A rectocele is a condition that affects exclusively women. Why is that? Simply because it is a hernia of the rectum into the vaginal cavity. Be careful not to confuse it with rectal prolapse! A rectocele is a genital prolapse, meaning a pelvic organ prolapse that appears at the level of the posterior vagina when the pelvic floor is weakened.
The causes of a damaged pelvic floor are varied – childbirth, chronic constipation, overweight, etc. – but the symptoms are largely the same. Contrary to popular belief, genital prolapses can affect young women, as age is not always a factor.
The appearance of a small vaginal bulge, more or less visible depending on the prolapse grade (Baden-Walker classification), is the first warning sign. Although the discomfort can seem disabling day-to-day, it is entirely possible to relieve a rectocele with exercises!
Among the natural treatments recommended for prolapse, pelvic floor training, such as Kegel exercises, as well as abdominal rehabilitation, are essential. It is crucial to strengthen your pelvic floor to reduce the sensations of pelvic heaviness linked to the onset of a rectocele.
Fortunately, surgery is not the only solution, and rectocele exercises can easily be done at home to ease symptoms. No miracle without effort: to alleviate the discomfort of a genital prolapse, you need to train your pelvic floor regularly!
Understanding the importance of the pelvic floor and its role in daily life
The anatomy of the pelvic floor
First of all, what is the pelvic floor? Also called the pelvic floor, it is a kind of hammock made up of ligaments and layers of interlaced muscles. The three muscle layers form the superficial pelvic floor, the middle pelvic floor, and the deep pelvic floor.
Located within the pelvis, it extends from the pubis to the coccyx and spans the width between the two ischial bones. It supports all the pelvic organs of women, including the bladder, uterus, and rectum.
💡 Fun fact: although men do not have a uterus, they still have a pelvic floor! However, the weight supported by it is less significant than in women.
Men can also experience pelvic floor disorders, related to prostate hypertrophy (enlargement).
The impact of the pelvic floor on daily life
The pelvic floor is essential to keep the pelvic organs in place by maintaining constant tension. It also plays an important role in continence, as it surrounds the urethra and anus. By controlling the opening of the sphincters, it regulates urination and defecation.
Finally, a strong pelvic floor promotes better vaginal tone, enhancing pleasure during sexual intercourse.
🎁 Info: Ladies, if you’re lucky enough to experience orgasm, know that your pelvic floor plays a key role! Sensations during penetration are significantly enhanced by a toned pelvic floor 👍🏻
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The consequences of a damaged pelvic floor
When overused, the pelvic floor muscles stretch and become less resistant to the weight of the structures they support. Their weakening can lead to various issues—not severe but significantly affecting daily life…
Among these disabling problems, the most common include:
- urinary leakage;
- difficulty controlling gas;
- anal incontinence;
- pelvic heaviness;
- pain during sexual intercourse;
- pelvic organ prolapse (rectocele or cystocele);
- and more.
It is therefore essential to strengthen your pelvic floor through pelvic floor training. Kegel exercises are often recommended as a standard.
Developed by Dr. Arnold Kegel, an American gynecologist, in the 1940s, these exercises involve contracting then relaxing the pelvic floor to strengthen it. They are highly advised during pregnancy and postpartum.
🤰🏻 Expecting mums: even if you have a cesarean section, pelvic floor recovery is not optional! In the months before birth, the baby, amniotic fluid, and uterus put considerable pressure on the pelvic floor. Even without vaginal delivery, the The pelvic floor may have been affected during this period.
Tone your pelvic floor with Kegel exercises to relieve a rectocele
Breathing, your pelvic floor’s ally
To begin, and to truly feel the pelvic floor contraction, it’s best to perform the exercises lying down. Get comfortable on your back, somewhere quiet, like on a yoga mat. Your legs should be bent so your back lies flat and fully stretched, without arching. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Focus on your breathing, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
🧘🏻♀️ Tip: focus on the air entering and leaving your body, make deep movements with your eyes closed.
Quick contraction: training your pelvic floor while breathing
Once you’re aware of your breathing and fully relaxed, it’s time to start feeling your pelvic floor:
- Begin by emptying your lungs, then take a deep breath in through your nose.
- As soon as your ribcage is expanded, exhale gently through your mouth while contracting your muscles, as if holding back a strong urge. The entire pelvic floor should be engaged, including the front, because a rectocele shouldn’t make you neglect other pelvic floor structures.
- Release before inhaling, and contract again on the next exhale.
