Skin Studio York Pelvic Floor Clinic

Please do your research before committing to any treatment. Regardless of the treatment. Many industries are not regulated and unfortunately this then brings with it lots of pop up treatments offering amazing deals! Now don’t get me wrong, some deals are good BUT before you even think about booking it’s so important to do your research. Look at qualifications, insurance, setting, safety, reviews and results etc. If someone professional is offering you a treatment then they won’t mind showing you their qualifications and insurance.

Protect yourself and your health 💕

• MICRONEEDLING •

A lot of everyday habits quietly put stress on the pelvic floor—sometimes weakening it over time, sometimes making it too tight. Here are some of the most common ones and how they affect you.

🚽 1. Straining on the toilet
Pushing hard when you’re constipated (or rushing bowel movements) increases pressure downward on the pelvic floor. Over time, this can weaken muscles and contribute to issues like prolapse or hemorrhoids.

Better habit:
Take your time, keep stools soft (hydration + fiber), and consider a footstool to get into a more natural squat position.

💧 2. “Just in case” peeing
Going to the bathroom when you don’t actually need to (like before leaving the house every time) trains your bladder to signal urgency too early.

Effect: Can lead to bladder sensitivity and urgency issues.

🏋️ 4. Lifting incorrectly
Holding your breath and pushing down (instead of bracing properly) when lifting heavy objects puts a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor.

Effect: Increased risk of weakening or strain.

🧍 3. Poor posture
Slouching or sitting for long periods changes how pressure is distributed in your abdomen.

Effect: The pelvic floor may become either overworked or under-engaged, contributing to weakness or tension.

🏋️ 4. Lifting incorrectly
Holding your breath and pushing down (instead of bracing properly) when lifting heavy objects puts a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor.

Effect: Increased risk of weakening or strain.

😮‍💨 5. Breath-holding (Valsalva habit)
This includes holding your breath during effort—whether in the gym or even when standing up.

Effect: Repeated pressure spikes downward onto the pelvic floor.

🪑 6. Sitting too much
Long periods of sitting (especially with tight hips) can shorten and tighten pelvic muscles.

Effect: Can contribute to pelvic pain or dysfunction—not just weakness.

🏃 7. High-impact exercise without support
Activities like running or jumping can strain the pelvic floor if the muscles aren’t strong or coordinated enough.

Effect: Leakage or heaviness in some people.

Please feel free to drop me an email with any questions, concerns or bookings. I do check them daily ☺️

*Instagram isn’t always checked. x

Jaw tension and pelvic floor tension are neurologically linked more than most people realise.

When peeing, fully relax your jaw and let your belly soften.

To reduce tension here’s one *underrated* exercise:

⭐️ deep squat breathing ⭐️

* Hold onto a doorframe or rack.
* Sit into a supported deep squat.
* Take 5 slow breaths into your lower back and pelvic floor.

This can reduce excessive pelvic tension surprisingly fast.

So why not give it a go? 🙌

Fruit and vegetables won’t strengthen your pelvic floor directly, but they help prevent constipation and reduce strain—which protects your pelvic floor and can improve symptoms.

🥦 How fruit & veg affect the pelvic floor?
Prevents constipation (biggest impact)

This is the most important mechanism.
• Low fibre → constipation → straining
• Straining → repeated downward pressure on pelvic floor
• Over time → weakening + worsening leakage

👉 Diets rich in fruit & veg:
• Increase stool bulk
• Make bowel movements easier
• Reduce chronic strain

Clinical relevance:
Constipation is a major reversible contributor to:
• Stress incontinence
• Pelvic organ prolapse

💦 Improves hydration

Many fruits/veg are high in water (e.g. cucumber, oranges, berries)
• Better hydration → healthier bladder lining
• Helps avoid:
• Concentrated urine (which can irritate the bladder)
• Urgency symptoms

👉 This matters more for urge incontinence

⚖️ Helps weight management
• Higher fruit/veg intake → lower calorie density
• Weight loss reduces:
• Pressure on bladder and pelvic floor

Even modest weight loss (~5–10%) can improve leakage.

🦠 Gut health & inflammation (emerging evidence)
• Fibre feeds gut bacteria → better gut health
• May reduce low-grade inflammation affecting pelvic tissues

👉 Evidence here is early, but biologically plausible

⚠️ What fruit & veg don’t do
• ❌ They don’t directly strengthen pelvic muscles
• ❌ They don’t replace pelvic floor exercises
• ❌ They won’t fix moderate/severe incontinence alone

🧩 Bottom line
• Indirect but important role
• Biggest benefit = less straining
• Best used alongside:
• Pelvic floor training
• Adequate vitamin D (if low)

Did you know that roughly 1 in 3 adults can be vitamin D deficient in winter, and this is much more common in higher risk groups.

🟡 About ~50% of UK adults have suboptimal levels 

👉 This includes people who aren’t technically deficient but may not be at optimal levels for muscle function. This can also cause HUGE symptoms even at “normal” but “suboptimal” levels.

According to gov.uk, it’s so common in the UK -
- No meaningful sunlight for vitamin D production October → March 
- Limited dietary sources (few foods contain it) 
- Low supplement use (only ~17% of adults take it regularly) 

⁉️ BUT what does this mean?

Deficiency = common
Suboptimal levels = extremely common

Many people with:
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue
• Possibly pelvic floor dysfunction

👉 may have low vitamin D contributing

(THIS DOES NOT HOWEVER REPLACE A DOCTORS ADVICE)

Although there is only some clinical evidence to suggest a link, a review found links between low vitamin D and incontinence and a clinical study showed vitamin D replacement improved symptoms in women with deficiency.

It’s important to note -
✔️ Helps if you’re deficient
❌ Not proven to help if your levels are already normal


BOTTOM LINE -

There is no supplement that is reliably “clinically proven” on its own to fix bladder weakness.
The only supplement with meaningful evidence is vitamin D—but only if you’re deficient.
Everything else is experimental or supportive at best.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ So to recap-

Vitamin D isn’t just for bones—it also affects muscle strength and nerve function, including the pelvic floor.

What studies suggest Low vitamin D is linked to:
• Higher rates of urinary incontinence
• Weaker pelvic floor muscles

In people who are deficient, correcting levels can:
• Improve muscle function
• Reduce leakage symptoms (modest effect)