Train · Some talk
Pelvic floor
Also called pelvic floor PT · kegels · pelvic physio · leak when I lift
Community talk. May contain inaccuracies. Not medical or health advice. No result or safety is promised.
The pelvic floor is the layer of muscles supporting the bladder, bowel and reproductive organs. It helps with bladder and bowel control and sexual function. Problems can involve weakness or difficulty relaxing; pelvic-floor care is about restoring function, not simply squeezing harder.
Cleveland Clinic · 202501
Strength, relaxation and what practice involves
These muscles need to squeeze and let go. They form a sling across the bottom of the pelvis. Contraction helps close the urine and bowel outlets; relaxation allows emptying. A healthy pelvic floor needs both strength and flexibility.
Cleveland Clinic · 2025Weakness can reduce support and control. Childbirth, surgery or injury can weaken these muscles. Possible problems include leaking urine, stool or gas, and pelvic-organ prolapse, where an organ sags from its usual position.
Cleveland Clinic · 2025Overactivity means the muscles struggle to relax. Also called a hypertonic pelvic floor, this can involve pelvic pain, painful sex, constipation or difficulty starting or maintaining a urine stream. It needs a different approach from simply adding strength work.
Cleveland Clinic · 2022An assessment checks contraction and relaxation. A clinician asks about symptoms, bathroom habits and sexual discomfort. Examination may include checking the muscles externally and a vaginal or rectal exam; the aim is to understand how they function.
Cleveland Clinic · 2022A Kegel includes a full release. The basic movement is an inward squeeze, a brief hold, then complete relaxation. NIDDK describes a 3-second hold as an example, with repetitions tailored by a professional. Squeezing other muscles instead can increase pressure on the bladder.
NIDDK · 2021Relaxation work retrains the release. Pelvic physical therapy (PT) may use guided relaxation, stretching, massage or biofeedback—information about muscle activity—to help an overactive pelvic floor contract and relax more effectively.
Cleveland Clinic · 202202
What targeted care may improve
Training may improve urine control. When weakness contributes to leaking, assessment-based muscle training is a treatment option. The NHS describes programmes lasting at least 3 months; that is time to work on control, not a guaranteed recovery deadline.
NHS · 2023Treating overactivity may ease symptoms. Pelvic PT is a main treatment for hypertonic muscles. Relief can be partial, and persistent symptoms may require further evaluation or other treatment.
Cleveland Clinic · 202203
Before adding more Kegels
More repetitions are not always appropriate. Kegels are not suitable in every case. Overdoing them can lead to straining when peeing or having a bowel movement; a rising rep count is not a substitute for an appropriate plan.
NIDDK · 2021Stopping urine is not a daily exercise. Repeated midstream practice can prevent complete bladder emptying and increase bladder-infection risk. Muscle practice belongs outside regular urination.
NIDDK · 2021New leaks or pelvic pain deserve assessment. Symptoms can have causes beyond muscle weakness. Blood in urine, inability to pass urine or empty the bladder, or painful urination call for prompt medical care rather than another exercise set.
NIDDK · 202104
Living, lifting and keeping up with pelvic PT
Symptoms, cues and uncertainty about exercises
Symptoms show up beyond heavy lifts. People describe leaks, heaviness or discomfort with running, jumping, postpartum life and sitting at a desk. Some feel relief when an assessment finally gives the problem a name.
CommunityKegel challenges leave some people guessing. Reports push back on copying a 10-minute reel or chasing a hundred squeezes. The practical question is whether they were taught strengthening, relaxation (often called down-training) or coordination, rather than just completing the challenge.
CommunityChanging lifting cues helps some, but not everyone. In an r/xxfitness thread, one person described continuing heavy lifting after pelvic PT taught different muscle cues. Another stopped deadlifts after repeated pressure symptoms despite attention to bracing. Others reported no pelvic symptoms from lifting.
Community · Reddit r/xxfitness · 2020Slow progress and changing symptoms
A short home routine can still take weeks of attention. Accounts describe an assessment followed by assigned homework alongside lifting. Doing squeezes in the car can become a habit while the breathing or bracing cues taught for the actual lift get neglected.