- Perform the exercise over 5 breaths, then rest for 5 seconds before starting again.
- Repeat this exercise 3 times in a row, contracting your pelvic floor as strongly as possible, to the best of your ability.
🙅🏻♀️ Caution: do not contract your glutes, inner thighs, or superficial abdominal muscles to help engage your pelvic floor. When starting out, only the pelvic floor should be engaged during these exercises.
Pelvic floor lock: maintaining a moderate contraction
Still lying down with bent legs, the next exercise consists of holding a moderate but sustained pelvic floor contraction. As with the previous exercise, at exhale, lock your pelvic floor at 60% contraction and hold it for 6 seconds. Then relax your pelvic floor for 12 seconds: the work time is half the rest time. Repeat this exercise 3 times in a row, visualizing your pelvic floor rising towards your abdomen.
🧠 Memory aid: think of multiples of 6 to remember this exercise (6 seconds, 60%, 12 seconds)!
By training regularly, you’ll improve your awareness and ability to maintain a moderate contraction. Apply this exercise to protect your pelvic floor from strain related to everyday activities: standing up, walking, or carrying heavy loads.
It’s essential to remember to protect your pelvic floor from movements that create excess pressure, so as not to worsen genital prolapse. And to To relieve the symptoms of a rectocele, these contraction exercises are very easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
Maximal contraction: testing the strength of your pelvic floor
The final exercise focuses on the strength and endurance of your pelvic floor. After becoming aware of your breathing, exhale through your mouth and contract your pelvic floor as strongly as possible. Your breathing should remain natural; don’t hold your breath. The exercise should be performed for a full minute!
Your pelvic floor contraction should stay maximal until the end. If you feel your muscles weakening, increase the tension again. This exercise should not be repeated several times in a row. Take at least one minute to recover, fully relaxing your pelvic floor.
🌬 Tip: count the seconds out loud to avoid breath-holding, the arch-nemesis of your pelvic floor! Holding air in your lungs can create abdominal pressure, which is harmful to pelvic floor recovery.
To maximize your chances of relieving a rectocele, these exercises should be done daily, in various positions. Consistency is key! Establish a routine: during feeding, before bed, in the car, in the shower, in front of the TV, etc.
🏆 Train daily and perform these three exercises in different positions: sitting, standing, and lying down. You’ll become a pelvic floor training pro and notice progress quickly!
Using your abdominal muscles to protect your pelvic floor
Understanding the synergy between the transverse abdominal muscle and the pelvic floor
During the previous exercises, you may have noticed that contracting your pelvic floor also activates your abdominal muscles. This is because the deepest abdominal muscle, the transverse muscle, works in synergy with the pelvic floor muscles.
It’s essential to understand that the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles work together to perform effective pelvic floor training. The transverse muscle complements the pelvic floor for several reasons:
- Like an abdominal belt, it holds the organs in place, while the pelvic floor supports them at the pelvic level.
- It contributes to breathing, which, remember, is your pelvic floor’s ally!
- Due to its anatomy, similar to an abdominal belt, it can increase intra-abdominal pressure. This mechanism is essential for bowel movements and urination and supports the pelvic floor’s action on the sphincters.
- Its contraction is involved during coughing, sneezing, laughing, or vomiting—all movements that also engage the pelvic floor.
The following exercises help you contract the pelvic floor and transverse muscle synergistically.
I take care of my pelvic floor
Perform simple exercises to feel the contraction of the deep abdominal muscles
Engaging the pelvic floor and hypopressive transverse contraction
Lie on your back, bend your legs, and press your shoulder blades flat on the floor. While staying in this position, stretch your back fully, arms alongside your body, and lengthen yourself without arching your back.
Breathe naturally while becoming aware of your abdomen’s movements, feeling your ribs expand as you inhale. Exhale through your mouth while gently engaging your pelvic floor at 30%, then draw your belly in from pubis to navel, lengthening your spine as you grow taller.
This exercise creates a negative pressure in the abdominal cavity, which lifts and relieves the pelvic floor. Repeat 8 to 10 times, avoiding contracting your glutes.
Lower transverse contraction
In the same position as the previous exercise, place a cushion or a small ball between your knees.
With each exhale, engage your pelvic floor (30%), hollow your belly, then squeeze the cushion between your knees while lengthening your spine. You should feel a stronger contraction below your navel, the lower part of the transverse muscle. Repeat this exercise 8 to 10 times.
