It’s time to talk about Urinary Incontinence – it’s affecting one in three women!

There are few subjects women don’t talk about, we discuss everything from diet to divorce but there’s one subject that still seems to be taboo – urinary incontinence. 

One in three women suffers from Urinary Incontinence

Studies carried out by the Bladder and Bowel Foundation report that as many as six million people in the UK are currently suffering from Urinary Incontinence (UI) and many of them are women.  In fact, one in three women suffers from Urinary Incontinence yet only half seek help and very few ever discuss the condition.  Many women who are suffering in silence aren’t aware that by strengthening their pelvic floor they can improve and even eliminate Urinary Incontinence.

PeriCoach launches in the UK

Thankfully help now comes in the form of a medical device designed to make strengthening your pelvic floor easier than ever before.  PeriCoach is a ‘smart tech’ pelvic floor muscle training system which is a discreet, at home device which works alongside a smartphone app. 

Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor

If you have children you will most likely have been told post-partum to do your pelvic floor or Kegel exercises, but how many of us actually did, or indeed did them correctly.  Developed by Dr Arnold Kegel, an American Gynaecologist, Kegel exercises are a non-surgical treatment to prevent UI carried out by repeatedly contracting and releasing the muscles which support the pelvic floor. 

Pelvic floor strengthening is the leading treatment recommended by the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health for stress incontinence. 

Dr Pixie McKenna, GP and presenter of Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies says: “As a GP I regularly recommend Kegel exercises to help strengthen the pelvic floor.  Bladder leakage can be a consequence of pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, high impact sport or physical activity.  As a result muscles that support the pelvic floor become weakened or damaged leading to embarrassing leakage.  Other causes include severe constipation, weight gain and occasional hormonal changes in young women in the pre-menstrual week.”

Getting Kegel exercises right – they are harder than we think!

Keeping your pelvic floor in shape with Kegel exercises can be daunting and frustrating, particularly as it’s hard to monitor results or to know whether you are performing them correctly.  Up to 50% of women are unsuccessful when they are given verbal or written instructions alone.

“The key factor in restoring the pelvic floor muscles is not just doing the exercises; it’s doing them consistently and correctly and identifying the right muscles.  For example, many women push down rather than pull up which can sometimes exacerbate the problem,” Dr Pixie explained. 

Dr Pixie McKenna shares her advice and tips on how to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles

Six tips for a problem you can fix

1. Doctors are always advising us to give our pelvic floor a work out, but “working out” where it is in the first place can be a bit of a task.  Find your pelvic floor by stopping yourself urinating mid flow.  These are the muscles you need to squeeze.  Don’t do this repeatedly as it can result in other problems like urinary tract infections, it is simply a way of finding out where you should be focusing your attention.
2. Pelvic floor exercises can be done anywhere from the bus stop to the bathroom.  However when you are starting out on your strengthening journey, take time to ensure you are doing them correctly.  I suggest to my patients to sit on the toilet seat with their feet firmly on the floor.  Once you have mastered the technique feel free to multitask and work that pelvic floor wherever you are.
3. When you are contracting your pelvic floor muscles it should feel like you are not only squeezing them but also lifting them up.  Don’t be tempted to squeeze your buttocks or thighs but do exert little tension around the back passage as if you are trying to prevent yourself from passing wind.
4. When you are starting off simply squeeze the muscles for a second or two then relax.  Over time build up your tone by increasing the tensing time in increments up to 10 seconds, slowly relaxing the muscles as you release the tension.  Next you should aim to do the fast twitch exercises.  With these ones you squeeze and pull as before but only hold for one second then relax.
5. There is no quick fix.  It takes several weeks of regular exercise to begin to regain the strength in your pelvic floor and many months to see a discernible difference.  An added bonus of doing a pelvic floor work out is that not only does it help with a bothersome bladder it can also increase your sensitivity during sex.  But remember once these exercises restore your pelvic floor function, don’t stop doing them!  If you don’t use it you lose it! Like every other muscle the pelvic floor will start to slack if it doesn’t get a work out!
6. Remember you aren’t alone.  One in four women over the age of 40 is suffering just like you.  For those who are too busy or too embarrassed to ask for help or simply unsure about what to do, help is at hand.  Since PeriCoach measures the direct force of the muscles, it acts as your very own pelvic floor personal trainer!  It helps you manage and monitor your pelvic floor weakness, putting you back in control! 

How does PeriCoach work?

The device is a discreet unit which arrives in its own storage and charging case.  Simply charge the unit using a USB plug and the supplied lead.  After connecting to the PeriCoach app which is available to download free from the Apple store and Google Play, you insert the device into the vaginal canal.  Three built-in biosensors detect the strength of each muscle contraction and the results are instantly sent to the smartphone app over a Bluetooth wireless connection.  The app collects and analyses the readings and displays a picture of how the user is doing over time. 

If you are being treated by a clinician they can access the results via a secure web portal called my.pericoach.com this will allow them to also monitor your progress.

You just need to carry out a number of concentrated exercises each day using PeriCoach for effective results after 8-12 weeks.   If motivation has been a problem in the past, actually seeing your progress will help, and reminders from PeriCoach will ensure you never miss a day’s exercises.

Using a detailed programme of exercises that progressively get harder as your pelvic floor improves, the PeriCoach will take you through different levels from beginner to intermediate, advanced, and finally maintenance programmes.  The app will give you precise instructions when to squeeze, how long to hold and when to relax, completely taking the guess work out of Kegel exercises.  Seeing the feedback and knowing you are progressing is encouragement in itself, not experiencing urinary incontinence is life changing for many, and the added bonus of having a stronger pelvic floor is that it can enhance sexual pleasure.

PeriCoach, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) approved device has just launched in the UK which is timely as it’s World Continence Week from 22nd-28th June.

Where can I buy PeriCoach?

PeriCoach comes in a discreet storage and charging case and costs £145.00 it’s available now from PeriCoach

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