How to do pelvic floor exercises after hysterectomy?
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Want to know how to do pelvic floor exercises after hysterectomy? After a hysterectomy, protecting your pelvic floor muscles is especially important as they hold your pelvic organs securely in place.
A hysterectomy can increase your risk of weakened pelvic floor muscles and prolapse. Why does this happen?
- The descending uterine artery supplies the uterosacral ligaments(the hammock-like structures supporting internal pelvic organs). Cutting this blood supply during a hysterectomy may cause atrophy and weakening of these ligaments.
- It is not uncommon for tissue and nerve damage to occur when these muscles are separated during the procedure.
- A space is created by removing the uterus and cervix, into which the other pelvic organs can sag.
- Moreover, if they remove the ovaries, you will also undergo a hormonal change and experience the first signs of menopause. The loss of estrogen will bring about a gradual weakening of your pelvic floor muscles.
And what happens when pelvic floor muscles weaken? When these muscles lose their strength, you may experience problems associated with bowel or bladder function.
For one, you may get a prolapse when one or more organs drop from their normal position or press on another organ. This can occur when the bladder descends from its normal position and compresses the urethra. As a result, you may experience stress urinary incontinence, and specific activities like coughing, running, or sneezing make youlose urine unintentionally.
How soon can one start pelvic floor exercises after hysterectomy?
When you have approval from your surgeon, you can slowly start exercising these muscles.
Usually, this is after catheter removal, and you can urinate independently. Always begin with what feels comfortable and then steadily increase to at least three times a day.
It would help if you practiced quick contractions together with more prolonged contractions:
- Quick contractions are when you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles for a second and then rest.
- Prolonged contractions are when you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles, keep them tight for several seconds, and then rest.
How do you locate the pelvic floor muscles? Imagine that you need to hold your urine or hold yourself from passing wind. A note of warning: doing this exercise on the toilet and stopping your urine flow is not a good idea. It may affect your bladder function in the long run. Another way to locate these muscles is by putting a finger in the vagina and tightening the muscles. When done correctly, you should feel it squeeze around your finger.
How to strengthen my pelvic floor after a hysterectomy?
Pelvic floor exercises, also named Kegels, can strengthen your muscles and help prevent different types of prolapse after hysterectomy. They are not exercises you only do during the recovery period of a hysterectomy. It should be a daily exercise routine for the rest of your life. Many women find it tough to do these exercises faithfully every day. In addition, you can do them while taking a shower or doing the dishes. Or, when you already have another daily exercise, include some Kegel exercises in this routine.
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How to do Kegel exercises?
- Initially, when the pelvic muscles are weak, lying down may be easier since you can activate these muscles better.
- To separate the muscles, begin to squeeze the muscles around your anus. Then, proceed to squeeze the ones around the vagina and urethra. Hold them tight as if you want to hold something in your vagina. Try not to tighten your buttocks at the same time. The goal here is to hold it for two seconds, then release and relax for two seconds. Repeat this ten times if you can.
- Build this up to the point where you can hold those muscles tightened for 3 to 8 seconds, or longer if possible. And then relax for 8 seconds. When you feel your muscles get stronger, try to do three sets a day. Repeat this process, contract and lift, and then loosen.
- You must rest entirely between every contraction and not hold your breath. You should relax your muscles for as long as you squeeze them.
- When you already have some issues with light bladder leakage after your hysterectomy, try to squeeze for two seconds each time you feel the need to sneeze, laugh, or cough.
Benefits of pelvic floor exercise after hysterectomy
Even if you had a hysterectomy several years ago, it is never too late to start with pelvic floor exercises. Here are the benefits of doing daily Kegel exercises following your hysterectomy.
- It gives better bladder control and can considerably reduce incontinence
- Increases blood flow to the pelvic organs
- Improves vaginal health
- Enhances sexual satisfaction
How to protect your pelvic floor?
The infographic below shows you what to do to prevent pelvic floor muscle damage and how to keep those muscles strong and healthy.
Reminder apps and toner devices can be effective
Despite all your good intentions to begin pelvic floor exercises, it’s easy to forget to do them or not do them correctly. So a lot of women like to get some help with that.
There are a number of apps available for women to remind them and demonstrate pelvic floor exercises. For instance, the NHS pelvic floor exercises app named appropriately: Squeezy. It is easy to use, discreet, and features guides to assist your exercise program, and records how many exercises you have completed. Check out the preview of how the Squeezy app works.
Women can also use pelvic muscle toners. These are devices that can help with strengthening their muscles.
Pelvic floor toners come in several different types.
For one, you have the Kegel balls, which have been around for centuries to increase the strength of the pelvic floor muscles. In most cases, they come in sets, with a few balls of different weights and sizes to gradually improve muscle strength.
How does it work? You have to insert a vaginal cone, which you need to hold in place by squeezing the pelvic floor muscles. Beware, keeping them in for too long can produce muscle tension rather than solve the issue.
Brands to try out: 1). Adorime Kegel Exercise Weights 2). Bodyotics Delux Kegel Weights 3). Intimate Rose Kegel Exercise Weights
Electronic pelvic floor toners are modern devices that assist in toning the pelvic muscles. Does a machine that uses vibration to tone the pelvic floor truly work? In terms of home devices, there is little research. Still, a 2011 review found that women who received verbal cues or biofeedback on pelvic floor exercises experienced significantly better results than those who did Kegels without it.
Electrical stimulation has benefits for women with weak pelvic floor muscles who struggle to locate and tighten them correctly. You may sense a tingling around the vaginal muscle area when using electrical stimulation, but it should never be painful.
Generally, these devices connect via Bluetooth to an App on your phone. They have a program that delivers gentle electrostimulation for various lengths of time. In addition, you can track your progress.
Brands to try out: 1). Elvie Award Winning Smart Kegel Trainer 2). Yarlap Kegel Trainer 3). K Goal Kegel Exerciser
Whether you need assistance reminding you to do the exercises or reassurance you’re doing the exercises right and effectively, some of these pelvic floor trainers could be beneficial to you.
In a nutshell
With pelvic floor exercises after a hysterectomy, you can help support your internal organs, ensure your bladder and bowel work properly, and keep your risk of prolapse to a minimum.
After a hysterectomy, those muscles may be feeble, and exercising the pelvic floor muscles can be particularly tough. Don’t be disheartened. You will inevitably start seeing the results by taking the time to build up your muscle strength. However, when you experience severe issues like pelvic pain and urinary or bowel incontinence, finding a pelvic floor physiotherapist to help rehabilitate your pelvic floor muscles is recommended.
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