 jean04098

      Posted

      Not sure what to say there Jean!  It may have helped blood flow to the area though, so helped any vaginal atrophy aspects, I wonder, even if it's not done a lot for the prolapse.
    • jean04098
      jean04098 chris00938

      Posted

      Well I guess that the thing, everything has gotten a lot worse in the last year or so but I guess it could've gotten even worse than it is if I had not of done the exercises lol gotta look on the bright side I guess 😂
  • Jan999
    Jan999 jean04098

    Posted

    The only way to ensure you are doing them correctly is to see a specialist physiotherapist who has undertaken training specific to pelvic floor and urogynaecology. In the UK most Urogynaecologists have them working alongside them in their team. They have special equipment to test how well you are doing them and teach you the best way to do the exercises. Watching videos on YouTube is pointless.
    • chris00938
      chris00938 Jan999

      Posted

      I should have seen the physio before coming out of hospital after my op but she was off at a meeting that day, so never got to see her.  She emailed 'exercises'.  That was it LOL!
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