HEALTH YOURSELF
WHEN YOU HAVE PELVIC FLOOR ISSUES
IT’S time to tackle the glamorous topic of dodgy pelvic floor muscles. I know, it’s not exactly dinner party conversation, but pelvic floor disorders affect one in three women and one in nine men — and symptoms range from embarrassing to downright life-wrecking.
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that forms a sling between the legs to support the pelvic organs (the bladder and bowel, plus the uterus in women and prostate in men). If these muscles do not contract and relax correctly, problems can arise such as incontinence and leakage, constipation, back pain, erectile dysfunction, prolapse and discomfort during intercourse. See, I told you it wasn’t something you’d discuss over a glass of prosecco.
Leaking urine when you laugh or sneeze is not funny — but it’s not just new mums who suffer. Often the cause is unknown, but age, menopause and injury can all lead to pelvic floor dysfunction.
Most of us think our pelvic floor is more likely to be weak and underactive (hypotonic), especially after childbirth. However, I’ve spoken to many specialist physios and they all agree that your problem is more likely to be an overactive (or hypertonic) pelvic floor. Tense muscles are not strong, they are weak — and both conditions can produce similar symptoms. It’s important to see a specialist physiotherapist (visit
iscp.ie) if you need to suss out what’s going on down there.
In the meantime, you don’t need any of the strange gadgets out there marketed towards sorting out our nether regions. The exercises here will help you strengthen AND release your pelvic floor, as well as relieve lower back pain and strengthen abdominal muscles.
1. Lay on your back and bring your feet onto a wall with your legs at a right angle. Relax your throat, shoulders and arms. Bring your attention to the breath and feel your inhale travel softly down the body, to the diaphragm and beyond, while your exhale feels smooth and relaxed.
On an exhale, press your feet into the wall and lift your tailbone ever so slightly off the floor. Feel your navel move towards the spine and your pelvic floor engage as you do this. Inhale and release, returning your tailbone to the ground as you fully relax your belly. Repeat with the breath.
2. Sit with your right shoulder and hip against the wall and swivel your body around so you are lying down with your legs up the wall. Place a cushion under your bottom if you like.
Take the soles of your feet together and move your knees out to the sides. Relax and close your eyes. The change in gravity relaxes your diaphragm to let you breathe more deeply and freely with no fear of leakage. This is also a strong hip-opener, which deeply stretches pelvic floor muscles.
3. Move away from the wall and bend your knees to make a right angle with your legs. If you feel comfortable doing strengthening work, on an exhale, lower the toes to the ground. On an inhale, bring them back to the starting position. Repeat several times, keeping jaw and shoulders relaxed.
4. Bring the knees into your chest and give them a hug, keeping your tailbone on the ground. Focus on your breath. This pose opens the lower back and stretches the pelvic floor muscles as you breathe.
And please, let’s break the taboo on pelvic floor disorders. They are much more common — and easy to rectify — than you might think.