The Pelvic Floor: Why Everyone Should Care About These Muscles
When you think of core strength, you might picture sit-ups or planks—but one of the most important muscle groups in your core often gets overlooked: the pelvic floor. These deep muscles support vital functions and play a key role in how we move, feel, and function every day.
What Is the Pelvic Floor?
Pelvic floor muscles are one of the least talked-about and least known muscles by the general public. They are a group of muscles that form the base of your pelvis, acting like a supportive sling for your bladder, bowel, and internal organs. They help control continence, contribute to sexual function, support your spine, and work closely with your abdominal and back muscles to stabilise your body.
Who Should Pay Attention to Pelvic Floor Health?
Pelvic floor dysfunction affects a wide range of people, not just women. Men, athletes, older adults, and those recovering from surgery or injuries can all experience symptoms like urinary leakage, urgency, pelvic pain, or a feeling of heaviness or weakness in the pelvic region. These issues are common but not “normal”—and they are very treatable. And yes - for all the men out there, your pelvic floors are very important too. Good pelvic floor health can also enhance athletic performance, improve posture, and reduce the risk of back pain.
How We Can Help
Unfortunately, we do not offer a pelvic health service. However, at our clinic, we provide support, including the use of EMS Whole Body Training (Electrical Muscle Stimulation). EMS uses targeted electrical impulses to activate and strengthen not just your big muscles, but your small, supportive, inner muscles too, such as your pelvic floor, especially when traditional exercises are difficult or ineffective. It’s a non-invasive, evidence-based approach that can help improve muscle tone, coordination, and control - it feels like very fast, light, fuzzy taps on your body. Most of our female clients who come into the clinic who do EMS are experiencing menopause or perimenopause and rely on this to keep strong.
Check out our video on how EMS can help in women’s health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZar7OFf9QE
More Than Just Muscles
Pelvic health isn’t just about strength—it’s about coordination, endurance, and timing. The pelvic floor works in harmony with your breathing, posture, and core control. That’s why we take a comprehensive approach to help you move and function better, whether you're dealing with discomfort or just aiming to prevent future issues. Incorporating breathwork and alignment strategies into your routine can dramatically improve how your pelvic floor functions with everyday movement.
How to Activate Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
Your pelvic floor muscles sit at the base of your pelvis and play a key role in bladder control, stability, and core strength. Learning to activate them can improve both function and confidence.
Here’s how to try it:
Start Relaxed:
Lie on your back with knees bent, or sit upright in a chair.
Engage Gently:
How to Feel It Working
Place your hands on the inside of your hip bones (just above your groin). You may feel a slight drawing in or gentle tension deep within your pelvis when the pelvic floor is correctly engaged. Everything else—thighs, stomach, and buttocks—should stay fairly relaxed.
If it’s hard to find or control the muscles, EMS Whole Body Training can help activate and strengthen them effectively.
Why Prevention Matters
Even if you’re not currently experiencing pelvic floor symptoms, taking proactive steps to maintain pelvic health is key. Like any other muscle group, the pelvic floor benefits from regular attention and conditioning. Simple daily activation exercises, mindful posture, and techniques like EMS Whole Body Training can help prevent issues before they start. Just like brushing your teeth is part of your hygiene routine, keeping your pelvic floor muscles engaged and healthy should be part of your physical wellness routine. Prevention now can save you from discomfort, limitations, or more complex treatments down the track.
In Summary
Your pelvic floor matters—no matter your age, gender, or activity level. If you’re noticing signs of dysfunction or want to improve your core support and confidence, our team is here to help with the latest techniques, including EMS. Small changes in awareness and activation today can lead to big changes in comfort and performance tomorrow.
Wendy
