Why Kegels Aren’t Enough: The Whole-Body Approach to Pelvic Floor Strength
Introduction
For many women experiencing pelvic floor symptoms like leaks, heaviness, or urgency, kegels are often the first exercise recommended. While these isolated contractions are a great starting point, focusing only on Kegels can lead to frustration or even a plateau in your progress.
Why? Because your pelvic floor doesn’t work in isolation, it’s deeply connected to other muscle groups and your entire body. A whole-body approach is essential to strengthen and optimise your pelvic floor.
Kegels: A Solid Starting Point
Kegels target the pelvic floor directly, helping you build awareness and improve the muscle's ability to contract and relax. This foundational work is crucial, especially for women who struggle to connect with these muscles.
However, research shows that many people don’t perform kegels correctly. Without proper technique or guidance, you might not engage the right muscles or achieve the full range of motion necessary for optimal function.
The Problem with Stopping at Kegels
While isolated kegels can improve strength and awareness, the pelvic floor doesn’t work alone. It’s part of a dynamic system that includes your glutes, adductors (inner thighs), deep abdominals, and even your diaphragm. Ignoring these relationships can limit your progress.
Many women hit a plateau with their pelvic health journey because their exercises fail to address the full picture. Imagine strengthening a single link in a chain but leaving the rest weak, it compromises the system’s overall function.
Why Glutes and Adductors Are Your Pelvic Floor’s Best Friends
Your glutes and adductors play a vital role in supporting pelvic floor function:
Glutes: These muscles stabilise your hips and pelvis, providing a strong foundation for the pelvic floor. Weak glutes can increase the load on your pelvic floor, making it harder for it to do its job effectively.
Adductors: These muscles share a close anatomical and functional connection with the pelvic floor. When you activate your inner thighs, you indirectly engage your pelvic floor, strengthening the system as a whole. When adductors are tight, this can cause tightness in pelvic floor.
By training these muscle groups in tandem with your pelvic floor, you create a more balanced, resilient system that can better handle the demands of daily life.
The Importance of a Whole-Body Approach
Your pelvic floor doesn’t just need strength—it needs coordination, endurance, and flexibility. To achieve this, your rehab and exercise routine should include:
Functional Movements: Exercises like squats and lunges that mimic real-life activities.
Core Integration: Movements that teach your core and pelvic floor to work together.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Essential for relaxation and ensuring your pelvic floor isn’t overly tight.
Moving Beyond Traditional Rehab
If you’ve been stuck doing only isolated pelvic floor exercises without seeing the results you want, it’s time to expand your approach. A well-rounded program that includes your glutes, adductors, and core, not to mention functional and dynamic movements can help you overcome plateaus and build lasting strength.
Your Next Step to Symptom-Free Living
Ready to explore the whole-body approach to pelvic health? I’ve created a FREE e-book that introduces foundational exercises to help you strengthen your pelvic floor and integrate it into your everyday movements.
👉 Check out the E-books on the website and get your FREE guide today.
It’s time to go beyond Kegels and take a step toward feeling strong, confident, and symptom-free!
Liesbeth
Pelvic Health Physiotherapist
Pelvic Floor Rehab
UA - University Antwerp