Pelvic Floor Advice: Information, Answers and Self-Help.

Outpatient Physiotherapy

Pelvic Floor Advice This leaflet provides information, exercises, nutritional and self-help advice for pelvic health.

INFORMATION The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that surround the bladder, womb, uterus and bowel. They help to control bladder and bowel movement in both women and men, as well as sexual function.

These muscles can be made weaker through stress incontinence, pregnancy, age, not keeping active, constipation, being overweight and prolonged coughing (for example, smokers).

Both men and women can benefit from practising pelvic floor exercises.

Any bladder or bowel problem, no matter how small needs to be looked at. If you wish to seek online help, visit: http://pogp.csp.org.uk/information-patients#patient or contact your registered general practitioner for an onward referral to an appropriate healthcare professional.

PELVIC FLOOR STRENGTHENING EXERCISES Pelvic tilt exercises Lying in bed or on the floor, bend both knees with your feet flat on the surface.

Pull your tummy button towards your spine, so that your back flattens against the surface.

Hold for four seconds and release.

Repeat up to 10 times.

Pelvic floor/ bridge exercise: Lying in bed or on the floor, bend both knees with your feet flat on the surface.

Close up your anus as if you’re trying to prevent a bowel movement.

At the same time, draw in your tummy towards your spine, and engage your urethra as if to stop the flow of urine.

At first, do this exercise quickly, tightening and releasing the muscles immediately.

Then do it slowly, holding the contractions for as long as you can before you relax. Try to count to 10.

Try to do three sets of eight squeezes every day.

To help you remember, you could do a set at each meal.

You can then progress to lifting up your buttocks and raising your hips off the floor, whilst performing the contraction.

Keep breathing whilst you perform these exercises and avoid squeezing your buttocks together.

FOOD AND DRINK It is recommended by the Department of Health that you try to eat a balanced diet. You can get further advice from: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/the-eatwell-guide Your choice of drink can also irritate the bladder. This can then make you feel that you want to go to the toilet more often. Aim to drink 1.5-2L a day and do not restrict your fluid intake. If you feel you have frequency at night, aim to have your last drink two hours before you go to bed.

Recommended drinks include water, milk, herbal/decaffeinated tea/coffee and diluted squash. You should aim to drink eight glasses of water a day.

Drinks to avoid include fizzy drinks, caffeinated tea or coffee, green tea, fruit juice and alcohol.

Visit our website for more information and advice:

www.provide.org.uk/service/physiotherapy-outpatients If you need this leaflet in braille, audio, large print or another language, please contact our Customer Service Team on: 0300 303 9951 / 0300 303 9952 or by email at: provide.customerservices@nhs.net

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