My pelvic floor
works so hard for me, all day everyday. Here are 5 amazing things the pelvic
floor does for us. It makes sure blood and lymph pumps through the pelvis. It
supports the organs inside the pelvis such as the bladder, uterus, rectum and
then the digestive system on top of that. The pelvic floor is part of the core
system that works hard to provide support to the back, pelvis and hips before and
during movement. The pelvic floor keeps urine and stool inside, so we don’t
have to wear pads or diapers and lastly it plays an important role in sexual
function.
The pelvic floor
is amazing! When you stop to think about what it does, I hope it gives you a
sense of appreciation of the hard work these muscles do for us and inspiration
to give it the attention it deserves. Taking a proactive approach to the pelvic
floor really has lifelong benefits and can be protective against developing
pelvic floor dysfunction. For the ladies, getting in tune with the pelvic floor
prior to pregnancy or even during pregnancy can have positive effects for
labour and delivery, as well as recovery.
Now we cannot
control everything that happens to our pelvic floor, for example, during birth
or after a surgery or a fall, etc. However should a situation arise, having
good body awareness and connection can really help in overcoming challenging
situations. For example, a gentleman who needs to have prostate surgery. That
gentleman could gain great benefits in having a pelvic floor assessment prior
to surgery.
Why? Because the
therapist can provide great advice on protecting the pelvic floor after
surgery, can teach you how to exercise your pelvic floor so that right after
the catheter is removed, he can start practicing his exercises. This can have
positive effects on regaining control over urination sooner than the gentleman
that doesn’t know how to perform these exercises. The same is true for women
having gynecological surgery such as a hysterectomy or prolapse repair. Knowing
in advance what exercises to perform can speed up recovery and reduce side
effects of surgery.
Taking care of
pelvic floor is not just about kegels. It’s about creating an awareness and
connection to the muscles so that you can take care of them better. We live in
a go, go, go society. We are often running from activity to another. There are
so many distractions and demands on us. What I tend to find a lot of is tension
in the pelvic floor region. The pelvic floor needs to move through its full
range of motion to be most effective and healthy. So not only is it important
to use the muscles in exercise, but equally important is learning how to relax
them and give them a break from their long shifts.
So I thought I would create my own
little pelvic floor relaxation exercise routine that you can do with me at
home.
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Thanks,
The Pelvic Health Lady