CommunityProgress and flares can coexist. In one discussion, people described relief after a first visit, improvement after about 8 weeks, or meaningful change around 3 months. The original poster also found some relaxation and abdominal exercises irritating. These are individual timelines, not a session target.
Community · Reddit r/PelvicFloor · 2023Feeling less tight does not always mean fewer symptoms. One man reported a month of breathing, posture, stretching and hip exercises. He felt looser but still had dribbling, hesitancy and incomplete bladder emptying, with little change in those symptoms.
Community · Reddit r/PelvicFloor · 2024The cost of continuing care
Slow progress can make the cost hard to justify. One poster paying $200 a week questioned the value while still feeling miserable. Replies described differing sessions and results: some found substantial relief, while another stopped for financial reasons after mostly temporary benefit.
Community · Reddit r/PelvicFloorReferences for this topic
Sources and context
Kegel Exercises ↗
- id
- self-guide-pelvic-floor-niddk — Kegel Exercises
- platform
- NIDDK
- role
- Official context
- accessed On
- 2026-09-24
- locator
- How do I do Kegel exercises; Practice the exercise; Add to your daily routine; last reviewed November 2021
- scope
- Starter method: find the muscles, hold about 3 seconds, fully relax, work up to 10 to 15 repetitions, practice lying, sitting, and standing at least three times a day for about 5 minutes, and avoid regular urine-stopping practice.
- limitations
- A public how-to page, not an exam of any one person, and not a statement that every leak is weakness or that bladder control will change in 3 to 6 weeks.
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non-surgical management (NG210), Recommendations ↗
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- self-guide-pelvic-floor-nice — Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non-surgical management (NG210), Recommendations
- platform
- NICE
- role
- Professional context
- accessed On
- 2026-09-24
- locator
- Recommendations 1.3.15, 1.3.16, 1.6.13, 1.6.14, 1.6.18, 1.6.19, and the terms definition of pelvic floor muscle training; published 9 December 2021
- scope
- Training includes relaxation as well as strength. Supervised programs assess contraction and relaxation. Duration guidance differs by symptom group, including at least 3 months for stress or mixed urinary incontinence.
- limitations
- A clinical guideline for women in the UK health system, not a home workout and not proof that an unsupervised video plan matches those programs.
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
Pelvic Floor Muscles: Anatomy, Function & Conditions ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-anatomy — Pelvic Floor Muscles: Anatomy, Function & Conditions
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
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- Professional context
- platform
- Cleveland Clinic
- locator
- Overview; Function; Anatomy; Conditions and Disorders; Care
- scope
- Definition, support, squeeze/release and weakness.
- limitations
- Patient explainer; not an individual assessment or outcome estimate.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- last Reviewed
- 2025-06-27
Hypertonic Pelvic Floor: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-hypertonic — Hypertonic Pelvic Floor: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Professional context
- platform
- Cleveland Clinic
- locator
- Overview; Symptoms; Diagnosis and Tests; Management and Treatment; Outlook
- scope
- Overactivity, assessment and treatment.
- limitations
- Educational context; symptom overlap prevents self-diagnosis.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- last Reviewed
- 2022-04-26
Kegel Exercises ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-kegels — Kegel Exercises
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Official context
- platform
- NIDDK / NIH
- locator
- Should I do Kegel exercises?; Learn the method; Don't squeeze other muscles; Don't overdo it
- scope
- Basic movement and practice cautions.
- limitations
- General example; not a universal routine.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- last Reviewed
- 2021-11
Urinary incontinence: Non-surgical treatment ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-nhs-treatment — Urinary incontinence: Non-surgical treatment
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Official context
- platform
- NHS
- locator
- Pelvic floor muscle training
- scope
- Assessment-based training and programme duration.
- limitations
- UK patient guidance; review due 15 June 2026. Not a recovery guarantee.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- last Reviewed
- 2023-06-15
Symptoms & Causes of Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence) ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-bladder-symptoms — Symptoms & Causes of Bladder Control Problems (Urinary Incontinence)
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Official context
- platform
- NIDDK / NIH
- locator
- When should I see a health care professional?; Seek care right away; Causes
- scope
- Medical evaluation and urgent urinary symptoms.
