Periods & Pelvic Health, Perimenopause & Lifelong Health Agnes Berta Periods & Pelvic Health, Perimenopause & Lifelong Health Agnes Berta

Do You Really Need Kegels? What a Healthy Pelvic Floor Actually Needs

10 min-read

Quick Read

A healthy pelvic floor needs more than strength. It must support the pelvic organs, contract and relax, respond automatically to pressure and coordinate with breathing and movement. Pelvic-floor muscle training has its strongest evidence for urinary incontinence and may also help some women with prolapse symptoms, but more squeezing is not always appropriate. The Aviva Method incorporates both contraction and release within whole-body movement and dedicated pelvic-floor exercises.

Key Takeaways

  • A healthy pelvic floor is responsive—not simply tight or strong. It needs strength, endurance, relaxation, coordination and appropriate resting tone.

  • The pelvic floor works as part of a wider system. It coordinates with the diaphragm, abdominal wall, back muscles, breathing and movement.

  • Pressure is part of everyday life. Coughing, lifting, running and jumping create different pressure patterns; the aim is not to avoid normal movement but to respond appropriately.

  • PFMT has its strongest evidence for urinary incontinence. It may also improve prolapse symptoms and some measures of sexual function, although the evidence is not equally strong for every outcome.

  • Not every pelvic-floor problem is caused by weakness. Pain, difficulty emptying the bladder or bowel and painful sex can sometimes involve excessive muscle activity or impaired relaxation.

  • The Aviva Method incorporates both strengthening and relaxation. Pelvic-floor work appears within the Simple Method, while dedicated strengthening exercises are paired with relaxation exercises.

  • Pelvic-floor care can form part of everyday life. Movement, safe lifting, bladder and bowel habits, breathing and addressing persistent coughing all contribute to the wider picture.

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