Michelle Kenway Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Pelvic Exercises provides Physiotherapy exercise videos, information and products that improve your health and pelvic floor fitness.
Our goal is to help you exercise safely with pelvic prolapse, after prolapse surgery, hysterectomy or general pelvic floor weakness.
Pelvic Exercises’ presenter Michelle Kenway is a health professional (Physiotherapist), internationally renowned author and exercise instructor for women.
Michelle:
- Has in excess of 20 years clinical experience
- Special interest in pelvic floor physical therapy and exercise for women
- Holds post graduate qualifications in pelvic floor physiotherapy and exercise for women
- Is a world-renowned author of the international best selling series of pelvic floor safe recovery books and exercise DVDs.
What are Pelvic Exercises?
Pelvic floor exercises or Kegels involve contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles in a controlled manner.
This training can improve the function of your pelvic floor muscles and help you recover and maintain your pelvic health and fitness. Scientific research tells us that pelvic floor exercises provide evidence-based treatment for a range of pelvic floor problems including muscle weakness and bladder leakage (stress incontinence).
Potential Benefits
Pelvic floor exercises can:
- Strengthen pelvic floor muscles
- Decrease bladder leakage
- Relieve prolapse symptoms
- Reduce back or pelvic pain
- Improve sexual sensation and response
How to Start Strengthening
Pelvic floor exercises involve contracting and then relaxing your pelvic floor muscles. The correct action is to squeeze and lift using the muscles inside and around your three pelvic openings (i.e. bladder entrance or urethra, vagina and anus).
Pelvic Floor Safe Exercises
These are exercises that reduce the load and potential strain on the pelvic floor during physical activity. It’s important that women are involved in appropriate regular exercise for the many physical and emotional benefits it provides.
Some women with gynaecological problems stop exercising because of their symptoms or through fear of making their problems worse when this isn’t necessary.
Pelvic floor safe exercises include:
- Strength training
- Fitness (aerobic) training
- Core muscle training
- Weight management activities
- Bone health exercise
- Group exercise (e.g. modified Yoga)
As you can see, there are many different types of pelvic floor safe exercises to choose from.
Some women have a greater risk than others of pelvic floor overload with some general exercises. The key to choosing the best physical activities for your body is to know your risk of injury and match this with the appropriate type of exercise.
Most women can exercise safely by knowing the right type of training for their body and avoiding or modifying the activities that carry a greater risk of pelvic floor injury. For example with a knee injury and associated weakness you would usually avoid running. Similarly with a pelvic floor injury such as prolapse and muscle weakness it’s also best to avoid high impact exercise like running.
This Physiotherapy information helps you know your individual risks and choose the best exercises to reach your goals and keep your body safe.
