Pelvic floor
Finding your pelvic floor muscles (women)
Three ways to find and feel the muscles: a quick urine test, touch, and a mirror.
The pelvic floor is a set of muscle layers across the bottom of the pelvis. Learning where these muscles are is the first step in exercising them. They do three main jobs:
- Holding up the bladder, uterus, and bowel inside the pelvis
- Helping you start and stop the flow of urine, and control gas and stool
- Contributing to sexual sensation
1. The urine stop test
While you are urinating, squeeze to slow or stop the stream midway. You should feel the openings close and the muscles draw up and in toward the pelvis. If your muscles are strong, the stream will slow or stop. Try to do this without tightening your legs or buttocks.
Use this test only to find the muscles. Do not make it a daily exercise.
2. Feel the muscles
Rest a fingertip against the anal opening and tighten and lift as if holding back gas or stool. You should feel the opening tighten. You can also gently place one or two fingers inside the vagina and tighten. You should feel the opening close around your fingers as the muscles lift up and inward.
3. Watch the muscles
Lie on a flat surface with your knees bent and apart and your head propped on pillows. Use a mirror to see the anal and vaginal openings and the perineal body, the area between them. Tighten the muscles around the openings and watch for the perineal body to lift and the openings to close.
If you see a bulge or feel tissue pushing out, that is not a correct contraction. Tell your health care provider and ask for more instruction.
Once you can find the muscles, see Kegel exercises and The pelvic brace.
This handout is for education and does not replace advice from your own healthcare provider.