What is Elvie Trainer and what does it do?

Elvie Trainer is a pelvic floor trainer that uses a patented system of force and motion sensors to measure pelvic floor contractions. Until recently, this technology was only available in hospitals, but Elvie Trainer enables you to benefit from biofeedback technology in the comfort of your own home - or anywhere. Elvie Trainer connects to an app which provides real-time visual feedback. This allows you to see whether you are exercising correctly, as well as how strongly you are squeezing. Elvie Trainer detects and warns you if you are exercising incorrectly, which is important as pushing down rather than pulling up can be damaging to the pelvic floor in the long term. The results from your workouts are saved, allowing you to measure your improvement, track your progress and stay motivated to beat your personal best.

All our product development was guided by our scientific advisory group including a number of well-known researchers in biofeedback and pelvic floor exercise, such as Dr. Rufus Cartwright, Imperial College; Dr. Kay Crotty, Physiolink; Prof. Linda McLean, University of Ottawa; and Dr. Jeroen Bergmann, Oxford University. Kegel exercises have been clinically shown to improve incontinence, support bladder control during pregnancy, speed up postnatal recovery and reduce the risk of prolapse. Multiple studies show that giving women real-time biofeedback is one of the most effective methods of doing Kegel exercises, with direct force measurement being the gold standard. Elvie Trainer measures force directly, offering a significant advantage over existing products that rely on air pressure changes.

How to charge Elvie Trainer

Place Elvie Trainer snugly into the carry case making sure it is pushed firmly to the back of the case - if you are using the optional cover please remove it before charging. The tail needs to be on top pointing towards the USB port, and the carry case needs to be horizontal on a flat surface as in the illustration below.

Close the case and use the cable provided to connect the carry case to a USB power source, such as your computer. The light on the front of the carry case will turn on until Elvie Trainer is fully charged.

Once Elvie Trainer is fully charged, the light above the USB cable on the carry case will turn off.

Please charge Elvie Trainer before first use - if the light doesn't turn on, it simply means Elvie Trainer is already fully charged. After that, the app will alert you when Elvie Trainer needs charging, and the battery level can be found in the 'Trainer info' section, when connected to the app via Bluetooth.

How to clean Elvie Trainer

Elvie Trainer is covered with medical grade silicone so it is very easy to clean. Simply wash Elvie Trainer and the optional cover before and after every use with warm water and mild soap. Remember to rinse thoroughly and make sure it is completely dry before you put it back in the carry case.

To clean the carry case, simply wipe the inside with a damp cloth.

Do NOT:

Wash Elvie Trainer in boiling water
Sterilize
Use cleaning agents
Microwave
Clean Elvie Trainer in a washing machine or dishwasher
Leave Elvie Trainer trapped under anything
Use Elvie Trainer in the bath

Finding Elvie Trainer app on iPad

You can use the Elvie Trainer with iPads running iPadOS14 or newer - simply make sure you select 'iPhone only' from the drop down menu in the top left of the screen when searching for the Elvie Trainer app in the App Store.

Changing the app language

To change languages, open the Elvie Trainer app and tap the menu icon in the top right corner. Tap 'Account'. In the top right corner you can see the different language options and change the language.
To view a complete list of the languages available in the Elvie Trainer app, please go to: https://www.elvie.com/languages

Where can I find a product manual in my language?

To find product manuals in your language, and to see a complete list of the languages which are supported in the app, please go to: https://www.elvie.com/languages

How to use Elvie Trainer

How to set up reminders

Once you have installed the Elvie Trainer app on your phone, select the menu icon at the top right of your screen, and choose 'Goals and reminders'. Pick a workout goal, and toggle the 'Set reminders' switch on. Reminders will automatically be set up which align to your chosen goal, but you can choose to customize the days and times that work for you by selecting 'Customize'.

You will be prompted to grant permissions for the app to send you notifications - this is key to making sure you get reminders. If you don't receive a prompt, go to Settings > Notifications on your phone, select the Elvie Trainer app and make sure that Notifications are turned on.

How often to use Elvie Trainer

As with all exercise we encourage women to set realistic goals so we suggest that you use Elvie Trainer three times a week as a minimum. However physiotherapists recommend that you do pelvic floor exercises at least once a day, so if you want to use Elvie Trainer even more, then that's fantastic! The most important thing is to fit Elvie Trainer workouts into your daily routine. 

How to exercise your pelvic floor

The pelvic floor is a powerful little set of muscles that stretch like a hammock between your pubic bone and your tailbone.

When healthy and toned, they lift up your pelvic organs for a strong core and great control.

If you aren't sure what it feels like to exercise your pelvic floor, try stopping yourself from peeing midstream. This muscle movement is what you need to master. (But don't keep doing it while you're peeing!) When exercising, remember to:

Make sure your stomach, buttocks and thighs remain relaxed and try not to hold your breath
Take a deep breath to relax and as you breathe out squeeze your pelvic floor inwards and upwards
Exercise in a comfortable position such as standing with your legs shoulder width apart or lying down with your knees bent. Lying down is often easier for beginners.

