Dr. Becky of The Movement Paradigm hosted our mamas last month for an informational session about pelvic floor health. Here she shares three tips to improve your pelvic health. Thank you, Dr. Becky! If you have concerns about your pelvic health you can contact The Movement Paradigm here.
Dr. Becky Quintangeli, PT, ATC, LAT
Pelvic health is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in overall well-being. The pelvic floor has five main functions: support the organ above, assist with bowel and bladder control, stability for movement, pleasure, and lymph and blood circulation. When the pelvic floor is tight or weak it impacts not only us physically but mentally. A balanced pelvic floor is essential to living a life not impacted by your pelvic floor. Here are three things to consider to help you improve your pelvic health and enjoy the benefits of working towards a strong foundation.
1 - Balance Between Contraction and Relaxation
When it comes to pelvic floor exercises, many focus solely on contraction. While engaging these muscles is important for strength, equally vital is the ability to relax them. Tension in the pelvic floor can lead to discomfort, urinary issues, and even sexual dysfunction. Practice both contracting and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles to ensure they remain balanced and functional. When working on contractions kegels are the first thing to come to mind. Unfortunately most of us are unsure of how to do these let alone know if we are doing them correctly. It is always safe to start with pelvic floor relaxation exercises like diaphragmatic breathing, happy baby, or yogi squat to name a few. Helping the muscles relax before working on contractions will help you build the pelvic floor muscles to their fullest potential. When the pelvic floor is tight and we start with contractions, we are strengthening a shortened muscle which could lead to more issues with the pelvic floor.
2 - Incorporate Functional Movement
Pelvic health isn't just about isolated exercises; it's about integrating these muscles into your daily movements. Functional exercises that engage the pelvic floor, such as squats, lunges, and bridges, can help strengthen these muscles in a practical way. Working on exercises in seated and lying help you build your foundation and connect to the muscles. But, allowing ourselves to work on breathing and pelvic floor activation and relaxation with functional movements allows for the pelvic floor to connect in our daily movement patterns. By incorporating pelvic floor engagement into functional movements, you'll promote long-lasting changes and better support for your pelvic organs.
3 - Mind Your Gut Health
Surprisingly, the health of your gut can significantly impact your pelvic floor. Digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea can put strain on the pelvic floor muscles, leading to dysfunction over time. To support pelvic health, focus on maintaining a balanced diet rich in fiber, staying hydrated, and supporting gut microbiome diversity. Certain foods and drinks can not only impact our bowels but can also impact our bladder. Things like coffee, citrus, and carbonation can irritate the bladder leading to repeated bathroom trips. In order to make suggestions about lifestyle changes to decrease the impact of your pelvic floor dysfunction, a bladder and bowel diary can be very helpful to find the trends leading to the issue.
By implementing these three tips into your habits, you can take proactive steps towards better pelvic health. Remember, a strong and resilient pelvic floor contributes not only to physical well-being but also to confidence and quality of life. Take care of your pelvic floor, and it will take care of you.
1. Diamond T. Pelvic Floor Muscles’ Five Important Roles. Propel Physiotherapy. Published November 28, 2018. Accessed February 14, 2023. https://propelphysiotherapy.com/pelvic-health/pelvic-floor-muscles-5-important-roles/