The Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor muscles form a broad sling between your legs from the pubic bone in front to the base of your spine at the back.

The muscles of the pelvic floor form a cradle to hold the bladder, womb and bowel in place and to control the muscles that close the anus, vagina and urethra, shown here in picture 1.



When the pelvic floor muscles become weak or damaged, as shown in picture 2, as the result of childbirth for example, they cannot do this effectively.

Pelvic floor weakness is a major cause of stress incontinence and in some can cause prolapse Stress incontinence, or bladder weakness means that you might leak small amounts of urine while coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercising. It is estimated that up to 25 per cent of new mothers suffer from stress incontinence.

A staggering 1/3rd of all sanitary towels sold are for stress incontinence. In addition to the distress that stress incontinence can cause, many women and their partners report decreased satisfaction in their lovemaking and intimate pleasures.