Revealed: the 5 missing links to pelvic floor rehab
When it comes to pelvic floor rehab, I follow a super simple, basic protocol of exercise prescription.
Clients have to be able to do exercise 1 through to exercise 9, before they can progress onto anything else in my repertoire.
This way, I cover ALL of the basic stuff, discover where there's potential dysfunction elsewhere that's affecting their pelvic floor further up/down the chain, and really sow the seed that "it's all connected".
Today, I'm going to spell out 5 areas of the body that you've probably never even thought were connected to pelvic floor function or indeed dysfunction:
1 - MOBILISING THE FOOT
Did you know that tightness in the foot can refer tightness into the pelvic floor?
A lot of dysfunction in the foot stems from putting shoes on our children's feet.
So, if you add an immobile, switched off foot that's been crammed in tight, positive-heeled shoes for however many decades you've been on the planet, it's likely to be affecting gait which includes pelvic alignment and pelvic floor function further up the chain.
2 - LENGTHENING THE HAMSTRINGS
Do you tuck your bum under a lot?
A lot of clients with pelvic floor dysfunction that come to see me display with a posterior tilted pelvis (that's where the back of the pelvis is tipped backwards / think tailbone tucked under).
The hamstrings in most people are chronically tight from excessive sitting.
The hamstrings attach to the sitting bones, and if they're compromised - they'll just pull the back of the pelvis down with them.
Which in turn, keeps the pelvic floor muscles in a pretty tight set up.
Hint: you do NOT want a tight pelvic floor.
You want a strong, supple, flexible one, and one way to get length back in your vag muscles is to work on flexibility of the hamstrings to improve pelvic alignment.
3 - STRENGTHENING THE BUTT
All of the pelvic floor magic for me, happens at the back of the pelvis...
...and I'm talking about a big old juicy butt here.
Got yourself a flat butt; have to wear a belt to hold your jeans up; and/or have you sat on your butt for most of your life?
Yeah, well Flat Ar*e Syndrome as I call it - I'm not so happy about.
If you build strength back up in the butt and you'll gain length and strength back in the pelvic floor.
4 - CHANGING BREATHING PATTERNS
I love it when a client comes to see me, and on inspection, they breathe, effortlessly into their ribcage, and I joyfully observe their thoracic cavity widening on each inhalation.
Problem is: I rarely, if ever see this, particularly in clients with pelvic floor dysfunction.
There are many ways we can get oxygen into our system, and if you REALLY delve deep into the different breathing patterns people present with - it's an absolute minefield.
Got a prolapsing organ or abdominal separation? Yeah, that's because you have too much pressure in your abdominal cavity.
Learn to breathe better and you'll disperse that pressure safely up into the rib cage, and take the load off the pelvic floor, which you're probably pounding down on with every breath you take at the moment.
5 - BUILDING A REFLEXIVE CORE
Ever noticed how I don't say in class: "engage your core", "draw your tummy in" and "pick up your floor" before they lift something heavy?
The reason is - this ISN'T actually reflexive - this is pre-emptive and not a pattern I teach anymore.
The core muscles should fire when needed, and switch on just the right amount to take the load of what you're asking them to withstand, say picking up your baby, or the washing basket off the floor.
Ever selected the annoying trolley/cart at the supermarket with the wonky wheel, and found that it stopped you dead in your tracks down one of the aisles?
Did you remember to pull your tummy in to protect your back here, or do you think your core switched on just enough to take the strain?
Can you see how pre-empting and "drawing in your abdominal muscles" isn't really that natural?
The clients I work with don't just learn a series of exercises from me - they learn how to use their bodies better, because let's face it - our system is designed to conserve energy, isn't it?
If it can find an easy way of doing something, it will do - over and over and over again, until that movement pattern has become habitual, potentially to the detriment of a joint's wear and tear, or a muscle's function.
If you would like more info on any of the above, or if you are ready for a programme designed around you and your specific imbalances and areas of dysfunction reach out anytime -phone or email I will be there to answer your questions!
