Today, we’re delving into a topic that’s not just intriguing but also essential for every woman’s well-being – the relationship between orgasms and your pelvic floor health. The pelvic floor might not be a topic you discuss over brunch, but it’s a critical part of your body that deserves attention. Keep reading to find out more about your pelvic floor and learn whether or not orgasms can improve pelvic floor strength.
Understanding the Pelvic Floor
Anatomy of the Pelvic Floor: To get to the bottom of this topic (pun intended), it’s essential to understand what the pelvic floor is. Picture it as a hammock of muscles that spans the bottom of your pelvis, supporting your bladder, uterus, and rectum. These muscles play a vital role in controlling your bladder and bowels, as well as supporting your reproductive organs.
So what do the pelvic floor muscles actually do? The pelvic floor muscles are like your body’s own trampoline. They bounce back to support your organs and, when working properly, prevent embarrassing leaks when you laugh, sneeze, or jump. They also play a crucial role in sexual function and childbirth.
Unfortunately, these muscles can become weak due to various factors, including pregnancy and childbirth, aging, and obesity. The result can be incontinence, reduced sexual satisfaction, and even pelvic organ prolapse.
The Pelvic Floor And Orgasms
Ladies, you’re probably familiar with the blissful feeling of an orgasm. But what’s actually going on inside your body? When you climax, your body experiences a series of pleasurable contractions in various muscles, including the pelvic floor. So, can orgasms actually strengthen the pelvic floor?
The million-dollar question! There’s a growing body of research that suggests that the pelvic floor muscles get a workout during orgasm. But can they really help you maintain or regain pelvic floor strength?
A recent study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine suggests that just may be the case.1 The study compared improvements in pelvic floor strength between two groups of postpartum, primiparous women (women who have been pregnant and given birth once). In the study, the first group was assigned a treatment of daily Kegel Exercises. The second group was advised to initiate self-initiated or partnered sexual activity-induced orgasms, along with the same daily Kegel exercises prescribed for the first group.
Participants were assessed monthly for 6 months and researchers evaluated pelvic floor muscle strength on voluntary contraction, the ability to relax the pelvic floor voluntarily, and sexual function. Results showed that both sexual function, as well as the ability to relax the pelvic floor were significantly better in group 2 compared to group 1 at every monthly interval. Additionally, the pelvic floor strength of the second group was significantly higher in group 2 compared to group 1 at the end of 6 months.
This study indicates that the muscle contractions that you experience during an orgasm aren’t just a fun side effect of the main event. They are part of the natural process that can strengthen your pelvic floor.
Benefits of Pelvic Floor Health
Wondering why you should even care about the pelvic floor in the first place? There are lots of reasons to keep this set of muscles in tip top shape:
- Improved Bladder Control. Having a strong and healthy pelvic floor can mean that you’re at less of a risk for bladder leaks. The pelvic floor muscles help you to control the release of urine, bowel movements, and gas. When you contract them, they lift the internal organs of the pelvis and prevent leakage. Having more strength in the pelvic floor means that you’re able to better control this function when you need to. (This is true for both men and women.)
- Enhanced Sexual Satisfaction. A strong pelvic floor can enhance your sexual experiences, leading to more intense and satisfying orgasms.
- Preventing and Managing Pelvic Floor Disorders. Conditions such as pelvic organ prolapse can happen when your pelvic floor becomes too weak to hold up all your organs, leading one or more of them to collapse into the vaginal canal. This can be uncomfortable for women and can lead to incontinence, pain, and sexual discomfort.
So you see, keeping your pelvic floor strong and healthy should be at the top of your priority list. Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to ensure a healthy pelvic floor.
Keeping Your Pelvic Floor Healthy
As usual, it’s better to start these practices before you experience a problem, like incontinence. However, even women who already have incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, or other pelvic floor conditions can benefit from these practices.
- Kegel exercises. For many women, kegel exercises are a good way to improve the strength of your pelvic floor. Kegels consist of tightening the pelvic floor, as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Be cautious when trying these exercises however – women who have a pelvic floor that’s too tense are not advised to do Kegels as they may do more harm than good. When in doubt, always check with a pelvic floor physical therapist to be sure Kegel exercises are right for you.
- Core exercises. While Kegels often get all the hype when it comes to the pelvic floor, the truth is that your pelvic floor is connected to a whole host of other core muscles, and it’s just as important to keep them strong and healthy so that they can help support the pelvic floor. Check out our list of downloadable exercise sheets with tons of moves you can do to improve pelvic floor strength in our Pelvic Floor Health Center.
- Yoga and Pilates for Pelvic Floor Health. While yoga and pilates may not directly target the pelvic floor muscles, these workouts will help to strengthen your core, which, as we mention above, can positively enhance the function of the pelvic floor.
- Watch your posture. It’s true! Good posture keeps the pelvic floor in the most optimal position to give good support and can prevent our muscles from being too loose or to tense.
- Diet. Being overweight can put increased pressure on your pelvic floor, leading to greater weakness. Keep a healthy diet to avoid excess weight gain (or to lose any excess pounds you currently have).
Let’s also take a moment to discuss constipation. Straining to use the bathroom can put significant pressure on the pelvic floor, so it’s important to keep your diet filled with fruits, vegetables and fiber (plus a healthy amount of water) to ensure you’re preventing yourself from becoming backed up.
In conclusion, ladies, your pelvic floor is a crucial part of your body, and its health matters. While orgasms may not be a silver bullet for pelvic floor strength, they certainly play a role in maintaining its tone. The key is a holistic approach to your well-being that includes exercise, lifestyle choices, and open communication about your body’s needs.
Your pelvic floor deserves the same attention and care as any other part of your body so it’s important to make it a part of your self-care routine. Remember, a happy, healthy pelvic floor is a vital step towards a more vibrant, confident, and pleasurable you!
For more information on the pelvic floor, including tips for keeping it healthy, articles about pelvic health, exercises you can do, and even a free 6 week guided pelvic health program, visit NAFC’s Pelvic Floor Health Center.
3 Responses
I had a meningioma brain tumor in the right side of my head. I have urge incontinence. It is better but still gives me trouble sometimes. If I don’t get to the toilet when I get the urge I have a 50% of leadage. I had a trip and fall in 2020, it took me several years to get better,several injuries. I am doing more strengthening exercise and have had incontinence therapy 3 times in the last 10 years. They have all helped. I started doing more exercise outside the pool due to osteoporosis I have developed. I had it going the other way a few years back but with working out in the water more it became worse. I also had my digestive track screwed up from pain medication from the injuries and the surgeries. I cannot take anything orally at all now. Any recommendations on a machine I can purchase is greatly appreciated. Amazon has its prime days now and I am looking for something. The machine is way too expensive. I did 6 sessions and it helped but did not stop the urge incontinence for that type of money. Thank You.
Curious on the breathing part too! Also, is Kegels good if you have part weak & part tight muscles?
Is there an association between the movement of the diaphragm and the pelvic floor? I’ve heard that deep breathing and exhaling helps the pelvic floor to relax and contact.