- limitations
- Urinary context; not a complete pelvic-pain triage guide.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- last Reviewed
- 2021-07
Effects of heavy lifting on pelvic floor strength ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-lifting-discussion — Effects of heavy lifting on pelvic floor strength
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Community discussion
- platform
- Reddit r/xxfitness
- locator
- Deleted-user PT account; Rainyreflections; greedsan; ihadabunnynamedrexi breathing discussion
- scope
- Mixed first-person lifting experiences and taught cues.
- limitations
- Anonymous anecdotes; unsupported medical generalizations and promotion in other replies are not adopted.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- published On
- 2020-04-08
- date Evidence
- Opened thread's calendar-specific Top Posts footer. Individual reply dates not inferred from relative labels.
How many PT sessions did it take for you to start seeing improvement in Hypertonic pelvic floor? ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-progress-discussion — How many PT sessions did it take for you to start seeing improvement in Hypertonic pelvic floor?
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Community discussion
- platform
- Reddit r/PelvicFloor
- locator
- Original post; AriLovesMusic; deleted commenter describing month 3; ConversationThick379; OP replies about irritation
- scope
- Relief, slow progress and exercise irritation.
- limitations
- Different symptoms, concurrent treatments and self-reported diagnoses; no success-rate inference.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- published On
- 2023-03-25
- date Evidence
- Opened thread's calendar-specific Top Posts footer; relative labels not converted.
1 month of pelvic floor therapy for Hypertonic PF ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-nonresponse-discussion — 1 month of pelvic floor therapy for Hypertonic PF
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Community discussion
- platform
- Reddit r/PelvicFloor
- locator
- Dependent_Age_2884 original post; visible reply
- scope
- Less perceived tightness without urinary symptom improvement.
- limitations
- One self-report; no clinical assessment or follow-up outcome.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- published On
- 2024-09-24
- date Evidence
- Absolute date in search extract and calendar-specific footer agree.
What is your Physical Therapy like? ↗
- id
- self22b8-pelvic-floor-cost-discussion — What is your Physical Therapy like?
- slugs
- pelvic-floor
- role
- Community discussion
- platform
- Reddit r/PelvicFloor
- locator
- CrimsonDawn1970 original post; BlackberryTotal3126; Threelocos; luvrlyn; other session-description replies
- scope
- Reported weekly cost, session variation, partial and substantial relief, financial stopping.
- limitations
- One person's $200 charge is not a market price. Search calendar date and opened relative age conflict; no exact date is asserted in the card.
- accessed On
- 2026-09-29
- indexed Publication Date
- 2026-09-02
- date Evidence
- Calendar date appears in indexed search extract; opened page instead reports 14h ago. Publication date remains unconfirmed.
Overactive pelvic floor ↗
- id
- portfolio-self-pelvic-nhs — Overactive pelvic floor
- role
- Official context
- accessed On
- 2026-09-23
- locator
- search_text_inspected
- scope
- Pelvic-floor symptoms can involve overactivity, so assessment and relaxation/coordination can matter as well as strengthening.
- limitations
- PDF search text inspected; no exercise prescription or diagnostic classification inferred for an individual.
Keep this topic in view
Preserved original record
Earlier public profile and reader notes are preserved separately from the current article. They may contain superseded wording and are not newly checked material.
Read the full original profile
- slug
- pelvic-floor
- name
- Pelvic floor
- aliases
- pelvic floor PT
- kegels
- pelvic physio
- leak when I lift
- family
- work
- heat
- mid
- talk
- Some talk
- most Discussed
- false
- first Line
- The pelvic floor is a group of muscles supporting pelvic organs and helping with functions such as bladder and bowel control. This topic covers assessment, coordination, strengthening and relaxation work.
- why Line
- People look this up after leaking, pressure or discomfort during daily life or exercise. The useful distinction is whether the muscles need strength, relaxation or coordination; more squeezing is not automatically the answer.
