Squeezy does it

Sarah Mulindwa, presenter of E4’s The Sex Clinic, is on a mission to educate the nation on the importance of working our pelvic floor muscles. Here she busts some of the biggest myths

MYTH 1:

Only women need to look after their pelvic floor muscles Men and women have pelvic floor muscles so problems from a weak pelvic floor can affect both genders. However, these issues are more common in women.

Approximately four in 10 females over the age of 65 will experience bladder weakness, while one in four men over 40 do.

MYTH 2: Having a caesarean will prevent pelvic floor issues

Both pregnancy and childbirth put pressure on the pelvic floor, and while vaginal birth is the most common cause of damage to the pelvic floor muscles, many women mistakenly believe if they have a caesarean section they won’t suffer with bladder weakness.

Unfortunately, this isn’t necessarily true. The additional weight associated with pregnancy can be enough for some women to start leaking, regardless of how their baby was delivered.

Many women also begin to experience bladder weakness during the menopause, whether they have had children or not. The hormonal changes – a reduced level of oestrogen in particular – can affect the abdominal muscles, causing the bladder to change position, which results in urine leakage.

Also, the vaginal and urinary tract tissue can become drier, thinner and less elastic with age.

MYTH 3: Urinary incontinence is the only symptom

Not all women with pelvic floor issues will experience urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor dysfunction can also cause constipation, stool leakage, or leave you unable to control the passing of wind.

MYTH 4: I’m too old to improve things now

When it comes to pelvic floor muscles, age is irrelevant. There’s no such thing as “too old”.

The beauty of pelvic floor exercises is that you do not need a gym membership and they can be done anywhere, any time, whether sitting, lying or standing. You should perform the exercises at least once a day. It’s best to set a daily routine, doing them first thing in the morning or last thing at night.

Downloading a free app, such as TENA’s My Pelvic Floor Fitness app, teaches you how to perform the exercises properly. Remember that this is not an overnight fix, so give it some time and keep in mind that it might take a few weeks until you notice any change.

MYTH 5:

My pelvic floor is beyond repair Many people cannot exercise due to being elderly or suffering from chronic health conditions and therefore imagine they cannot improve their pelvic floor muscles. But any muscle that has been weakened or damaged can be strengthened and the pelvic floor muscle is no different.

After a few weeks of regular exercises, for even as little as five minutes a day, everyone should start to notice the difference. If you don’t, seek advice from your GP, who may refer you for

physiotherapy.

MYTH 6:

Incontinence will ruin my sex life Leaking during sex is more common than you think but it doesn’t have to mean an end to feeling confident in bed. There are things you can do to give you peace of mind during intimate moments. As well as pelvic floor exercises, try to empty your bladder before getting intimate and avoid fizzy drinks, caffeine and alcohol if you can.

Try changing positions too as some put less pressure on the bladder and urethra. And the good news is that pelvic floor exercises can also improve sensation when it comes to sex as well as the quality of your orgasms.

MYTH 7: There is no treatment for incontinence

This is not the case. Once the source of the problem has been identified, incontinence can be slowed or halted very effectively.

Weight loss, cutting down on caffeine and alcohol, doing pelvic floor exercises and bladder training (slowly learning to wait longer between needing to go and passing urine) are very effective.

There are also some surgical options including a sling procedure, which reduces pressure on the bladder, and a device that can be implanted to stimulate the nerve that controls the wall of the bladder.

The good news is pelvic floor exercises can improve sensation during sex, as well as the quality of orgasms

Sarah has joined forces with TENA to help women discover the power of the pelvic floor and to help reduce incontinence. Free to download, TENA’s My Pelvic Floor Fitness app provides information about pelvic floor exercise.