1｜I Confess

I knew about the pelvic floor muscles.

It was knowledge I possessed as a matter of course due to my profession. Where the muscles are, why they are needed, why they weaken. I've explained their importance and how to exercise them using Kegel devices gathered from around the world.

Perhaps that's true for everything. Until you experience it yourself, you don't understand it, and it doesn't become your own problem.

That "oh" feeling the moment you sneeze. The slight panic when you can't stop laughing.

After childbirth, that was the first time the words "pelvic floor muscles" became about my own body.

Even for me, who works in femtech, it was the same. So, for those of you who haven't yet noticed. And perhaps for those of you who are starting to notice a little. I want to write about this today.

2｜Where are the pelvic floor muscles?

Even if you've heard the term "pelvic floor muscles," I think few people can actually imagine where they are.

Their location is at the "bottom" of the pelvis. Literally, it's a group of muscles spread out like a hammock at the very bottom of the pelvis.

They firmly support three vital organs for women—the bladder, uterus, and rectum— from below.

With arm or thigh muscles, you know "this is it," but with pelvic floor muscles, even if you try to move them, it's hard to confirm if they're actually moving. They're muscles that are "there but unnoticed."

However, these muscles actually do quite a lot.

Despite one muscle group doing so much, it's largely unnoticed. They work silently every day.

3｜We are not using them effectively today.

Women of a slightly older generation naturally used their pelvic floor muscles in their daily lives. Squatting to clean, carrying heavy objects, using Japanese-style toilets. These actions naturally engaged these muscles without conscious effort.

But what about now?

Sitting in front of a computer all day. Hunching over while looking at a smartphone. Some days, not leaving the house due to remote work.

Sitting in a chair for extended periods tends to tilt the pelvis backward. When this posture persists, the pelvic floor muscles become less effective and gradually become harder to be aware of if they are not used.

With the changes in our lifestyles, opportunities to use these muscles naturally have decreased. For us living in the modern age, these muscles are in a place where we must consciously engage them.

4｜To those who think "this doesn't concern me"

Many people might think of urinary incontinence as "something that happens to the elderly" or "something that happens to people who've given birth."

However, the numbers indicate otherwise.

And even when they realize they are experiencing urinary leakage, not a few people consult no one.

They're concerned, but they can't speak up. They don't know who to consult. They dismiss it as nothing serious.

Many such people are around you. Perhaps even yourself.

5｜What I want those trying to conceive to know

The topic of pelvic floor muscles isn't just about urinary leakage. It's a subject I want those considering pregnancy to know about as well.

The pelvic floor muscles are involved in blood circulation around the pelvis, posture, and core stability. When thinking about building a body for fertility, getting the pelvic area in order can be considered part of daily self-care.

Pregnancy is even more challenging. As the abdomen grows, the weight of the uterus continuously bears down on the pelvic floor muscles. If they are already difficult to consciously control, this can easily lead to discomfort around the lower back and pelvis.

And then, during childbirth. As the baby passes through the birth canal, the pelvic floor muscles stretch significantly. At this time, if the muscles are flexible, it is believed that they can adapt more easily to these changes.

If the pelvic floor muscles remain weakened after childbirth, urinary leakage may persist, and the risk of pelvic organ prolapse, where organs descend, can increase. What I experienced was precisely at this timing.

Therefore, I believe it is much better to "be somewhat aware beforehand" rather than "deal with it after it happens."

6｜So, what should we do?

The typical way to become aware of the pelvic floor muscles is through Kegel exercises. You "squeeze" your vagina and anus, and then slowly relax. You repeat this. No equipment is needed, and you can do it sitting down.

However, it's also true that few people continue doing them.

Because it's a difficult muscle to be aware of, you often think you're doing it when you're not. And because it's hard to feel changes, it's easy to give up.

That's where EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) comes in as an option. It's a technology that stimulates muscles with electrical impulses, making it easy to apply external care to muscles that are difficult to consciously engage.

Embedding care into a system that doesn't require constant "trying to do it." That's what I like about this device.

7｜Now, when it's not yet bothering you, is the perfect time.

I'm sure some of you reading this article thought, "I'm still fine."

That's probably true. However, the pelvic floor muscles are also muscles that take a bit of time to become aware of for the first time once they start bothering you.

Just like me, even if you "think you know," it's hard to accept it as something related to your own body.

But now, the fact that you're reading this text might mean you're a little bit curious, or you want to know for someone else's sake.

From today, try to pay a little attention to those muscles.

You can start by just taking a bath.