I’m a PT – here’s 3 exercises every woman must do every day to ward off embarrassing leaks
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All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue.
WE'VE all been there.
You're out and about on a hot day, you've chugged down too much water and there's not a public toilet in sight.
If you're familiar with that panic, then you're not alone.
Little leaks, also known as urinary incontinence, are normal and affect millions of people - but they can be embarrassing.
One of the best ways to ward off unwanted leaks is to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
states that you should do exercises that squeeze these muscles every day in order to prevent urinary incontinence.
Personal trainer said one in three women experience this in the first year after having a baby.
Tig, who is the co-founder of in London, said three-quarters of these women continue to experience this in the following 12 years after giving birth.
By exercising your pelvic floor on a regular basis, Tig said you can improve your bladder and bowel control.
Not only this, but you can reduce your risk of prolapse, which is when one or more of the organs in the pelvis slips down from their normal position and bulges into the vagina.
For women, the exercises can improve recovery from childbirth and gynaecological surgery.
She added that doing these three exercises on a regular basis can also increase sexual sensation, orgasmic potential and can increase social confidence and quality of life.
Tig added that ideally you should for five minutes, three times a day.
"If it’s easier for you to fit in two lots of 10 minutes then by all means go for that!
"You will need to exercise regularly for at least 3 months before the muscles gain their full strength."
Here's the three exercises you need to know...
The first exercise is a thoracic twist.
To do this sit on the floor on an even surface with your legs stretched out in front of you.
Make sure you sit up straight and squeeze your tummy and pelvic muscles.
A great way to make sure you're sitting up straight enough is to imagine you're zipping yourself up, from your pelvis to your tummy.
Then put your hands behind your head and twist slowly and controlled to one side until you feel a stretch in your upper back.
Then return back to the centre and release the muscles, before tightening up again to turn to the next side.
Repeat six to eight times on each side.
Pelvic floor exercises are a great way to strengthen your muscles and can help prevent little leaks.
The NHS says that to do this you should sit comfortably and squeeze the muscles 10 to 15 times.
You shouldn't hold your breath or tighten your stomach.
When you get use to doing the exercises you should try holding and squeezing for a few seconds.
Dr Zoe Williams, Sun columnist previously explained: "To feel your pelvic floor muscles, imagine you are passing urine and try to stop the flow mid-stream.
"You should feel some movement in the muscles.
"Now imagine you are trying to stop wind escaping, from your back passage, these are pelvic floor muscles too.
"To exercise those muscles, sit comfortably and do a long squeeze, followed by ten short squeezes and repeat this cycle ten times.
"You should have a sense of ‘lift’ each time you squeeze. Aim to do these three times a day."
You can also use kegel toys and exercise rings to help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
The glute bridge is a great exercise that not only helps strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, but also can help tone your bum and strengthen your hamstrings.
To do this move, you should lay down on the floor with both feet planted on the ground.
A good guide for feet placement is to see if you can touch the heels of your feet with your hands.
Then lift up your pelvis and squeeze, before lowering it back down, you should repeat eight times.
Try not to overarch your back and keep the core engaged.
Last up is a foam roller squeeze.
You can pick one of these up from as little as .
First you again need to lay down on the floor and raise your knees to a 90 degree angle.
Then place the foam roller between your legs and squeeze your legs together - almost as though you're trying to break the foam roller.
Hold for 45 seconds and repeat this exercise eight times.
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