Every woman knows that their pelvis is an important part of human anatomy. So much of our everyday motion relies on the pelvis. Moms, especially, learn the further significance of their pelvis when they become pregnant and when the time comes that they need to give birth. The muscles in the pelvis can make the birth process and the recovery process easier, and these muscles are what can determine your pelvic floor health.
What is the pelvic floor? Dr. Katherine Pace describes it as an internal diaper. It is “a basket of muscles that wraps from your tailbone to the front of your pelvis,” ending a few inches underneath your belly button. This group of muscles holds your pelvic and abdominal organs together, and they work towards providing stability (balance), sphincter control (continence), support, and sexual pleasure.
How does the pelvic floor function? The pelvic floor contributes to your balance and comfort. A weak pelvic floor can lead to poor balance, back pain, and groin pain. It contributes to organ support in the abdominal area, which is important in your older years because a weak pelvic floor can lead to prolapse. It contributes to your sexual pleasure because a tight pelvic floor can lead to painful sex. Most popularly, it contributes to your sphincter control or being able to control leaking of the bladder, curbing bloating, and lessening constipation.
What weakens the pelvic floor? Being pregnant and giving birth can weaken your pelvic floor because of how your muscles and organs shift during pregnancy. Having a C-section delivery can also greatly affect the pelvic floor because of how the muscles need to be cut in order to reach the baby. Following this trauma, women don’t realise that plenty of their everyday activities (such as carrying toddlers) actually weaken the pelvic floor further.
How can we strengthen the pelvic floor? There are exercises that both men and women can do to strengthen their pelvic floor, depending on what pelvic issues they are experiencing. Incontinence, for example, is sometimes not solved with kegels because most pelvic floors are tight, not loose! Weakness doesn’t mean looseness. Often it is tightness and the stress this puts on the pelvic muscles that contributes to problems like incontinence.
Other exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor include belly breathing, squats, and lunges. Again, it is dependent on what issue needs to be addressed. To learn more about this, watch Mommy Mundo’s Facebook Live Event with Dr. Katherine Pace.
Why should we care about our pelvic floor health? Having a healthy pelvic floor can help make you more comfortable both now and in your old age. For example, if you aren’t pregnant and if you are below the age of 60, you must be able to sleep through the night without having to go to the bathroom. Which means it contributes to a good night’s sleep! And, when you’re older, a strong pelvic floor can keep you out of walking around in adult diapers! Think of how much more comfortable that will be!
For more information on your pelvic floor health, visit Haven Pelvic Physical Therapy and book a consultation with Dr. Pace!
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