Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Your pelvic floor muscles are a large group of muscles that lie across the base of your pelvis. They are held in place by ligaments and support your pelvic organs: bladder, bowel and womb.

Your pelvic floor muscles should be kept active and strong just like any other muscle in your body.

Reproduced from: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
“Your pelvic floor exercise from the perineal tears and episiotomies in childbirth, Patient Information Leaflet. London: RCOG; with the permission of the College.

Your pelvic floor muscles are important for many reasons:

• They keep your bladder, bowel and womb in the correct position. They also stop any prolapse of these organs.
• They offer strength and structure to your vagina.
• They help keep your bladder and bowel openings closed. This stops unwanted leakages (incontinence).
• They relax to let you empty your bladder and bowel.
• They work as part of the “core muscle system” along with your tummy and back muscles.
• They help to manage any increase in pressure within the tummy. Pressure can occur during lifting, bending, coughing and straining.
• They have a role in sexual function and can help improve vaginal sensation.

Please see our NHSL Patient Information Leaflet – Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises for information on:

• What issues can occur with the Pelvic Floor Muscles?
• Why do these problems happen with the Pelvic Floor Muscles?
• Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises
• Other ways to help: bladder care, bowel care and relaxation

How to do your Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises

Please watch the videos below explaining how to do your Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises.

Breathing and the pelvic floor