In this article, you will find out:

  • The different devices for strengthening the pelvic floor and how they work, from biofeedback trainers to Kegel balls.
  • What to look for when choosing your pelvic floor trainer, and how to use it day to day.
  • How Emy Trainer works, and what the clinical study shows after 3 months of using Emy Trainer.

Why use a device to strengthen your pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is a discreet but essential group of muscles. It supports the pelvic organs, contributes to continence and helps keep the pelvis stable.

Diagram of the pelvic floor supporting the bladder, uterus and rectum

After pregnancy, with age or simply through daily life, it can lose tone. This may show up as urinary leaks, a feeling of weakness or discomfort during sex.

A pelvic floor trainer helps you feel your pelvic floor better and train it in a more targeted way. Many women use one to continue at home the work started in clinic.

What types of pelvic floor devices are there?

There are several types of devices, which work in different ways. The choice is preferably made with your midwife, a physiotherapist or your GP.

Biofeedback trainers

Biofeedback trainers are inserted into the vagina and capture your contractions through sensors. An app shows you in real time whether you are activating your pelvic floor, so you train actively with voluntary contractions. To find out more, read our article on biofeedback devices.

The Emy app showing pelvic floor contraction in real time

Electrical stimulation devices

Electrical stimulation devices send mild electrical impulses that trigger a muscle contraction without any voluntary effort on your part. This is known as passive rehabilitation. These devices are usually used on the recommendation of a healthcare professional. Find out how pelvic floor electrical stimulation works in our dedicated article.

Pelvic floor electrical stimulation device

Kegel balls and vaginal cones

Simpler options such as Kegel balls or vaginal cones work through their weight: you activate your muscles to keep them in place. They are discreet and easy to fit into everyday life.

Kegel balls for strengthening the pelvic floor

How do you choose a pelvic floor trainer?

  • Medical device status: is it a CE-marked medical device?
  • Clinical data: does the manufacturer publish a verifiable clinical study on its own product?
  • Support: does the accompanying app offer guided exercises and progress tracking?
  • Ergonomics: does the device suit your anatomy and your level?

How does Emy Trainer work?

Emy Trainer is a connected pelvic floor trainer using biofeedback and a CE-marked medical device. Once you have switched it on and connected it to the Emy app on your smartphone, you insert it. Through small games, such as steering a hot-air balloon or virtual fishing, you learn to contract your pelvic floor and then relax it.

The exercises are varied: fast, held or repeated contractions. The app shows your progress and also offers content on yoga, gentle exercise and the pelvic floor. Emy Trainer is rechargeable, designed for long-term use, designed in France and made in Europe.

Emy Trainer connected pelvic floor trainer for training at home

A clinical study carried out at Strasbourg University Hospital assessed Emy Trainer with more than 50 patients experiencing stress urinary incontinence. After 3 months of using Emy Trainer, 98% of participants reported an improvement in their quality of life, and 91% an improvement in their urinary symptoms (Jochum et al., 2021).

Find out more about Emy Trainer

How often should you train with a device?

Starting gently is often a good approach. A session lasts 5 to 20 minutes; train several times a week. The idea is to build a habit, not a chore.

After a few weeks, you can adjust your training to your needs. For clear changes, allow two to three months of regular training.

Tracking your pelvic floor progress with the Emy app

What precautions should you take?

Pelvic floor devices are for personal use. Clean your device carefully after each use, use a water-based lubricant if needed, and always insert it gently, without forcing. If discomfort persists, stop and talk to a healthcare professional. Emy Trainer must not be used during pregnancy.

Can you use a device after giving birth?

Yes, a device can support your postnatal pelvic floor rehabilitation. Emy Trainer can be used from 7 weeks after giving birth at the earliest, once your doctor or midwife has given the go-ahead. Your midwife can check with you that you are ready and show you suitable rehabilitation exercises.

Many women use a device alongside the rehabilitation sessions prescribed after birth, to continue at home the work started in clinic.

Doing pelvic floor exercises with Emy Trainer at home

Key takeaways on pelvic floor devices

  • There are several types of pelvic floor devices: biofeedback trainers, electrical stimulation devices, Kegel balls and vaginal cones.
  • Medical device status, clinical data, the support offered and ergonomics help you choose. Short, regular sessions of 5 to 20 minutes are key.
  • Emy Trainer is a CE-marked medical device: after 3 months of using Emy Trainer, 91% of participants in the clinical study reported an improvement in their urinary symptoms (Jochum et al., 2021).

Sources

  • Prospective evaluation of the connected biofeedback EMY Kegel trainer in the management of stress urinary incontinence, Jochum F et al., February 2022, Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction 51(2):102280 – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34861424
  • Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation Using Biofeedback, Diane Kaschak Newman, July 2014, Urologic Nursing 34(4):193-202 – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25233622
  • Rééducation dans le cadre du post-partum, Synthèse des recommandations, ANAES – Service des recommandations professionnelles, Décembre 2002 – has-sante.fr

Pelvic Floor and Intimate Health FAQ

What is the pelvic floor and what does it do?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and tissues that closes off the bottom of the pelvis, between the pubic bone and the tailbone. It supports the pelvic organs (bladder, womb, rectum), helps you control your bladder and bowel, and plays a role in sex. Like any muscle, it can weaken (pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, repeated strain) or, on the contrary, become too tight.

How can you strengthen your pelvic floor?

To strengthen your pelvic floor, you need to voluntarily contract the pelvic muscles (as if trying to hold in gas or the urge to urinate) only when you exhale. Do progressive exercises lying on your back or on all fours, making sure not to hold your breath or tense your buttocks. You can combine these contraction exercises with a connected biofeedback device used at home, such as Emy Trainer. This device, inserted into the vagina, tracks your muscle contractions in real time and lets you do fun exercises on your smartphone while measuring your progress.

How can you tell if you have a weakened pelvic floor?

A weakened pelvic floor is mainly recognized by urinary leaks or involuntary gas during an effort such as laughing, coughing, or jumping. It can also cause a feeling of heaviness or pressure in the lower abdomen, as well as reduced sensation or discomfort and pain during sex. These topics are common in consultations: there is no need to feel embarrassed about bringing them up. Only a manual assessment by a midwife or physiotherapist will make it possible to accurately assess the tone of your muscles and confirm the need for rehabilitation.

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