From not treating your rectum as a storage facility to weight lifting, experts offer advice on how to maintain a healthy pelvic floor for longer
Pelvic floor health has long been relegated to whispered conversations about pregnancy or aging, often reduced to vague instructions to “do your kegels”.
But according to experts, daily maintenance of the pelvic floor is important.
The pelvic floor consists of the muscles at the base of the pelvis and “everything above it, including ligaments” says Lisa Birmingham, a senior physiotherapist and director of All Women’s Health in Brisbane. It extends from the pubic bone in the front to the coccyx in the back. These muscles are responsible for “pulling everything in from below” and supporting the bladder, bowel, and – in females – uterus.
Pelvic health is vital for all genders and ages, says Shan Morrison, a specialist physiotherapist and director of Women’s and Men’s Health Physiotherapy in Melbourne.
