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When used as part of a therapy programme, vaginal trainers may be helpful for women with sexual difficulties. They have been shown to be of use for vaginismus, dyspareunia and vulvodynia. Vaginal trainers can play an important role in overcoming pelvic floor muscular responses that remain and sometimes increase after pain perception has decreased in vulvodynia. Vaginal Dilators or trainers as I prefer to call them, can be helpful in the control of the PC muscle reflex, which some say is the underlying cause of vaginismus tightness, burning, and penetration difficulties. As the woman is in control of the use of the trainer she can have more control over the size, speed, and angle of insertion.

As women consciously and consistently squeeze and relax the PC muscles with trainer insertions, they learn how to override the involuntary muscle contractions that had previously caused tightness or closed the entrance to the vagina to sex this could be coined as creating new muscle memories. Together with appropriate exercises, they help women retrain their bodies to respond correctly to penetration and to transition to fully pain-free intercourse.

It is useful to note that there is more to treating vaginismus than simply inserting trainers. The focus of trainer use in treating vaginismus is not to stretch the vaginal tissues or vaginal opening, but rather to assist women to gain control of their pelvic floor. Women with penetration difficulties related to their vaginismus can sometimes assume that trainers are used to stretch their vaginal opening so that it will be larger, when, in fact, their penetration problems relate to problems with involuntary tightness of the pelvic floor. The name vaginal dilator is actually a bit of a misnomer, since trainer use is not normally focused on dilation (which means to make wider or larger). For this reason, some specialists refer to them as vaginal trainers or spacers. There are also alternatives to trainer use, but in practice women usually find trainers to be the easiest aid for completing the specific pelvic floor exercises needed.

A portion of women, especially those who are recovering from pelvic surgery or suffering from age related hormone changes like menopause, have a dual purpose for the trainers, both in the rehabilitative stretching of the tissues and the rehabilitation of the pelvic floor musculature responses i.e. tightness from vaginismus. Trainers are helpful aids that are most effective when part of a complete process with proper physical instruction and transition steps.

What are Vaginal Trainers?
They are a series of graduated smooth plastic sleeves which are have a slightly tapered end. They come in various sizes from small which is about 9cm x 20mm (3.5 in x 0.75 in) to 16cm x 35mm (6.25 in x 1.5 mm in diameter. It is important that the smallest sleeve is relatively easy to start with and that the progression to the largest (more or less penis sized) is in small graduated step sizes. This enables progression to be a gradual process at the pace of the user.

10 Steps for How to use Trainers

1. When using your trainers for the first time, wash them in hot soapy water and dry thoroughly ensuring all traces of soap have been removed.
2. Use the trainers in a place that is comfortable and ensures your privacy.
3. The recommended position to use the trainers is to lie flat on your back with your knees bent and legs slightly apart. Alternatively stand with one leg raised on a chair.
4. Starting with the smallest trainer, Apply the water-based lubricant around the tip of the trainer and a small amount to your vaginal opening.
5. Controlling your breathing, relaxing as much as possible gently ease the trainer into your vagina as deeply as is comfortable and leave it in position for up to 5 minutes.
6. You may find when you begin using the trainers that you can only tolerate the tip of the trainer inside your vagina. This is perfectly normal.
7. This sequence should be repeated daily.
8. When you feel comfortable with using the smallest trainer, gradually move to the next size and so on.
9. There is no time limit on the time it takes to progress to each new size. It is advised that when you can comfortably insert the smallest size trainer, change to the next size in the same session, as your vaginal muscles will already be relaxed and you will find it easier to progress to the next size.
10. This also applies as you progress to the other sizes. When you feel comfortable with inserting the larger trainers you may be ready to attempt penetrative sexual intercourse.

Mary Clegg is a Sex and Relationship Therapist www.maryclegg.co.uk