In this article, you will find out:

  • What biofeedback is and how it works in pelvic floor rehabilitation.
  • How to set up your pelvic floor rehabilitation at home, step by step.
  • How Emy Trainer uses this technology, and what the clinical study at Strasbourg University Hospital shows.

What is biofeedback and how does it work in pelvic floor rehabilitation?

Biofeedback is a training method that uses sensors to detect muscle activity in real time. This information is displayed on a screen, so you can see how your muscles respond and adjust your exercises.

In pelvic floor rehabilitation, a pelvic floor trainer is inserted into the vagina. It captures your pelvic floor activity and gives you instant visual feedback in an app. Unlike electrical stimulation, which is passive, you always contract your muscles actively yourself.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation at home with a biofeedback trainer

How does Emy Trainer capture pelvic floor activity?

The sensors built into Emy Trainer capture the contraction and relaxation of your pelvic floor and send this information via Bluetooth to your smartphone. You can see in real time whether you are activating your pelvic floor. This visual feedback guides you during training: without help, it is hard to perceive your pelvic floor activity from the outside.

This is why biofeedback has been used in physiotherapy for many years for pelvic floor rehabilitation: it makes an invisible group of muscles visible (Newman, 2014). A trainer at home lets you keep training between clinic sessions.

What are the benefits of biofeedback for pelvic floor rehabilitation?

1. Progressive, targeted training

Biofeedback lets you train your pelvic floor in a targeted, progressive way. Seeing your contractions helps you understand your effort and do the exercises correctly, rather than by guesswork.

2. Better body awareness

Many women find it hard at first to locate their pelvic floor and contract it in a targeted way. By training with biofeedback, you learn to contract and then relax these muscles more precisely.

3. Active training for urinary incontinence

A regularly trained pelvic floor contributes to better sphincter control. In a clinical study at Strasbourg University Hospital with more than 50 patients experiencing stress urinary incontinence, 98% of participants reported an improvement in their quality of life after 3 months of using Emy Trainer. After 3 months of using Emy Trainer, 91% also reported an improvement in their urinary symptoms (Jochum et al., 2021).

4. Training at every stage of life

After giving birth, during the menopause or with intensive sport: your pelvic floor is under strain throughout life. Regular training supports it at each of these stages, without replacing medical advice if symptoms persist.

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How do you do pelvic floor rehabilitation at home with a trainer?

  1. Preparation: wash your hands and clean the trainer.
  2. Connection: switch the trainer on and connect it to the app via Bluetooth.
  3. Insertion: insert the trainer lying down or sitting, using a water-based lubricant if needed.
  4. Guided session: the app guides you through suitable exercises and displays your pelvic floor activity in real time.
  5. Consistency: sessions of 5 to 20 minutes, several times a week, for progressive strengthening.
  6. Cleaning: clean the trainer after each use with lukewarm water and mild soap.

If you feel pain during training, stop the exercise and see a physiotherapist, midwife or your GP.

Emy Trainer connected pelvic floor trainer for training at home

How do physiotherapists and midwives use biofeedback?

In pelvic floor rehabilitation, physiotherapists and midwives often use biofeedback in clinic to show patients how to contract their muscles. A trainer at home brings this principle into daily life: you keep training independently, with real-time feedback you would otherwise only get in clinic. After giving birth, a trainer can complement pelvic floor rehabilitation once your midwife or doctor gives the go-ahead.

What are the common mistakes with a biofeedback trainer?

  • Tensing other muscles: the abdominal muscles, buttocks or thighs often contract instead of the pelvic floor. Keep them relaxed and place a hand on your tummy to check.
  • Training irregularly: short, regular sessions over several weeks are easier to keep up than occasional long sessions.
  • Holding your breath: keep breathing calmly during the contraction, without tensing your whole body.
  • Giving up too soon: progress takes several weeks of regular training; it is worth sticking with it.

What is the difference between biofeedback and electrical stimulation?

Both methods share the same goal but work differently:

  • Biofeedback helps you perceive your contractions and control them actively: you contract your pelvic floor yourself.
  • Electrical stimulation sends mild electrical impulses that trigger an involuntary contraction. It can be useful when a woman finds it hard at first to activate her muscles on her own. It is usually used on the recommendation of a healthcare professional.

Who is biofeedback pelvic floor rehabilitation for?

  • After giving birth: with the agreement of your midwife or doctor, targeted training helps strengthen your pelvic floor gradually. Emy Trainer can be used from 7 weeks after giving birth at the earliest.
  • During the menopause: hormonal changes can affect the bladder and pelvic floor; regular pelvic floor strengthening supports the muscles during this time.
  • For active women: high-impact sports (running, jumping, weight training) put extra strain on the pelvic floor, so additional training can be useful.
  • For urinary incontinence: after medical advice, a biofeedback trainer can be part of pelvic floor rehabilitation, often alongside physiotherapy.

In all cases, Emy Trainer is a CE-marked medical device for pelvic floor training: it does not replace a medical diagnosis if symptoms persist. It must not be used during pregnancy.

Emy Trainer and its app for pelvic floor rehabilitation at home

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Key takeaways on pelvic floor rehabilitation with a biofeedback trainer

  • Biofeedback captures your pelvic floor contractions and makes them visible in real time, without electrical stimulation.
  • A session lasts 5 to 20 minutes and is easy to do at home, alongside support from a physiotherapist or midwife.
  • Emy Trainer uses this technology: after 3 months of using Emy Trainer, 98% of participants in the clinical study reported an improvement in their quality of life (Jochum et al., 2021).

Sources

  • Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation Using Biofeedback, Diane Kaschak Newman, July 2014, Urologic Nursing 34(4):193-202 – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25233622
  • 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 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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