If you're still having trouble, some simple visualization exercises might help:

1) Zip visualization:

Lying on your back with your knees bent, imagine you are zipping upwards from the very centre of the space between your legs towards your navel

2) Marble visualization:

Lying on your back with your knees bent, visualise the area around your vagina. Imagine you are using these muscles to pull a marble all the way up your vagina. As you relax, imagine the marble rolling out.

What are the Elvie Trainer exercises?

Set Targets
The very first exercise in each workout sets your targets. The challenges in the apps are adjusted based on these targets so your workouts are always personalised for you.

Lift
The Lift exercise is a standard pelvic floor exercise, as recommended by health authorities around the world. Develop core strength by squeezing and relaxing and as you improve you’ll be asked to squeeze for longer.

Pulse
Pulse challenges your fast twitch muscles with quick squeezes. The number of targets you have to hit will increase as your agility develops.

Hold
Hold takes the Lift exercise to the next level. Build endurance by keeping the gem above the line for even longer with fewer relaxes.

Speed
Increase the pace of your Pulses to achieve the highest possible score on Speed. Skill and concentration are key.

Step
Step brings together the skills you learn in the other exercises, plus some serious coordination.
Squeeze and relax at exactly the right time to hit all of the targets.

Strength
Want to know how strongly you can squeeze? This is the exercise that tells you just that!

Battery life

During normal use the battery will last for several weeks. However, if you have not used the Trainer for a while, you may need to place it in the case and charge for five seconds to wake it up. The battery level can be found in the 'Trainer info' section, when connected to the app via Bluetooth. The carry case also doubles up as a charger, which means you can charge Elvie Trainer discreetly and easily on the go.

How to insert Elvie Trainer

To insert Elvie Trainer, stand or lie with your legs shoulder width apart. Holding the Trainer where the pod connects to the tail, push the pod gently into the vaginal opening until the whole pod and about 1cm of the tail is inserted, with the rest of the tail remaining outside. Not two women are the same, so if needed you can push it slightly further to achieve a comfortable fit.

We recommend that all women try Elvie Trainer with and without the optional cover to see what feels best. If insertion is uncomfortable, try using some water-based lubricant.

Once you have connected to the app and inserted Elvie Trainer, try standing with your legs shoulder width apart or lying down with your knees bent to find the most comfortable position for you. Try to exercise in the same position each time, for consistent results.

Creating an account

Creating an Elvie account allows you to track your progress and view your workout history. With an Elvie account you can use your Elvie Trainer with more than one phone or tablet and regain your workout data if you lose or upgrade your device.

You are able to log out of your account so that your data is kept private if others have access to your devices. Your workout data is stored securely and anonymously but if at any point you want us to remove it from our servers simply contact us at www.elvie.com/contact.

How to connect to Elvie Trainer

Make sure Elvie Trainer is fully charged (see 'How to charge Elvie Trainer') and removed from its carry case. Then, turn on the Bluetooth on your phone by going to your settings and selecting the Bluetooth option. Follow the steps in the Elvie Trainer app to connect.

The app is available on devices that are Bluetooth Smart Ready (support Bluetooth Low Energy). iPhones must be running iOS14 or newer, and iPads must be running iPadOS14 or newer. Android devices must be running version 9 or newer. Please check your phone specifications to ensure that they meet these minimum requirements.

If you charged Elvie Trainer over two weeks ago, place it in the carry case and connect to a power source for five seconds, then try to connect again.

If you are having difficulty connecting, tap the menu icon in the top right of the screen, then 'Trainer info'. If your Elvie Trainer is not connected there will be a 'Scan' button. Tap it and give your Elvie Trainer a gentle squeeze in your closed fist for 3 seconds, with the tail remaining outside. Release, and squeeze Elvie Trainer for a further 3 seconds. When the word 'Elvie' appears on the screen, tap it and you will be connected - this may take up to 20 seconds so be sure to continue squeezing Elvie Trainer gently.

If you have Bluetooth turned on and are still unable to connect to your Elvie Trainer then try closing the app completely and restarting it. Once it restarts, attempt to connect again.

If after trying the above steps, you still cannot connect to your Elvie Trainer, please contact our customer care team on questions@elvie.com.

Finding the right fit

To find the right fit, first insert Elvie Trainer approximately 1cm above the vaginal opening - if you tug the tail very gently, there should be a slight resistance against the vaginal opening.

It is normal that you will be able to feel Elvie Trainer inside. If you would like help with insertion, try some water-based lubricant.

If Elvie Trainer is not being held in place, you can try using the extra cover, which can help prevent it from falling out. We recommend all women use Elvie Trainer both with and without at first to decide which provides the most comfortable fit for them. To use the extra cover thread the tail of Elvie Trainer through hole in the extra cover.

If you experience pain or extreme discomfort during insertion or a workout please stop immediately. A few women may find that Elvie Trainer is not the right product for them. It may be beneficial to talk to your health professional who can advise how you should best do your pelvic floor exercises. Please also contact us at www.elvie.com/contact if Elvie Trainer is not working as expected.