- feel Words
- pelvic floor PT
- kegels
- pelvic physio
- leak when I lift
- common Picture
- lead
- Breathing and bracing are part of the discussion
- why
- Accounts consider how effort, exhaling and pelvic-floor control work together during daily tasks and lifting. [community]
- watch For
- Pain, bleeding or new leakage warrants clinical assessment. A generic Kegel challenge cannot identify whether the muscles need strengthening, relaxation or other care.
- what People Say
- The job: leaks, heaviness, or pain around lifting, running, or postpartum — then a pelvic PT instead of a random squeeze program. [community]
- r/PelvicFloor and r/xxfitness are the rooms. [community]
- Kegels-for-everyone is the argument. Some people need down-training, not more squeeze. [community]
- Instagram challenges are not an exam. [community]
- how People Run It
- See a pelvic PT if leaks, pain, or pressure are new. [community]
- Stop copying a 10-minute Kegel reel as the whole plan. [community]
- Change breathing on the next set — brace without a panic squeeze if that is what they were taught. [community]
- amounts People Use
- PT visits are the unit, not a hundred daily Kegels. [community]
- A session is minutes, not a second workout identity. [community]
- how People Keep It
- Small version: one assessment, then the homework they were actually given. [community]
- It fades when: they only squeeze in the car and never change the lift. [community]
- how It Feels
- Relief when someone names it. Then homework that is smaller than a program. [community]
- how Long People Run It
- Weeks of PT homework next to lifting, not a weekend challenge. [community]
- deep Dive
- Strength is only one possible issue: Pelvic-floor muscles can be overactive or have difficulty relaxing as well as need strengthening. That helps explain why a generic Kegel challenge is an incomplete answer to leaks, pressure or pain. The useful starting distinction is assessment and coordination, not assuming every symptom means weakness. [professional]
- Where symptoms appear: Accounts include postpartum changes, jumping, heavy lifting and ordinary daily activity. The symptom, timing and activity provide context for an assessment. Some discuss breathing during a lift as part of the plan they were taught, rather than assuming a hundred untested Kegels will solve the problem. One person's exercise or breathing instructions should not become a universal routine for everyone with symptoms. [community]
- watch For Long
- Pain, blood, or a new leak is a clinician. [community]
- Symptoms may need an examination: a written exercise description cannot assess an individual's pelvic-floor function. [community]
- related
- first-gym-week
- lift-two-to-four
- ten-minute-mobility
- research Pointer
- play Pointer
- —
- forums
- r/PelvicFloor
- r/xxfitness
- sources
- r/PelvicFloor and r/xxfitness lift-and-leak talk
- pelvic PT vs Kegel-challenge threads
- r/PelvicFloor
- r/xxfitness
- disclaimer
- Community talk may be wrong. Not medical or health advice. No result or safety is promised.
- quick Answer History
- field
- communityPicture
- rows
- People describe seeing a pelvic PT, dropping untested Kegel challenges, and changing breathing or bracing on the next set instead of adding a second workout identity.
- field
- definition
- rows
- Pelvic-floor talk covers leaks, pressure and whether to squeeze or relax, especially around lifting, running or postpartum.
- field
- deepDive
- rows
- Leaks and pressure, not a squeeze contest: People land here after a jump, a heavy set, or postpartum. The useful object is an assessment and breathing on the lift, not a hundred untested Kegels. [community]
- field
- firstLine
- rows
- Pelvic-floor talk is leaks, pressure, and ‘do I squeeze or relax’ — lifters, postpartum, and desk people all land here, usually after a jump or a heavy set.
- field
- whyLine
- rows
- People leak or feel pressure on a lift and need an assessment, not a hundred untested Kegels.
- field
- commonPicture
- rows
- lead
- A leak or pressure on a lift
- why
- The usual landing. [community]
- lead
- Pelvic PT, not a 100-Kegel challenge
- why
- Assessment before squeezing. [community]
- lead
- Breath and brace
- why
- Exhale on effort shows up next to ‘stop holding your breath.’ [community]
- lead
- Postpartum and desk people too
- why
- Not only heavy squatters. [community]
- field
- watchForLong
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- This page is not an exam. [community]
- field
- watchFor
- rows
- Pain, blood, or a new leak is a clinician. Instagram Kegel challenges are not an exam.
