Your pelvic floor muscles do a lot for you; they support all of your pelvic organs, they help stabilise and support your spine, they help guide your baby during childbirth, they even contribute to your relationship by being responsible for the intimate sensations.
Many women are understandably embarrassed to discuss any issues they have with their pelvic health, due to the private nature and perceived stigma of the symptoms. But if you are suffering, you're far from alone. With 1 in 3 women suffering from a pelvic floor disorder during their life time.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP)
- Every year you are 12% more likely to suffer from a severe pelvic organ prolapse, due to the natural weakening of your pelvic floor muscles.
- Around 40% of women will be affected by a vaginal prolapse by the time they are 60, and this figure rises to 50% of us over 50.
- Once one pelvic organ prolapse has occurred, the same prolapse is likely to occur again.
Urinary Incontinence
- More than 200 million people worldwide are affected by a bladder problem.
- Only 1 in 5 women seek any help for their incontinence.
- Women wait an average of 6.5 years before seeking help for their bladder control problems.
Bowel Incontinence
- Up to 15% of the population seek treatment for bowel incontinence, but the number of individuals suffering in silence is likely to be much higher.
- 13% of mum's with one child, and 20% of mum's with 2 or more, have symptoms of bowel incontinence.
- Bowel incontinence is the number one reason for an elderly person to be institutionalised, with 30-50% suffering.
Pelvic Pain
- 15% of sick days taken by women, are due to pelvic pain.
- 1/4 of women suffering from pelvic pain, spend at least 2 days in bed each month.
- 70% of chronic pelvic pain issues, are due to endometriosis.
- 1 in 10 women will become infertile if they do no seek treatment from pelvic inflammatory disease early enough.
You can avoid suffering with a pelvic floor disorder by effectively exercising your pelvic floor!
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