Different stages of our lives bring various challenges. However, they all have one thing in common: regardless of age, we need to have a support system in our bodies that we can safely rely on. Whether we are freshly 20, 35, or slightly over 50, our health issues can stem from the same origins.

If you recognize yourself in any of the following situations, pay attention:

• Are you troubled by painful periods and can't get by each month without the pink pill?
• Are you a woman in her prime, very active, trying to live a healthy lifestyle, with a wonderful partner—but still struggling to conceive the longed-for baby?
• Are you an active mom, but since giving birth, you’re afraid to laugh openly, and you don’t dare go on the trampoline with the kids anymore due to experiences with involuntary urine leakage?
• Do you often have headaches or back pain? Do you feel down, tired, have lost your zest for life, and no longer enjoy intimacy with your partner?

The common denominator of these troubles could be the pelvic floor—a deeply hidden but very important structure in our bodies, whose existence we may not even be aware of. This structure fundamentally affects our daily lives. You can read more about how the pelvic floor functions here.

For the pelvic floor to perform its basic function, it must be elastic. However, elasticity can be lost during more challenging periods of life when it is excessively strained. Several factors can impact its proper functioning, such as:

• Pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes associated with contraceptive use or menopause
• Unhealthy lifestyle, overweight, lack of exercise, excessive physical strain, stress, or inappropriate footwear

What issues can a poorly functioning pelvic floor cause?

When the pelvic floor muscles lose their elasticity, it can result in either weakness or tension. Neither of these extremes is favorable.

• Increased tension in the pelvic floor can lead to painful periods, a decreased quality of sexual experience, difficulty conceiving, and complicated childbirth with significant soft tissue injuries.
• Conversely, when the pelvic floor muscles are weakened, we may experience urinary incontinence, diastasis, hernias in the groin, navel, or diaphragm, and a variety of other issues.

Neither tense nor weak—what is the ideal?

Thanks to current scientific findings and physiotherapist recommendations, we know that we should "harmonize" the pelvic floor. This involves equally focusing on both activation—strengthening weakened areas—and relaxation—releasing spasms. We know many methods and instructions for pelvic floor training; however, a common problem for beginners is often simply finding and understanding how the pelvic floor works.

Becoming aware of which pelvic structures to engage, how to consciously activate and relax them using breath, is extremely important. Let's support our women’s health and give extra care and attention to our pelvic floors—only then can it be an inexhaustible source of energy, a stable and reliable support throughout every stage of our lives.