Upper transverse contraction
Assuming the same position as in the first exercise, now take a resistance band. Place it at your elbows, arms stretched towards the ceiling, at a 90° angle to the floor.
With each exhale, engage your pelvic floor (30%), draw in your belly, then move your elbows apart while lengthening your spine. This time, you’ll feel the transverse muscle contract under your ribs, the upper part of the transverse muscle. Repeat this exercise 8 to 10 times.
Bridge exercise
The final movement starts from the same position as the first exercise, without any equipment. As you exhale, engage your pelvic floor (30%), draw in your belly, then lift your pelvis off the floor.
To perform this correctly, keep your back straight and maintain the contraction of your pelvic floor and transverse muscles. While exhaling, slowly lower your back to the floor, vertebra by vertebra, down to your pelvis. Repeat this exercise 8 to 10 times.
Use your abs properly to protect your pelvic floor from excess pressure
Understanding the role of the transverse muscle is key to preserving your pelvic floor. If your abdominal muscles aren’t properly engaged, all abdominal pressure will bear down on your pelvic floor, risking weakening it over time. It’s essential to use your abdominal belt correctly to direct tension upwards rather than towards the pelvic floor.
Hypopressive exercises are essential: they are applied every day! Every everyday movement—coughing, sneezing, lifting heavy loads, sports, and more—can put pressure on your pelvic floor.
During postpartum pelvic floor recovery, try to engage in gentle sports that don’t strain your pelvic floor too much: cycling, swimming, yoga, Pilates, for example.
By mastering the synergy between your pelvic floor and hypopressive abs, you’ll find it easier to relieve your rectocele.
❌ Avoid high-impact and/or high-pressure sports like running, CrossFit, skipping rope, or trampoline.
Consider a medical device to train your pelvic floor in case of rectocele
Emy, the interactive smart pelvic floor trainer for home workouts
To maximize your chances of easing a rectocele, regular training sessions can be combined with the use of a smart pelvic floor trainer, like Emy.
This medical device is revolutionary: it enables you to train your pelvic floor at home without the help of a healthcare professional, thanks to biofeedback. This method is used by specialists because it provides instant feedback to users on physiological activity, such as muscle function.
This recent technology, also known as “biological feedback,” gives you the ability to measure your pelvic floor contractions.
Through a mobile app, you can see your progress in real time, thanks to varied medical mini-games. All these engaging exercises are designed to help relieve rectocele, as attested by regular user Ghislaine.
Most importantly, the effectiveness of this medical device is clinically proven. With Emy, pelvic floor training becomes fun and encourages users to practice the exercises regularly.
📱 The app even sends notifications to your smartphone to remind you not to miss your training session!
Learn more about my pelvic floor more about the Emy pelvic floor trainer
Pelvic floor electrostimulation devices to strengthen your pelvic floor
Sometimes it’s necessary to consult a healthcare professional – a midwife or a specialized pelvic floor physiotherapist – to relieve a rectocele. Using a vaginal pelvic floor trainer connected to an electrostimulation device is then recommended to speed up postpartum pelvic floor recovery.
By stimulating the nerves of the pelvic floor muscles with small painless electrical impulses, the pelvic floor gradually strengthens. Specific predefined programs can relieve various symptoms (incontinence, pain, prolapse, etc.).
🩺 Note: Some devices are even approved by the Health Insurance system! To qualify, they must meet certain criteria and comply with specific standards.
Other accessories to maintain your pelvic floor
Other natural solutions are available to relieve a rectocele or strengthen a weakened pelvic floor. Vaginal cones and Geisha balls can be used alongside training sessions done in a clinic.
Often mistaken for simple sex toys, Geisha balls are powerful allies for pelvic floor strengthening. Specialists sometimes recommend them to enhance pelvic floor training exercises.
Many women turn to these effective alternatives to regain better sensations during intimacy, especially in cases of genital prolapse.
Vaginal cones or weights test the strength and endurance of the pelvic floor muscles by using weights of varying heaviness.
They tone the pelvic floor in just a few minutes, provided you use them regularly. Like Geisha balls, they progressively retrain the pelvic floor. Their vaginal position, slightly lower than Geisha balls, targets the superficial pelvic floor muscles more intensively.
As you can see, relieving a rectocele by regularly practicing exercises at home is entirely possible. Be dedicated and consistent in your practice, and you’ll see quick results. Encouraging. The symptoms of organ prolapse, which you may experience daily, will gradually disappear.
Sources:
https://www.has-sante.fr/
https://www.futura-sciences.com/
