The Active Adult's Guide to Pelvic Floor Health: Why It's More Than You Think
Pelvic floor therapy has recently gotten a lot of attention in the media, and we are so excited about it! Unfortunately, many don't fully understand what it means. Let's change that.
What is the Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues that form a hammock-like structure at the base of your pelvis. For active adults, understanding and engaging with these muscles is crucial for overall well-being and performance. These muscles support your bladder, bowels, and reproductive organs, playing a vital role in core stability, posture, and even breathing.
When functioning optimally, the pelvic floor helps control urinary and fecal continence and contributes to a powerful and stable athletic foundation, whether you're lifting weights, running, or practicing yoga.
The Impact of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Just like any other muscle group, the pelvic floor can become weak or overly tight, leading to a variety of issues. Discoordination within these muscles can contribute to urinary leakage during activities like coughing, sneezing, or jumping, a condition known as stress incontinence. This can significantly impact performance and quality of life for the active adult.
Tightness or weakness in these structures can also lead to pelvic pain, dysfunction, and injury. Learning to properly engage and relax these muscles is key to preventing such issues and ensuring a balanced and resilient body.
Simple Exercises to Improve Your Pelvic Floor
Incorporating pelvic floor awareness into your fitness routine doesn't require complex exercises. Simple practices like mindful breathing can help you connect with these muscles—imagine your pelvic floor gently expanding on the inhale and lifting/contracting on the exhale.
Additionally, incorporating exercises like glute bridges and squats with a focus on proper form can naturally engage and strengthen the pelvic floor. The goal is not to constantly "squeeze," but rather to achieve a balance of strength and flexibility, allowing these muscles to work in harmony with your core, hips, and diaphragm for optimal support and powerful movement throughout your active life. Coordination is KEY.
If you’re looking for something online, we love The Vagina Whisperer…and yes, she’s pretty funny too if you follow her on Instagram.
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help
If you are having any symptoms related to your pelvic floor (leaking, pain with any activity, prolapse, discoordination), we are here to help at Pursuit Physical Therapy. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help:
Identify the root cause of the issue.
Retrain your pelvic floor to work in harmony with the rest of your core.
Like I always say, "just because a symptom is common, doesn't mean that it is normal."
