Wies: “Pelvic floor exercises can also improve sexual sensation”

Did you know that your pelvic floor muscles play an important role in sexual pleasure? I, for one, had no idea that pelvic floor function affects arousal and orgasm. I only knew that a weakened pelvic floor can cause your muscles ‘down there’ to lose strength, which can lead to urinary incontinence. Conversely, pelvic floor muscles that are too tight can make penetration painful and cause difficulty with urination. This pretty much summed up what I knew about the pelvic floor and sexual function. But I've learned a lot more since then. 

Relationship between pelvic floor function and sexual sensation

So, what is the relationship between the two? Female arousal starts in the brain and is subject to hormonal influence. During arousal, blood rushes to your pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor muscles react by contracting and relaxing to increase blood flow.  

Reduced muscle strength and tension can cause sexual difficulties such as reduced vaginal sensation and lubrication. Pelvic floor muscles contract involuntarily and rhythmically about 20 times during an orgasm. So, if your pelvic floor muscles are weak, orgasms may feel less intense. The good news is that the pelvic floor responds quickly to exercise, making it fairly easy to experience more pleasure during sex again. 

If your pelvic floor muscles are weak, orgasms may feel less intense.

Menopause and pelvic floor health

I never had pelvic floor issues or trouble with going to the toilet, holding my pee, or sex. But during perimenopause, I started to experience vaginal atrophy (vaginal dryness), which made having sexual intercourse painful.  

In addition to these complaints, my sex drive plummeted. And when I did achieve orgasms, I noticed that they weren't as strong as they once were. I felt like my sex life was over. A friend suggested going to a pelvic physiotherapist specialising in sexual dysfunction. I was already seeing a gynaecologist. He had prescribed hormone replacement therapy and vaginal cream, which seemed to be helping with my symptoms.  

However, it was the pelvic physiotherapist who explained to me that the pelvic floor plays a crucial role in sexual response. Although my pelvic floor muscles seemed very good, it quickly became apparent that my pelvic floor was a bit too tight. The physiotherapist gave me some exercises to do, which actually made a big difference. 

Go see a pelvic physiotherapist first!

If you think you may have a pelvic floor issue, don’t experiment with Kegel balls yourself. Your pelvic floor muscles may be too tight, too weak, or a combination of both. Doing the wrong exercises can complicate things and potentially make the situation much worse.  

A better idea is to see a pelvic physiotherapist specialising in sexual dysfunction. They can examine you and guide you towards the most suitable exercises. However, pelvic floor exercises shouldn't be seen as a miracle cure. Don’t expect to be hanging from the chandeliers in the bedroom right away. But every exercise helps! 

Who is Wies? Wies Verbeek (58) is a healthy ageing journalist, founder of website BLOW.nl, and author of ’n Beetje Leuk Ouder Worden, 101 verrassende en bewezen tips (Ageing Happily, 101 surprising tips that work). And... she's going through menopause like the rest of us. 

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