Have you heard you should be doing your pelvic floor exercises while going to the toilet?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman.

This is not good advice!

A trip to the loo is not the time to do your pelvic activations.

Not only will it not be particularly helpful to strengthen your pelvic floor in any meaningful way, you may be doing yourself harm.

That’s not what you wanted to hear right.

I know and I’m sorry, but it comes from a place of wanting to help you.

And we want you to get results.

If you’re more a video person, watch Osteopath Dr. Prue Eddie discuss this below.

Reason 1 – Urinary Tract Infections

You may not empty your bladder completely if you are doing your pelvic floor activation while going.

Retaining urine can then in turn increase your risk of developing a urinary tract infection.

We know you definitely don’t want one of those.

And they can be recurrent.

Urinary tract infections can sometimes be helped by drinking more fluid, especially water.

Getting an infection may lead to needing oral or antibiotics via a drip.

Let’s definitely avoid this situation.

Reason 2 – Kidney Damage and Kidney Stones

Not only may you have retained wee in your bladder, it can in fact move the wrong way and go back up the tube to the kidney.

Now passing kidney stones has been described by post natal women as being as bad (or possibly worse) than having a baby.

No body wants this.

Reason 3 – Not fully activating the pelvic floor muscles

You may only be activating part of your pelvic floor musculature.

Sorry if I have confused you.

The pelvic floor isn’t one muscle, but rather a group of them working together.

You want to make sure you can strengthen the whole group in order to improve your pelvic floor function.

Pelvic Floor Exercises Essentials Recap:

We want to avoid pelvic floor exercises while urinating in order to avoid infections, kidney problems and muscular activation issues.

I would love to hear from you and answer any questions you have, especially regarding your pelvic floor health.

Feel free to make a comment or send an email at prue@korunaturaltherapies.com.au if you would rather keep it private.  Appointments are available if you would like to address your pelvic floor one on one.

Hope you enjoyed this article about why not to do your pelvic floor exercises on the toilet.