Pelvic floor muscles are responsible for maintaining our pelvic organs in their correct positions. They help us to achieve and maintain an optimal urinary stream and sexual function. Weak pelvic floor muscles can lead to bladder or bowel problems, difficulty with childbirth, and other health issues. Running has been shown to be beneficial for overall health and well-being, but what about the pelvic floor?
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Does Running Strengthen your Pelvic Floor?
There’s a lot of conflicting information out there on whether or not running is good for your pelvic floor. Some people say that the repeated pounding of running can cause pelvic floor muscles to weaken, while others claim that running actually strengthens these muscles. So, what’s the truth?
A study published in the “International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (IJGO)” set out to answer this question. The study looked at the pelvic floor muscle strength of women who ran regularly and those who didn’t run at all.
The results showed that, overall, the pelvic floor muscle strength of both groups was pretty similar. However, when the researchers looked specifically at the women who ran regularly, they found that their pelvic floor muscle strength was significantly higher than that of the non-runners.
A new study published in The Journal of Sex Research (JSR) suggests that regular running may help maintain tightness and strength in the pelvic floor muscles. In other words, running can help strengthen your pelvic floor so that you have a stronger foundation from which to support your weight during sex. Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a common condition caused by various factors, including childbirth, obesity, menopause, and aging. Symptoms can include incontinence, poor sexual function, and painful intercourse.
How Can you Tell if your Pelvic Floor is Weak?
Your pelvic floor muscles help support your bladder, bowel, and uterus. As you age, or if you have a baby, these muscles can weaken. This can lead to problems such as leaking urine (incontinence), constipation, and pelvic organ prolapse. You can do exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
What are the Benefits of a Strong Pelvic Floor?
Pelvic floor muscles are those that support the uterus and bladder. Researchers found that running increased the strength of pelvic floor muscles by up to 45 percent. Additionally, regular exercise may help to keep these muscles toned and flexible, which can help prevent conditions like prolapse.
There’s a reason your pelvic floor muscles are sometimes called your “core” muscles. These muscles play a vital role in your overall health, whether you’re a runner or not. Many people don’t realize the importance of these muscles until they experience problems such as incontinence or prolapse. But even if you don’t have any problems with your pelvic floor muscles, it’s still important to keep them healthy. Here are just a few reasons why:
1) Pelvic floor muscles help support your spine and keep your back healthy.
Your spine is what supports your body and keeps you upright. It’s also responsible for protecting your spinal cord, which carries messages from your brain to the rest of your body. A healthy spine is important for overall health, and one way to help keep it healthy is by keeping your pelvic floor muscles strong.
2) They also help stabilize your pelvis and protect your hip joints.
3) Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can help reduce the risk of incontinence and other pelvic floor problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, “A strong pelvic floor can reduce the risk of urinary incontinence in women and improve sexual function in men.
4) Pelvic floor muscles also play a major role in ejaculation, which is an important part of your overall sexual health.
Tips for Strengthening your Pelvic Floor
One in three women will experience pelvic floor problems in their lifetime. Weak pelvic floor muscles can lead to urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and prolapse. Here are some tips for strengthening your pelvic floor muscles:
1. Use a Pelvic Floor Muscle Trainer
A trainer is a device that looks like a small tampon with a string attached. It is inserted into the vagina and the muscles around it are contracted and released. This can be done daily for five minutes.
2. Do Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises are a great way to improve your pelvic floor health. The pelvic floor muscles play an important role in bladder and bowel control, and can also improve sexual function. To do a Kegel exercise, tighten the pelvic floor muscles as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Hold the contraction for 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 times. You can do Kegel exercises any time, anywhere – no one will know you’re doing them!
3. Avoid lifting Heavy Objects
The pelvic floor muscles play an important role in both men and women, supporting the bladder, bowel, and uterus. For women, these muscles are also responsible for sexual function and childbirth. It’s important to keep these muscles strong by avoiding lifting heavy objects and straining during bowel movements. Weak pelvic floor muscles can lead to problems such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and prolapse of the bladder, bowel, or uterus.
4. Drink Plenty of Fluids
A pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that support the bladder, uterus, and bowel. These muscles and ligaments can become weak and stretched over time, which can lead to urinary incontinence and other problems. One way to help keep the pelvic floor hydrated and strong is to drink plenty of fluids. Water is best, but any fluid will help. Try to drink at least eight glasses of water per day. If you have trouble remembering to drink enough water, set a daily reminder on your phone or put a pitcher of water next to your bed.
5. Avoid Sitting in a Raised Position for a Long Time
When you sit in a raised position for long periods of time, the pelvic floor muscles are lengthened and weakened. This can lead to problems such as stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which is the accidental leakage of urine.
To help prevent SUI, it is important to avoid sitting in a raised position for long periods of time and to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. There are several exercises you can do to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, including Kegels and reverse Kegels. You can also use a pelvic floor muscle trainer to help you strengthen these muscles.
Conclusion
Running has been shown to be beneficial for overall cardiovascular health, and for weight loss. It’s now being suggested that running may also help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support the bladder and sexual organs. Weakness in these muscles can lead to urinary incontinence or sexual dysfunction. Stronger pelvic floor muscles may help improve these conditions.
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