至尊英语阅读资料之健康与卫生专题第761集.pdfVIP

health articles 761 [19001]Pelvic Floor Basics for Every Woman The pelvic floor is a large hammock of muscles stretching from side to side across the floor of the pelvis. It is attached to your pubic bone in front, and to the tail end of your spine behind. The openings from your bladder, your bowels and your womb all pass through these muscles. What does the pelvic floor do? . It supports your pelvic organs and the contents of your abdomen, especially when you are standing or exerting yourself. . It supports your bladder to help it stay closed. It actively squeezes when you cough or sneeze to help avoid leaking. . It is used to control wind and when holding on with your bowels. . It helps to increase sexual awareness both for yourself and your partner during sexual intercourse. What weakens the pelvic floor muscles? Pelvic floor muscles weaken for similar reasons to other muscles in our bodies: natural ageing and inactivity. But these particular muscles are also often weakened through hormonal changes in womens bodies, and through pregnancy and childbirth. Factors such as being overweight, ongoing constipation and a chronic cough can put extra pressure on them and pelvic surgery can also have damaging effects. Why are pelvic floor exercises (also known as Kegel exercises) important? A poorly toned, weak pelvic floor will not do its job properly. Women with weak pelvic muscles often experience incontinence and reduced sexual response. But research has shown that these muscles respond to regular exercise. With regular exercise, it is possible for most women to reduce or completely overcome the symptoms of a weak pelvic floor, no matter what their age. A regular exercise regime, introduced early in life, will also prevent many of the problems associated with weak pelvic floor muscles emerging later. It is never too early or too late to begin to exercise these important muscles. A woman whose muscles are already badly weakened may need the a