Basic Exercises - important as part of the programme but very important to get into the habit of adopting for a lifetime.

Start to pass urine (water) and then stop midstream by pulling the muscles (pelvic floor muscles) tight and upwards.

Start the stream again - complete the emptying of your bladder.

Train yourself to brace up before taking the strain! If about to cough, laugh, lift, push, sneeze or any action which causes a downward thrust, contract your pelvic floor (as above) and hold lightly until exertion is over.

Pelvic Floor Exercises

1. Sit on a hard chair, feet on the floor with thighs and knees apart, lean forward with elbows on knees.

2. Pull in the muscle tight and up as if to stop passing urine and at the same time pull in the muscle tight and up the back passage, as if to stop passing wind. You should feel the perineum (part between the back and front passages). Move upwards from the chair. Relax.

3. Pull in and up muscles as before but this time try to pull the tight muscles forwards. Relax.

4. Pull in and up muscles as before but this time try to pull the tight muscles backwards. Relax

5. Start by doing five of each exercise (2, 3 and 4), increasing by five of each, daily, until doing fifty of each of the exercises daily.

6. Then continue the same exercises in various positions.

7. Do them in bed, lying on your back with your knees crooked up.

8. Standing, leaning forward from the hips with knees bent and hands flat on a table.

9. Kneeling on all fours like a dog.

10. As before by doing five of each exercise 2, 3 and 4 in each of the above various positions increasing by five of each daily until doing fifty of each exercise daily.

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