Hysterectomy is the most common female surgery with around 30,000 Australian women undergoing a hysterectomy each year!  Your recovery from surgery and long-term outcome can be impacted by many factors including constipation, heavy lifting, returning too quickly to strenuous exercise or activities and poor pelvic floor muscle function.  Occasionally following surgery women experience problems such as bladder leakage or painful intercourse.
 
Unfortunately research shows that 50% of women cannot contract their pelvic floor muscles correctly following verbal or written instruction.  In fact, 25% of women use a technique that could result in weakening of their pelvic floor.  It is therefore vital that you know how to correctly contract and relax your pelvic floor muscles to ensure the best outcome of your surgery.
 
It is commonly advised that you see a specialist physiotherapist prior to surgery so that you have an understanding of the pelvic floor muscles well before they are further affected by the pain and swelling of the surgery.