Quick Answer
Pelvic floor muscle training, the broader category of exercise that Hypopressives belongs to, has real evidence behind it for improving several aspects of sexual function, including arousal, orgasm and satisfaction. A 2024 systematic review of 21 trials found genuine improvements across these areas, though the researchers rated the certainty of that evidence as low, since the studies varied a lot in quality and method. Worth being clear from the start: this evidence is about pelvic floor training generally, mostly traditional Kegel-based programmes, not a Hypopressives-specific study, so I’d rather give you the honest, broader picture than imply something more specific has been proven than actually has.
This is a topic that doesn’t get discussed openly very often, so if you’ve come here wondering whether there’s anything real behind the idea that pelvic floor work can affect this part of life, I want to give you a straight answer rather than a vague, reassuring one.
What the Research Actually Found
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology looked at 21 randomised controlled trials of pelvic floor muscle training aimed at improving sexual function. Across the trials included in the meta-analysis, training was associated with real improvements in arousal, orgasm, satisfaction, pain, and overall sexual function scores. The researchers were upfront that the certainty of this evidence is low, because the studies differed a lot in how they measured things and how the training was actually structured (Jorge et al., 2024, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology).
A more recent 2025 review looked specifically at postmenopausal women and found a similar pattern, real improvements in orgasm, arousal and satisfaction, though notably no significant improvement in desire or lubrication specifically (García-Laria et al., 2025, Sexual Medicine). That’s a genuinely useful distinction, not every aspect of sexual function responds the same way, and it’s worth knowing which parts the evidence actually supports rather than assuming it’s all improved equally.
Why Pelvic Floor Function Is Genuinely Connected to This
The pelvic floor plays a real, established role here. One specific muscle, the pubococcygeus, is directly involved in orgasm through rhythmic contractions, and weakness in this muscle has been associated with difficulty reaching orgasm. Beyond that direct mechanism, better pelvic floor control and awareness can genuinely change how sensation and muscle engagement feel during sex, which is plausibly why training shows up as an improvement in arousal and satisfaction too.
Where Hypopressives specifically fits into this picture is as a pelvic floor training method, just one that works through breath and posture rather than direct, isolated contraction. It builds the same underlying pelvic floor coordination and function that the research above is based on, even though no study has looked at Hypopressives on its own for this specific outcome. I think that’s an honest, useful distinction to make rather than borrowing the evidence for a slightly different technique and presenting it as if it were proven for this one specifically.
What This Means Practically
If pelvic floor function, whether that’s weakness, tension, or coordination, is part of what’s affecting this area of your life, building genuine pelvic floor strength and awareness through consistent practice is a reasonable, evidence-informed thing to try. It’s not a guaranteed fix, and the research itself is honest that certainty is low, but it’s also not nothing, real improvements were found across multiple trials. If low desire specifically is your main concern, it’s worth knowing the evidence for that particular aspect is weaker than for arousal or orgasm.
When to Seek Assessment
This guide is educational and can’t diagnose the cause of any specific sexual function concern. If pain during sex, persistent low desire, or a change in sensation is affecting you, a pelvic health physiotherapist or your GP can properly assess what’s contributing to it, which matters because the right approach depends on the actual cause, not just the symptom.
If you want to understand the full Hypopressives technique before starting, my complete guide to Hypopressives covers how it works and who it tends to help most. You’re welcome to start a free 14-day trial if you’d like to try it.
Sources
- Jorge CH, Bø K, Chiazuto Catai C, Oliveira Brito LG, Driusso P, Kolberg Tennfjord M. Pelvic Floor Muscle Training as Treatment for Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2024
- García-Laria R, Alonso-Calvete A, Justo-Cousiño L, Da Cuña-Carrera I, Soto-González M. Effects of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training on Sexual Function of Postmenopausal Women. Sexual Medicine, 2025
