The Science Behind YoniFlex
Understanding electrical stimulation and pelvic-floor support
Understanding how a pelvic-floor trainer works should be straightforward. At YoniFlex, we believe you deserve clear explanations of the technology, the research behind it, and what that research means for your care.
Our pelvic-floor trainer uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to help activate your pelvic-floor muscles through a vaginal probe. Below, we explain how this technology works and where it fits into pelvic-floor training.
Why your pelvic floor matters
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues that supports your bladder, bowel, and uterus. These muscles help with bladder and bowel control and contribute to sexual function.
Pregnancy, childbirth, ageing, and other factors can affect how well these muscles work. For some women, this means leaking urine when coughing, sneezing, or exercising. Others may notice changes in pelvic support or control.
Healthy pelvic-floor function involves both contracting and relaxing effectively. Symptoms do not always mean your muscles are weak: tight or poorly coordinated muscles can also cause problems. Understanding the cause helps you choose the right approach.
How electrical muscle stimulation works
Electrical stimulation uses controlled electrical pulses delivered through electrodes1. With an internal pelvic-floor trainer, these electrodes are located on a vaginal probe.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation helps activate the nerves involved in muscle contraction. In a strengthening program, periods of stimulation alternate with rest periods, allowing the muscles to contract and relax.
During a traditional Kegel exercise, you deliberately squeeze and release your pelvic-floor muscles. Electrical stimulation can help produce a contraction, which may be useful when those muscles are difficult to activate voluntarily.
It can be a tool within pelvic-floor rehabilitation, with the choice of treatment depending on your symptoms and ability to contract the muscles.
What does the research show?
Electrical stimulation has been studied as a treatment for pelvic-floor dysfunction, including stress urinary incontinence. The evidence suggests benefits for some women, while also highlighting limits to what we can conclude.
Research on bladder leakage
A Cochrane review examined 56 trials involving 3,781 women with stress urinary incontinence or stress-predominant mixed incontinence.
The review found that electrical stimulation helped more than no active treatment.
Research on muscle activation
A randomized trial involving 64 women who had difficulty voluntarily contracting their pelvic-floor muscles assessed an eight-week treatment program.
Women receiving intravaginal electrical stimulation, combined with attempts to contract during part of each session, were more likely to develop a voluntary contraction than women receiving no intervention. The treatment group also reported improvements in urinary incontinence symptoms.
How this fits into clinical care
NICE guidance recommends considering electrical stimulation to supplement pelvic-floor training for women who cannot perform an effective contraction.
These findings relate to electrical stimulation as a treatment approach.
They do not establish that YoniFlex itself was tested in these studies or guarantee an individual result.
Understanding the settings
Electrical stimulation programs use several settings to control how stimulation is delivered:
Frequency (Hz): The number of electrical pulses delivered each second. This is different from the number of complete muscle contractions.
Pulse duration (µs): How long each electrical pulse lasts, measured in microseconds.
Intensity: The strength of the stimulation.
Work and rest periods: The timing of stimulation and recovery within a program.
These settings work together to influence the muscle response and comfort of a session. A higher setting is not automatically a better setting. Follow your device instructions and any guidance from your pelvic-health professional.
A More informed approach to pelvic health
At YoniFlex, our goal is to make pelvic-floor technology easier to understand and use.
Electrical stimulation may offer support for women who have difficulty activating their pelvic-floor muscles. Choosing the right approach begins with understanding your symptoms, following the device instructions, and setting realistic expectations.
Have questions about using YoniFlex? Contact our team at support@yoniflex.com for help understanding the device and its instructions. For advice about your symptoms or whether electrical stimulation is suitable for you, speak with a qualified healthcare professional.