Take the load off your pelvic floor

When the pelvic floor is weak, dysfunctional and a bit leaky, the go-to solution is usually to try to strengthen it from below, ie. lifting the pelvic floor with exercises.

This is often not enough as it doesn’t address the load coming down from above. The pressure from the organs above continues to add to the dysfunction and can result in prolapse.

We are obviously designed to carry our organs in our pelvis on the pelvic floor, so why do they get so ‘heavy’ and cause leaking and prolapse?

It’s all to do with the posture, movement and alignment. When the alignment of the body deteriorates, even if it is the head that starts to come forwards more than it is neutral, this increases the pressure down into the chest, abdomen and down into the pelvis.

The pressure has to go somewhere. For some people it may be a disc bulge or a hernia, for others it’s a tummy gap (diastasis recti), stress incontinence or prolapse.

Breathing well has the power to improve your alignment, reduce tension in your neck and shoulders, and reduce the pressure on the pelvic floor.

The efficient use of the diaphragm takes the load off the pelvic floor.

Try this: 4/7 breathing

Sitting or lying, place one hand on your upper chest and one hand on your lower ribs. Breathe in for 4 seconds, pause and breathe out for 7 seconds.

Aim to keep your upper chest (upper hand) as still as possible, limiting any up-down movement of the chest, and focusing on the in-out (lower hand) movement instead. This will ease any tension in your neck and shoulders.

Add in a relax of the pelvic floor on your inhale and a gentle lift on an exhale and you have a fantastically stimulating exercise for your deep internal organs and a little strength and conditioning for your pelvic floor 

Your pelvic floor works in tandem with your diaphragm.

As you inhale the diaphragm descends, the organs are pushed outwards and downwards, and the pelvic floor descends and widens to accommodate.

During exhalation the diaphragm lifts and the pelvic floor and stomach muscles contract to push the organs upwards again.

This synchronised movement between diaphragm and pelvic floor is absolutely crucial to the organs, and even mental health as it soothes the nervous system.

It provides a natural massage to the gut contents, aiding digestion, it ensures blood circulation and drainage, and helps regulate part of the nervous system responsible for the stress response.

Diastasis, prolapse and incontinence all have a pressure component to their cause. Therefore learning to exhale on exertion when exercising helps to ‘blow off’ some of the pressure and put the pelvic organs in an ascended position. This is particularly important to learn for lifting and impact sport or exercise.

Practice breathing in sync with your pelvic floor daily.

If you would like to learn more about how you can improve your pelvic health through education, discussion and exercise, I will be running my first 6 week women’s health course in January. Please call the practice and ask to go on the list to be the first to know all the details about the WoMo course.

More details online: www.the-sop.com 

Emma Wightman

Women’s Health Osteopath