5 things you may not know about the pelvic floor…
Does doing a star jump fill you with fear?
Do you have to cross your legs when you sneeze or cough in public for fear of having an accident?
The minute you leave the house do you have a sudden urge to go the toilet?
If you know what I mean then you’ll know that I’m talking about our pelvic floor!
Unfortunately, many women let a weak pelvic floor affect their daily lives for years believing it to be normal and therefore something they can’t do anything about.
It’s one of those conversations that perhaps you’d rather not have. It’s embarrassing, isn’t it?
Well, I’ve got good news – you don’t just have to live with it. There is a simple, natural way to improve the function of your pelvic floor and what’s even better, you can do it in the privacy and comfort of your own home without anyone else knowing you are doing it!
Keep reading to discover how you can do this…
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5 things you may not know about the pelvic floor…
- Although it is common it doesn’t mean it is normal…
Women, men and children all have pelvic floors and therefore they can also experience dysfunction in their pelvic floor.
However, it is more common in women due to the pressures put on the pelvic floor during pregnancy and childbirth. Every woman needs to do pelvic floor exercises after having a baby – whether they had a vaginal or a caesarean section delivery. And while it is common, it is a myth that it is normal to leak if you sneeze after having a baby.
It is not normal if we can do something to change it and our pelvic floor muscles work the same as any other muscle and can be strengthened and stretched. The more it is worked, the better it gets, so no matter what your age or gender you can improve your pelvic floor health.
- A strong pelvic floor does not mean a healthy pelvic floor…
It needs to be flexible too. Your pelvic floor muscles need to be both strong (to hold things in) and be able to stretch and relax (to let things out). So, it is just as important to relax the pelvic floor as it is to strengthen it.
- Just by breathing properly, you are working your pelvic floor…
Pilates exercises focus on engaging your core muscles. Your ‘core’ muscles refer to a number of different muscle groups that when work together create a ‘box of strength’ in your centre/trunk.
Your pelvic floor is the bottom of the box, your deep lying abdominal and back muscles form the front and back respectively and the top is your diaphragm.
The breathing in Pilates is a key element that is unique to Pilates and because the diaphragm and pelvic floor share a special relationship, the function of the pelvic floor is enhanced and encouraged by performing Pilates. So, just by breathing ‘properly’ as we learn in Pilates you are working your pelvic floor.
- Pelvic floor dysfunction can start during menopause…
A National Institutes of Health study found that pelvic floor disorders become more common as women age, affecting approximately: 10 percent of women ages 20 to 39. 27 percent of women ages 40 to 59. 37 percent of women ages 60 to 79.
Around the menopause, oestrogen levels start to fall. Oestrogen is important for keeping the pelvic floor ligaments strong and elastic, so when levels of the hormone drop, the ligaments become weaker and less resilient and pelvic floor problems are more likely to occur.
- Fire up your floor in just 5 minutes…
By training your pelvic floor muscles, just like training any other muscle you can strengthen and stretch your pelvic floor and build a healthier and more reactive pelvic floor.
Just 5 minutes a day of pelvic floor focused Pilates exercises will make a massive difference to your pelvic floor health and way of life.
So, if you’d like to jump for joy on a trampoline again with confidence then I’d like to share with you my NEW programme
‘Fire up your Floor: 28 day Pilates Powerful Pelvic Floor Programme’
The benefits of doing this programme:
- Strengthen and stretch the correct muscles to take back control
- Gain the control and confidence to run, jump, play with your children without mishaps
- Completed in the privacy and comfort of your own home
- Instant access, start today!
If you’d like to ask me any questions about this programme or any of my other Pilates offers please drop me an email.
I’d love to hear from you.
