Description
The Pelvic Toner is manufactured from medical grade plastic. Its design incorporates positions for two springs, but it can be used with one. A set of two "standard" springs are supplied with each Pelvic Toner, and a stronger spring set can be purchased separately. Therefore the Pelvic Toner potentially offers progressive resistance through four stages, via use with one standard spring or two and one strong spring or two. Springs are made of stainless steel.
The device is easily cleaned and the design ensures that the springs cannot fall out during use.
The Pelvic Toner's design incorporates a "stop" feature that prevents the two parts closing completely together and therefore reduces the risk of pinching delicate vulval or vaginal tissue. The Pelvic Toner's manufacturer states that it can be used by women with a prolapse and that doctors are recommending it for that purpose. We suggest that women with a prolapse should consider whether the design and the closing action is appropriate for them, depending on the nature of their prolapse, and perhaps consider alternative exercise aids if they are unsure.
The two hinged parts of the Pelvic Toner are held together as the device is inserted into the vagina, and they will open as far as the vaginal tissue allows when you remove your hand. The Pelvic Toner can be inserted any distance between 6 and 10cm and adjusting the penetration will affect the resistance offered by the device.
Once inserted, the manufacturer's instructions state that the Pelvic Toner must open by at least 1cm in order for a squeeze movement to be possible. Some women with smaller, tighter vaginas may find that the Pelvic Toner does not open sufficiently with the standard springs in place. For some of these women the stronger spring set may achieve the required 1cm opening, but for others, the Pelvic Toner may not open sufficiently even with the stronger spring set, and another product may be a more suitable choice.
We discuss the manufacturer's recommendations for using the Pelvic Toner under the Specifications heading.
The Pelvic Toner is manufactured in Europe and has CE certification. It is included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and is exempt from GST as a device for the treatment of incontinence.
The Bristol Urological Institute, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK recently conducted a research study involving women suffering stress urinary incontinence, who were already able to contract their pelvic floor muscles. In the study, 20 women used the Pelvic Toner whilst 20 women did pelvic floor exercises without the assistance of a device. The researchers concluded that
- the PelvicToner gave "confidence to women that they were correctly contracting their pelvic floor, and this may be helpful encouragement when a woman is starting out on a regime of PFME."
- the biofeedback given by the PelvicToner "may be particularly helpful to demonstrate to the woman that she is carrying out the PFME appropriately."
- the PelvicToner is particularly relevant to those women "who do not consult their physician and wish to maintain confidentiality regarding their SUI symptom." (Delgado, 2010)
You can read the full paper in pdf form here (185Kb).
The RRP of the Pelvic Toner is AUD$89.95. Our EXTRA SPECIAL ONLINE price is just $79.95, and includes a FREE copy of Women's Waterworks by Dr Pauline Chiarelli (RRP $15), an invaluable aid to determining the best exercise regime for your Pelvic Toner workout.
