How Do Pelvic Floor Chairs Work? Electromagnetic Pelvic Floor Stimulation Explained
Pelvic Floor Technology Explained · 2026
How Do Pelvic Floor Chairs Work?
Electromagnetic pelvic floor chairs stimulate deep pelvic floor muscles to produce thousands of involuntary contractions while the patient remains seated and fully clothed.
Here we explain what the technology actually does, how it differs from conventional pelvic floor exercises, what treatment feels like and how professional systems such as Supramax™ are used in clinics.
The short version
How Does a Pelvic Floor Chair Strengthen the Pelvic Floor?
A pelvic floor chair creates a powerful electromagnetic field beneath the seated patient.
The field stimulates the neuromuscular system responsible for pelvic floor contraction, causing the muscles to contract repeatedly and involuntarily throughout the treatment.
Unlike conventional pelvic floor exercises, the patient does not have to consciously identify, contract and relax the muscles themselves.
Professional systems such as Supramax™ are designed to generate approximately 11,000 pelvic floor muscle contractions during a 30-minute session.
Start with the basics
What Is an Electromagnetic Pelvic Floor Chair?
A pelvic floor chair is a professional treatment system designed to stimulate the pelvic floor muscles without an invasive procedure.
The patient sits on the treatment chair while remaining fully clothed.
Inside the seat is an electromagnetic treatment system capable of creating a rapidly changing magnetic field.
This field passes through clothing and soft tissue and stimulates the neuromuscular pathways responsible for contracting the pelvic floor.
The result is a sequence of repeated involuntary pelvic floor contractions throughout the treatment session.
Because the treatment is delivered externally through the chair, there are no needles, internal applicators or surgical procedures involved.
The treatment mechanism
How Does Electromagnetic Pelvic Floor Stimulation Work?
The important point is that the electromagnetic field stimulates the nerves and muscles rather than simply applying energy to the surface of the body.
1. Electromagnetic Energy
The treatment system generates a rapidly changing electromagnetic field beneath the seated patient.
2. Neuromuscular Stimulation
The field stimulates the nerves responsible for activating the pelvic floor muscles.
3. Muscle Contraction
The pelvic floor muscles contract involuntarily in response to the stimulation.
4. Repeated Muscle Activation
The process repeats throughout the session, creating thousands of contractions without the patient having to perform them consciously.
Understanding the terminology
What Is a Supramaximal Pelvic Floor Contraction?
The term supramaximal contraction is used to describe an intense involuntary muscle contraction generated by external stimulation rather than through conscious voluntary effort alone.
During electromagnetic pelvic floor treatment, these contractions can be repeated rapidly throughout the session.
This is why a professional pelvic floor strengthening device can generate a volume of muscle activity that would be impractical for a patient to reproduce simply by repeatedly performing voluntary pelvic floor exercises.
Pelvic floor chair vs exercise
How Is a Pelvic Floor Chair Different From Kegel Exercises?
Pelvic floor exercises remain an important conventional approach, but electromagnetic stimulation works differently.
Voluntary Kegels
The patient has to identify the correct muscles, deliberately contract them, maintain the contraction and repeat the exercise consistently.
Electromagnetic Stimulation
The neuromuscular system is stimulated externally, producing involuntary contractions without relying on the patient to consciously activate each contraction.
High Repetition
Thousands of contractions can be produced during a treatment session — considerably more than would normally be practical through voluntary exercise alone.
The patient experience
What Does Pelvic Floor Chair Treatment Feel Like?
Patients remain seated and fully clothed while the electromagnetic system repeatedly activates the pelvic floor muscles.
Strong Muscle Contractions
Patients can feel the pelvic floor muscles repeatedly contracting as the treatment intensity increases.
Adjustable Intensity
Treatment intensity can be adjusted so practitioners can build the level appropriately according to the individual patient.
Fully Clothed
The treatment is delivered through the chair while the patient remains fully clothed, helping make the experience discreet and straightforward.
Approximately 30 Minutes
A typical Supramax treatment takes around 30 minutes and does not involve needles, incisions or deliberate skin injury.
Pelvic floor weakness affects both sexes
How Do Pelvic Floor Chairs Work for Women and Men?
The underlying principle is the same: electromagnetic stimulation activates the pelvic floor muscles through the neuromuscular system.
Pelvic Floor Treatment for Women
Pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes, menopause and ageing can all contribute to pelvic floor weakness.
Strengthening the pelvic floor may form part of a treatment approach for suitable women experiencing concerns associated with reduced pelvic floor muscle function.
Pelvic Floor Treatment for Men
Men also rely on the pelvic floor muscles for bladder control and pelvic support.
Electromagnetic pelvic floor stimulation may therefore be considered for suitable male patients following appropriate consultation and screening.
Suitability Always Comes First
Pelvic floor symptoms can have different underlying causes. Appropriate consultation, screening and referral where necessary remain important before treatment.
Professional pelvic floor technology
How Does the Supramax Pelvic Floor Chair Work?
Supramax applies the electromagnetic treatment principle within a professional clinic platform designed specifically for pelvic floor stimulation.
