Floor...

Traditionally we've thought of Pelvic Floor exercises as being reserved for pregnant women and it's certainly true that in both pre and post natal times, attention should be paid to the ensuring the integrity of our pelvic floor.

However, the area should not be ignored at other times of our lives and is just as important for men as it is for women.

So, what exactly is the pelvic floor? It's basically a hammock of muscle fibres that hang under the pelvis from the back passage to the perineum and they are exercised by drawing them up from the back to the front, holding and releasing and doing so multiple times - see below.

Pelvic floor exercises are fundamentally strength exercises and these muscles need to be kept strong as we age to maintain bladder and bowel control to aid continence. They can be done pretty much at any time. If they're part of an exercise routine, I would place them in the cool down section after aerobic activity.

There are two basic exercises for the pelvic floor - the slow twitch and the fast twitch - and they need to be done three times a day, every day, for three months before you will notice that they've made a difference to you - so keep at it, don't give up because you don't see immediate results.

Slow twitch muscle fibres are the longer fibres and are typically used in endurance exercises. In this case, they help with maintaining control when you have a full bladder.

• Sit or stand, draw up the muscles from the back passage to the front, hold for up to 10 seconds and then release slowly until relaxed. Rest for 3or 4 seconds and repeat. Build up to doing 10 repetitions.

Fast twitch muscle fibres are the short ones that allow for more explosive exercise. In the case of the pelvic floor, this exercise helps with bladder control when under stress - such as when sneezing, laughing or coughing.

• Sit or stand, draw up the muscles as before but this time do it as fast as possible, hold for just 1 second, release and repeat. This should be a fast paced exercise and as you build up the number, becomes a pulsing of the muscle fibres.

The beauty of pelvic floor exercises is that no-one can tell when you are undertaking them, which means, they can be done in many every day situations - standing at the bus stop, for example, sitting at your desk or while you're waiting for the kettle to boil. It's useful to identify a trigger - something you do every day - that you can turn into your 'pelvic floor time'.

Perseverance is key with the pelvic floor. Ideally 3 sets of 10 reps, alternating between fast and slow, every day from now on. Whilst it won't make a huge difference to you right now - it could be the one thing that allows you to go shopping with confidence, walk in the park, meet with family and friends as you age.

Don't let incontinence determine your social life.

Mobility Matters.