What is a Pelvic Floor Trainer?

And is it right for me?

You may have seen the Elvie, Perifit or Elitone—small, app-connected devices that promise to strengthen your pelvic floor with fun, game-like exercises. It’s sleek, convenient, and motivating… but what are they exactly?

What They Can Do

• Helps you “find” your pelvic floor muscles and practice contracting them

• Provides visual feedback so you know when you’re squeezing (or not)

• Makes it easier to stay consistent with training (so they say!)

• Can be a great tool for motivation and accountability

What Elvie Can’t Do

• It doesn’t tell you why you’re having symptoms like leakage, heaviness, or pain

• It doesn’t assess if your pelvic floor is too tight (in which case, kegels are NOT a good idea!)

• It doesn’t look at how your pelvic floor works with your breath, core, and posture

• *It doesn’t replace an individualized, hands on assessment by a pelvic floor physical therapist*

Common Myths Debunked

• “Everyone needs to do more Kegels.” → Not true! For many people, relaxation and coordination are more important and effective than endless squeezing

• “Elvie will fix leakage on its own.” → Leakage can come from many causes—pelvic trainers only address one piece of the puzzle

• “Stronger is always better.” → An overactive pelvic floor can actually make symptoms worse!

• “It replaces professional care.” → Think of Elvie as a tool, not a treatment

The PT Perspective

Pelvic trainers can be helpful if it’s the right tool for your body. As a pelvic floor PT, my role is to determine whether strengthening is appropriate, teach you how to coordinate your pelvic floor with your whole core, and build a program that goes beyond the app—so you implement your tools into your everyday life.

If you’re considering trying the a trainer, make sure it’s the right fit for your needs. Why waste your money! An evaluation can help us decide whether it will benefit you—or if another approach would be better.

Your pelvic health is too important to leave to trial and error. Let’s find the right plan for you.

Dr. Jamie Bennett, PT, DPT