Are Kegels the only way to make your pelvic floor stronger?

The answer is no, doing Kegels is not the only way. For me, doing Kegels is only part of the formula to get the pelvic floor stronger. Before getting my clients to do any Kegels at all, I make sure that they are set up for success. I accomplish this by doing a thorough assessment of all the structures that can affect the integrity of the pelvic floor muscles such as the pubic bone, the tail bone, the symmetry of the pelvis and any connective tissue restriction such as adhesions from C-section scars or episiotomy/tear scars. Once these structures and connective tissue have been brought back to balance, I find that my clients’ ability to do Kegels usually improve significantly.

Having said that, other factors such as posture and diaphragm/pelvic floor synchronization also play a huge part in how the pelvic floor functions. So once again, getting the pelvic floor stronger is not only a pelvic floor issue, it involves a lot of other factors.

By Mia Dang, PT / a registered physiotherapist with extensive supplementary training in pelvic floor physiotherapy and perinatal care