Making your own individual treatment decision on how to treat your pelvic floor dysfunction will depend on your symptoms, what you have already tried, and what you have researched.  There is no doubt that there are success stories out there for all the treatment options available, including exercise-based rehabilitation of the pelvic floor, medication for symptom management, pessary use, and various surgical procedures.  It is not my job to speak out against any decision that you may choose, but it is my job to help make you more informed so that you can make a decision that is well thought … Continue Reading

Did you know that if you don’t extend your tail bone, your pelvic floor will never fire with optimal strength?  A tucked under tail bone takes our pelvic floor, which attaches at our tail bone and our pubic bone, and makes it slack.  And, over time, this loose muscle responds poorly and becomes weak because we are never able to fully activate all of the fibers because our two attachments sites are sitting too close together. 

If we extend our tail bone, giving it a slight lift, we put our pelvic floor muscles at the perfect length/tension ratio where it can … Continue Reading

I am 6 weeks post-partum and I feel this heaviness in my vaginal area but no bulge.  I want to start running but don’t know if I am ready.  Is this similar to what you felt?

 My prolapse sounds like a bit more than yours, with a grade III cystocele. When I stood in a half-squat position in front of the mirror, I could see the anterior wall of my vagina, about 1/2 fist in size, bulging out. So my pelvic floor had completely shut down. After my first delivery I had my eye on the 6-week mark to begin running … Continue Reading

I want to share a couple of tips that many of my patients have found helpful in their journey through pelvic floor rehabilitation and return to activity: triathalon shorts and a high fiber diet. The high fiber diet seems logical to reduce any added strain on our pelvic floor, but the triathalon shorts…pretty random right? I agree, but so many women have shared these tips with me that I must pass them on.

Let’s start with the tri short. The benefit of the tri short is two-fold. Number one, they hug tight to your hips … Continue Reading

I have a pregnancy class that I teach and I am unsure which position I should teach the pelvic floor lift and holds?

I would recommend your clients perform the pelvic floor lift and holds and quick flicks in a seated position. Coach them to find their “tripod” first and then perform the exercise. This is easiest on a Swiss ball but can be performed sitting anywhere once they master it. The sitting and standing positions are far more functional, as well as being more advanced. Teach the supine version to help them feel the muscles they are drawing up and … Continue Reading

I can confidently tell you that while pregnant, you can safely perform the series of Kegel exercises as coached on our Hab-It: Pelvic Floor DVD in any of the three positions demonstrated on the video. These positions include lying on your back, sitting, and standing. Although lying on your back can be contra-indicated during pregnancy due to pressure on your abdominal aorta, the two-minute segment of our Kegel sequence is sufficiently short to alleviate concern.

Today, however, I want to provide a 4th, alternate, position for those who want to avoid lying on their back altogether when doing … Continue Reading

How do you know if you have a prolapse? Some urogynocologists go as far as to say that every woman will experience some degree of prolapse in their lives. A prolapse? What exactly is it, what causes it, what can I do to prevent it or resolve it? I wanted to use this blog to talk about all of these questions surrounding prolapse because so many of us have or will experience the symptoms.

Let’s take it one question at a time. What does a prolapse feel like? For some it may feel like a soft, round … Continue Reading

Directing women how to hold appropriate posture while caring for their new born is very difficult. I don’t like feeling hypocritical, so I must be honest with you – my posture was not great when my babies were spending a good portion of their day in my arms and sleeping on my chest. The tendency for a new mom to thrust her hips forward and to lean back with her upper body, allowing her baby to lie on her chest is hard to deny. We all do it. And as our babies get bigger and gain … Continue Reading

So, is exercise the fountain of youth??? It may be the closest thing we have to it. Lots of things change throughout our lives including our cars, jobs, and houses, but our bodies are the one constant that is with us for the long haul. We can’t trade it in or upgrade it so taking the time to learn about how we can keep our engine running smoothly with appropriate nutrition and exercise is worth it. I don’t plan on going in depth on nutrition, but anyone with direct questions is more than welcome to ask … Continue Reading

What happens to our bodies as we age? Can we stop or slow the effects of aging? Does menopause signal the beginning of a slippery slope? Well…let’s talk about it.

As we age we may notice decreased endurance, decreased balance, decreased flexibility, decreased strength, or decreased agility. You may begin to experience hot flashes, mood swings, or symptoms such as incontinence, prolapse, arthritis, osteoporosis, and others.

What may cause these changes? It may be decreased activity level as we age, less variety of activities, or natural hormone changes that contribute to some or all of these … Continue Reading