Supramax™ Pelvic Floor Chair
Supramax uses focused electromagnetic stimulation to activate the neuromuscular system and produce repeated involuntary pelvic floor contractions while the patient remains seated.
Treatment planning
How Many Pelvic Floor Chair Treatments Are Usually Recommended?
Pelvic floor strengthening is generally approached as a treatment course rather than a single isolated appointment.
Typical Supramax Initial Course
2 treatments per week × 4 weeks
Approximately eight initial sessions, followed by maintenance according to individual assessment, response and treatment planning.
Individual treatment programmes should always be based on patient assessment rather than treating every patient according to a rigid schedule.
Independent clinical evidence
What Evidence Do We Have for Supramax?
Understanding how the technology works is useful, but real-world treatment evidence provides another important layer of information.
Supramax has been used in independent clinical case studies carried out separately from Pure Tone Aesthetics.
These include a 44-year-old patient experiencing post-partum stress and urge urinary incontinence and a 75-year-old patient with complex, long-standing urinary and bowel incontinence following hysterectomy.
The cases document treatment protocols, patient progress and reported outcomes in real clinical environments.
Choosing a treatment system
What Is the Best Pelvic Floor Strengthening Device?
There is no single specification that makes one pelvic floor strengthening device automatically the best for every clinic or every patient.
Professional systems should be considered across electromagnetic output, treatment-area coverage, patient comfort, treatment protocols, clinical evidence, practitioner training and ongoing supplier support.
For clinics considering professional electromagnetic treatment, Supramax combines up to 7 Tesla output, a 30cm treatment coil, approximately 11,000 contractions per 30-minute session, independent clinical case-study evidence and comprehensive clinic support.
Continue your research
Pelvic Floor Chair Guides & Evidence
Common questions
Pelvic Floor Chair FAQs
How does a pelvic floor chair work?
A pelvic floor chair generates an electromagnetic field beneath the seated patient. This stimulates the neuromuscular system and causes the pelvic floor muscles to contract repeatedly and involuntarily.
What does an electromagnetic pelvic floor chair do?
It uses electromagnetic stimulation to repeatedly activate the pelvic floor muscles without requiring the patient to consciously perform each contraction.
Is a pelvic floor chair the same as doing Kegel exercises?
No. Kegel exercises rely on voluntary muscle contraction by the patient. An electromagnetic pelvic floor chair stimulates the neuromuscular system externally and produces involuntary pelvic floor contractions.
How many contractions does Supramax produce?
Supramax is designed to generate approximately 11,000 pelvic floor muscle contractions during a 30-minute treatment session.
What does pelvic floor chair treatment feel like?
Patients feel repeated contractions of the pelvic floor muscles. Treatment intensity can be adjusted and increased appropriately according to individual tolerance and treatment planning.
Do you stay fully clothed during pelvic floor chair treatment?
Yes. Supramax treatment is performed with the patient seated and fully clothed throughout the session.
How long does a Supramax pelvic floor treatment take?
A typical Supramax treatment session lasts approximately 30 minutes.
Can pelvic floor chairs be used for women?
Yes. Electromagnetic pelvic floor stimulation may be considered for suitable women following appropriate consultation and screening, including those experiencing pelvic floor weakness associated with factors such as childbirth, ageing or menopause.
Can pelvic floor chairs be used for men?
Yes. Men also have pelvic floor muscles involved in bladder control and pelvic support. Suitability should always be established through appropriate consultation and assessment.
How many Supramax treatments are recommended?
A commonly recommended initial Supramax programme consists of two treatments per week for four weeks, giving approximately eight initial sessions. Further maintenance should be based on individual assessment and treatment response.
Does Supramax have independent clinical evidence?
Yes. Supramax has been used in independent clinical case studies carried out separately from Pure Tone Aesthetics, including cases involving post-partum urinary incontinence and complex long-standing urinary and bowel incontinence.
What should clinics compare when choosing a pelvic floor chair?
Clinics should consider electromagnetic output, treatment coil size, power supply, patient comfort, treatment protocols, clinical evidence, practitioner training, installation, warranty and ongoing supplier support.
Read our Pelvic Floor Chairs for Clinics: Complete 2026 Buyer's Guide for a detailed comparison.
Final Thoughts
Pelvic Floor Chairs Turn Muscle Strengthening Into a Controlled Treatment
The important difference between a pelvic floor chair and conventional exercise is that electromagnetic stimulation does not rely entirely on the patient consciously identifying and repeatedly contracting the muscles themselves.
Instead, the treatment stimulates the neuromuscular system directly, producing thousands of repeated pelvic floor contractions during a structured session.
For suitable patients, this creates a non-invasive, fully clothed approach to pelvic floor muscle strengthening that can be delivered within a professional clinic environment.
Professional pelvic floor technology
Want to Introduce Pelvic Floor Treatments to Your Clinic?
Explore Supramax™ or speak to our clinic team about the technology, treatment protocols, independent clinical evidence, 1-to-1 nurse-led training, finance and arranging a demonstration.