5 Things I Wouldn’t do as a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Author: Samantha Edwards, Physiotherapist
1. Assume everyone needs to do kegels
Kegels are not a one-size-fits-all. People are often under the impression they need to do kegels to help with bladder leakage or pelvic pain. However, the opposite can be true; kegels may make your pelvic floor symptoms worse. Your pelvic floor muscles are like any other muscle in the body, they can carry tone and tension as well. Therefore, you could potentially be experiencing incontinence or pelvic pain due to the muscles being too tight. If you experience pelvic pain or incontinence, it is beneficial to be assessed by a pelvic floor physiotherapist to see if kegels are appropriate for you.
2. Hover over the toilet seat
Hovering over the seat causes tension in your pelvic floor muscles and can make it difficult to expel urine or stool. I know some public bathrooms can be uncomfortable but I really encourage you to fully sit on the toilet, even if this means you have to layer the seat with toilet paper first. Allowing you bum to completely relax on the seat will allow your pelvic floor muscles to relax, making it easier to empty your bladder and bowels.
3. Wash your vulva with fancy soaps
Any products on the shelf that claim to make your vagina smell better or cleaner is false advertising. The vagina is a self-cleaning oven and has its own optimal pH level (happy environment). When you add fancy soaps this can irritate the vagina (and vulva) and throw off the pH balance. To wash your vulva it is recommend to use warm water with gentle soap (if any). You do not need to scrub, gentle splashes will do the trick.
4. Wear panty liners daily
The vulva tissue is delict and needs to breath. If it is constantly exposed to the texture of a panty linear, overtime this can cause break down and irritation of the skin. If you wear a panty linear due to bladder leakage you need to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist to help you with the leakage. If you wear a panty linear because you don’t like the feel of you discharge, just know that vaginal discharge is normal. You can also try leak proof underwear as these can be gentler on your vulvar skin. Also, wearing pads or liners every day is expensive, so seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist for a few sessions will be cheaper than buying pads for the rest of your life.
5. Limit water intake so you don’t have to pee as often
Contrary to popular belief, limiting your water intake can irritate your bladder, causing you to need to pee more often. When the bladder is lacking water this causes the urine that is in your bladder to become more acidic and irritate the bladder, leading to more frequent bathroom breaks. It is also not helpful to limit your fluid intake during the day and then chug water before bed. This will lead to frequent bathroom breaks throughout the night and you should only be going to the bathroom once, if at all, during the night. It is most beneficial for you and your bladder to take small sips of water throughout the day.