Read the preserved reader notes
- definition
- The pelvic floor is a group of muscles supporting pelvic organs and helping with functions such as bladder and bowel control. This topic covers assessment, coordination, strengthening and relaxation work.
- community Picture
- People look this up after leaking, pressure or discomfort during daily life or exercise. The useful distinction is whether the muscles need strength, relaxation or coordination; more squeezing is not automatically the answer.
- additions
- guide
- what
- The moving part is the hammock of muscle running from the front of the pelvis to the back. NIDDK's Kegel page, last reviewed in November 2021, says those muscles support the bladder, uterus, and rectum, and that training them is a squeeze, a hold, and a full release.
- A generic squeeze plan misses the other half. NICE guideline NG210, published 9 December 2021, defines pelvic floor muscle training as work on strength, endurance, power, relaxation, or some mix of those. Supervision means a trained clinician checks whether the person can contract and whether they can relax. More tension is the wrong direction when the muscle will not let go.
- This is not a video challenge and not a self-exam. NIDDK says finding the right muscles is often hard, and that a doctor, nurse, or pelvic floor therapist can check the squeeze. Stopping the urine once can locate the muscles. Practicing that stop during regular urination can leave the bladder partly full.
- how
- Start with a check, not a rep total. NIDDK says to ask a health professional before beginning, because the exercises are sometimes a poor fit. If practice continues at home, find the muscles by imagining a stop to passing gas, and notice a pulling feeling. Squeeze only the pelvic floor. Leave the belly, thighs, and buttocks soft, and keep breathing.
- Hold the squeeze for about 3 seconds. Release and let the pelvic floor go fully slack before the next one. NIDDK says to work up to 10 to 15 repetitions, in three positions across the day: lying down, sitting, and standing. One set can sit with breakfast, one while seated later, and one in bed. The page calls that about 5 minutes, three times a day.
- Do not turn the urine stream into the workout. A midstream stop, used once, can teach the feeling. After that, practice with an empty bladder. If the squeeze is hard to feel, that is the reason for the visit. When a person cannot make an effective contraction, NICE says a supervised program can add biofeedback, electrical stimulation, or vaginal cones. Those are clinic tools, not a shopping list.
- A normal session is those short sets, not a second gym identity. Keep a simple tally so the three sets happen. NIDDK says bladder control may not feel different for 3 to 6 weeks, and that piling on extra repetitions can lead to straining on the toilet.
- understand
- The practice is built around a check because the wrong muscle, or a muscle that cannot relax, changes every rep. NICE's 2021 guideline makes supervision the method. A physiotherapist or other clinician with this training assesses the contraction and the relaxation, fits the work to any discomfort, and offers at least one review during the program and one at the end. For stress or mixed urinary incontinence, the guideline's offer is a supervised program of at least 3 months.
- For symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse that does not extend more than 1 cm past the hymen on straining, NICE says to consider at least 4 months of supervised training. NIDDK's home pattern is a starter, not a dare: 3-second holds, 10 to 15 repetitions, three positions a day, without endlessly adding reps. The common miss is a high-rep challenge that never includes a full relax, or a buttock squeeze the person can feel while the pelvic floor stays out of it.
- Pain, bleeding, or a leak that is new is a reason for a clinician, not another set. A written description cannot tell strength from tension. The community notes hold the reports of leaks with lifting, running, or postpartum life, and the argument about training the muscles to let go. Those reports are not an assessment.
- sources
- summary Sources
- note References
- field
- deepDive
- index
- 0
- text
- Strength is only one possible issue: Pelvic-floor muscles can be overactive or have difficulty relaxing as well as need strengthening. That helps explain why a generic Kegel challenge is an incomplete answer to leaks, pressure or pain. The useful starting distinction is assessment and coordination, not assuming every symptom means weakness. [professional]
- sources
End of Pelvic floor