Are Kegels Really the Only Way to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor? 🤔

Short answer? Nope.

Kegels get a lot of hype, but they’re only one small piece of the pelvic floor puzzle. In fact, jumping straight into Kegels without checking a few other things first can sometimes do more harm than good.

Before I ever ask a client to do a single Kegel, I make sure their body is actually set up for success.

That means looking at all the things that affect how well the pelvic floor works — like the symmetry of the pelvis, the length and strength of the muscles supporting the pelvis, and whether there are any restrictions in the connective tissue. Scar tissue from a C-section, episiotomy, or tear? Yep, that matters too.

Once those areas are moving and working better, something magical often happens…Kegels suddenly become much easier and more effective.

But wait — there’s more 😄

Your pelvic floor doesn’t work in isolation. It’s part of a team. Things like:

• Your posture

• How you breathe

• How well your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together

All of these play a huge role in pelvic floor strength and function.

So strengthening your pelvic floor isn’t just about squeezing harder or doing more reps. It’s about making sure the whole system is working together properly.

Bottom line?
Kegels can be helpful — but they’re not the whole story. When the rest of the body is supported and balanced, the pelvic floor can do its job way better.

And that’s when real progress happens 💛

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