Anatomy: Vulva

Get to know your own body! 

I drew you a picture! This diagram shows the external anatomy of the female genitalia. 


  • The mons pubis or pubic mound provides cushioning over the pubic bone during intercourse
  • The Clitoral glans is the only external part of the clitoris. Most of this organ is underneath the surface and much larger than you realise. It is also the only organ in the female or male body that is purely dedicated to sexual pleasure. Yay for us!
  • The Urethral opening is the opening for urine to empty from the bladder
  • The Labia Majora are the external (outer) lips of the vulva
  • The Labia Minora are the inner and smaller flaps and look very different for every woman
  • The Vestibule is the area within the inner lips of the labia minora but outside of the vagina
  • The Introitus is the opening of the vagina
  • The Vagina cannot be seen from the outside, this refers to the organ inside only
  • The Anus is the opening of the rectum that allows for faeces to exit the body

Popular posts from this blog

Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Part 1

Image
The risk of Pelvic Organ Prolapse can increase with pregnancy and vaginal delivery, however may occur even without any pregnancies and can even happen to men! What is it?  'Prolapse' comes from the latin word prolabi which means "to fall out". Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) involves the descent of the pelvic organs; the bladder, bowel or uterus, into the vaginal space.  The degree of prolapse is measured on a scale of 0-4, determined by how much the organs have moved toward the opening of the vagina or if they are protruding outside the body. This may be observed by your family doctor, OB/GYN, birth professional or pelvic health physiotherapist by asking you to cough or hold your breath and bear down for 8 seconds to determine the extent of the prolapse.  The female pelvic anatomy (larger pelvic outlet and open space of the vagina) combined with our upright posture makes women particularly vulnerable to this condition. However, men can also experience similar descen
Read more

What's the big deal about walking?

Image
Turns out that walking is a pretty big deal and is vital for the function of our pelvic floor muscles. Using your own two legs to get around also has unique and widespread benefits throughout the body compared to other forms of exercise such as cycling, swimming, running and even the elliptical or stair climber.  Walking promotes: Bone Mineral Density (preventing osteoporosis)   by repetitively  loading the bones of the lower body and spine in a vertical manner with vibrations from the heel striking the ground Cardiovascular Health by recruiting every single muscle in the body from the small muscles in your feet to your core, shoulders and ribs for optimum innervation and circulation.  Weight Management  as your body is able to burn more fat at moderate, rather than high intensities and heart rates Musculoskeletal Health with a natural frequency and loading to help nourish, rather than burn through the cartilage in the knees and hips and of course... Pelvic Health! 
Read more

The Problem with Kegels

Image
"Kegel" is the term used in North America for a pelvic floor contraction, named after gynaecologist Dr. Arnold Kegel (I hadn't heard the term before I moved to Canada!) and they are often taught (world-wide) as a strengthening exercise pre and post natally, or for anybody who has a pelvic floor-related problem.  Performing isolated “ Kegels ” (pelvic floor contractions) can be helpful in the short term, especially early postpartum (eg. within the first 48hrs) to improve the control and awareness of the muscle. However, when performed by already hypertonic muscles, Kegels can lead to an even tighter pelvic floor and cause more serious problems to occur throughout the body. Most people with pelvic floor issues are not simply suffering from muscle weakness, but rather from a  tightness  or  shortening  of the pelvic floor muscles (See  Too Long, Too Short or Just Right?  for more info) .  Most often, the muscles need to be released and trained to relax first, prior to
Read more