The pelvic floor muscles are the muscles that are located in the lower part of the abdomen in humans.
The pelvic floor muscles support human's upright posture. They work together with the abdominal, back and respiratory muscles. They hold the bladder, intestines (women and men) and uterus (women) in the right place, support the uterus and the baby during pregnancy, help the birthing process with their flexibility, prevent urine and faeces are from being unintentionally excreted from the body (women and men), play a role in sexual pleasure and sexual well-being (women and men).The pelvic floor muscles work involuntarily and without us having to think about them. But they can also be trained and strengthened. This keeps them elastic and flexible.
Women
During pregnancy the pelvic floor muscles keep the uterus and the baby in place. During birth the pelvic floor muscles will stretch a lot. They help the baby during birth. After birth the muscles need to be trained to make them strong and flexible again. A midwife or a doctor can advise you and give you tips.
If you consciously relax and then tauten your pelvic floor muscles during sexual intercourse, you may be able to increase your sexual pleasure. Your partner could also experience greater pleasure.
Sometimes the pelvic floor muscles can become so taut before or during sexual intercourse that the vagina becomes very tight. Then it is very painful for you when the penis penetrates your vagina, or it is not possible at all. If you have experienced this, try to figure out what causes your muscles to become so tense. Talking to your partner about it can help. You can also ask your gynaecologist for advice.
Men
The pelvic floor muscles help the man get and keep an erection.
