Main Squeeze
Women's Health South Africa|April 2017

Why your lady parts may need to chillax

Melissa Shedden
Main Squeeze

They’re the key to OMG sex, preventing prolapse and zero leakage anxiety. In fact, strong pelvic-floor muscles are on point right now – apps can track your vaginal strength (#ThingsILiftWithMyVagina) and Venus balls are actual things. You know the importance of Kegels as a lady-business exercise done after a baby, clever sex trick, yadda yadda. And the stronger, the better, right? Surprisingly, no. You can, in fact, have nether regions that are too tight or overactive, explains pelvic physiotherapist Heba Shaheed. “Having a healthy pelvic floor is multifaceted. It should be able to contract strongly, hold for a desired length of time and relax completely,” says Shaheed. Just as you may struggle to isolate this web of muscles to build them, you can also lose the ability to relax the area mindfully. Cue a stressed out vag – and a long list of associated evils including painful sex, difficulties during labour, trouble using tampons and a physical rejection of your regular pap smears.

This story is from the April 2017 edition of Women's Health South Africa.

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This story is from the April 2017 edition of Women's Health South Africa.

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