Pelvic floor rehabilitation

The perineum

First, we looked up the definition of this little-known term, which rarely comes up in everyday conversation. So let’s start at the beginning: the perineum is the area between the anus and the genitals, divided into two equal parts by a midline called the raphe. Put simply, the perineum is the area of muscle that surrounds and supports a woman’s external genitalia, extending from the vulva to the anus.

Both men and women have a perineum, though it differs slightly. In women, it encompasses the lower ends of the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts. In men, it encompasses the lower end of the digestive tract and only part of the urinary and reproductive tracts.

If you want to locate it, the best way is to sit up straight and imagine you’re trying to hold in a fart. Not very classy, we know, but it’s a great way to find the right area: you’ll contract your pelvic floor rather than your buttock muscles.

Let’s take a closer look at the female perineum, or “pelvic floor”, to explain how it works and what it does.

The tissues that make up the pelvic floor muscles support the organs and the structure of the lower abdomen, while controlling the openings of the vagina, anus and urethra. These muscles are actively controlled by the brain and spinal cord.

The pelvic floor muscles are used every day when you urinate, but also during sex, as they play a vital role in the quality of our orgasms.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation

Pelvic floor rehabilitation isn’t just for women who have given birth. That’s right, ladies: you’re never too old to have a rock-solid pelvic floor !

At certain points in a woman’s life, pelvic floor rehabilitation may be needed for treatment or prevention. Hormonal changes can contribute to pelvic floor problems and put considerable strain on the muscles.

First and foremost, your pelvic floor needs to be strong to help you control your bladder and bowels. Over time, it may weaken for all sorts of reasons, including:

- pregnancy

- the menopause

- age

- intense exercise, etc.

This can cause small urine leaks during physical activity, or even urinary or faecal incontinence. Not exactly glamorous!

Pelvic floor rehabilitation has many advantages, not least that it’s easy to fit into everyday life. It requires little equipment and can be done at home or with a healthcare professional. If your GP or gynaecologist has prescribed pelvic floor rehabilitation sessions with a physiotherapist or midwife, it’s because they consider them appropriate for an intimate health problem.

You might also feel you need to strengthen your pelvic floor, whether because of incontinence or to improve your sex life. If so, there are plenty of exercises you can try to get your pelvic floor back in shape, so to speak!

Rehabilitating and strengthening your pelvic floor at home

Ladies, many of you wonder which accessories are best for maintaining and strengthening your pelvic floor muscles at home, without necessarily seeing a specialist.

There are different levels of pelvic floor strength: you’ll find plenty of suitable accessories to help maintain and exercise your pelvic floor while learning to control your pelvic muscles.

At Passage du Désir, we’ve selected the best products on the market to make your choice easier.

Geisha balls

Let’s start with an accessory that’s still widely misunderstood. Many people think that geisha balls, which are inserted into the vagina, were designed specifically to stimulate women and give them pleasure (which isn’t entirely true).

In fact, geisha balls are designed to strengthen the pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor muscles contract naturally to hold the balls inside your vagina. You can wear them at any time of day while going about your usual activities. This is called passive training because your pelvic floor is working without you consciously exercising it. Then there’s active training: by doing Kegel exercises, you become aware of the different ways your pelvic floor contracts.

Both ways of using geisha balls can help you tone and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.

There are two types of geisha balls: fixed-weight and variable-weight.

- Fixed-weight geisha balls: If you choose this model, you’ll need a pelvic floor that isn’t too weak to hold them in place. Fixed-weight geisha balls usually come as a pair weighing around 80 g. They’re generally intended for maintaining pelvic floor strength, so if you’ve recently given birth, choose another model unless your pelvic floor has largely recovered.

- Variable-weight geisha balls: These models are designed for women with a weak pelvic floor (who may also experience minor discomfort in everyday life). If you don’t yet have the strength to hold fixed-weight geisha balls in place, a lighter weight can help.

Connected biofeedback device:

There are now interactive connected devices designed specifically for the pelvic floor that work much like a session with a physiotherapist. During an appointment with a midwife or physiotherapist, you contract your pelvic floor when the device prompts you. A probe inserted into your vagina sends measurements to a screen so you can see your contraction in real time.

The connected devices available at Passage du Désir work on the same principle! There’s the connected pelvic floor trainer from Perifit, which consists of a vaginal probe with sensors and an app to download. 

We also have the latest from LELO, the Luna Smart Bead. It’s intuitive, so there’s no app to download. Its sensors respond to contractions, allowing it to determine the training programme that suits you best. Simply contract when you feel the gentle vibrations, then relax when they stop. You can progress through its five vibration levels.

All this is to say that if you look after your pelvic floor, sex can be even better: strong pelvic floor muscles can make orgasms much more intense (just saying)!! So, ladies, when are we starting??