Help! Maybe TMI - but exercise and prolapse?
Ugh. So, after baby #2 six months ago, I definitely have issues with bladder control and stuff, but I have been working doing Kegels and pelvic floor work to counter act it. I don't have abdominal diastasis recti so I thought it would be fine if I did traditional ab work and some higher impact cardio (jumping jacks, jogging in place, etc.)
Thing is, I think things are getting worse instead of better. I am not seeing much improvement in my bladder control issues, and I recently went to the doctor because I started feeling a weird pressure internally and the doctor said that I had some bulging and laxity in vaginal walls. I started feeling this AFTER I have been working out regularly for about six weeks. I did some internet research and it seems like I may have made things worse with my workouts, when I thought I was doing my body good. It appears I may have put too much strain on my pelvic floor and caused it to weaken more that it was initially. I'm feeling pretty upset about it. Has anyone had this issue? Has anyone successfully rehabbed something like this with exercise, or have experience modifying their rotation to focus on workouts that are pelvic floor friendly? I'm a little embarrassed to be posting this here, but I'd rather hear from real people than wade through mountains of internet horror stories and disturbing pictures. Please feel free to PM me if you don't wan't to post to a public message board. Thanks in advance. |
I haven't had that issue, but the Kegelmaster is supposed to help with mild prolapse.
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So sorry you are going through this. Can you be more clear...do you have a bladder prolapse that is causing the incontinence, or is it just weak pelvic floor muscles (without bladder prolapse)?
I have been researching this a bit lately because I recently had an episode of urinary retention caused by a pelvic floor muscles spasm (which is basically the opposite problem than what you are having) that landed me in the ER. The internet offers very little for that, but there is *tons* about incontinence. And lots of it isn't even creepy.
Don't be embarrassed. A lot of people have this problem so you aren't alone, and it is better understood now so there is more information out there to help you. |
You are in California, please look into seeing a Restorative Exercise Specialist in your area (there are plenty of them out there). They are trained by Katy Bowman, whose techniques have helped countless women with PFD including prolapse! You can find her blog at katysays.com and a list of program graduates at www.restorativeexercise.com.
Honestly, if you have the DVD Down There for Women, it will help some, but doesn't address a lot of the issues leading to prolapse. I don't think it talks about rib and pelvic alignment at all. |
Such great suggestions--I've heard rebounding can help, too.
I agree with beyondomega--you are not alone! I used to be a camel before DS#2. now.. not so much. |
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http://callaneticsstudio.com/forums/...-pelvic-floor/ |
This is such a common problem for women! One of my yoga teachers suggested doing kegels in an slightly inverted position - legs up the wall with hips on a bolster or folded blanket(s). I have not tried it, but she said she found it very effective.
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OP: You might also want to look into Anna Benson's videos focusing on the pelvic floor: Rootlock and IndePrime. (I've never tried them because they seemed to advanced in difficulty for my fitness level, but they seem really good.) If you decide to try this, don't let anyone give you a hard time about buying a Kegel Smartball. Smartballs are recommended regularly by medical professionals to post-partum women for this problem specifically. |
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There are a lot of factors that go into PF disorder, including intra-abdominal pressure, breathing, and rib and pelvic alignment. It's not just a situation where you do kegels to tighten things up and you're good. |
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After working out for about six weeks, I noticed my control was not improving and instead I was feeling increased weakness in my pelvic floor in spite of my efforts to strengthen it with pelvic floor exercises (not just Kegels - I took post-natal Pilates after baby #1 and learned a variety of pelvic floor exercises, etc.) The OB-GYN said she was seeing some prolapse in my vaginal walls, not my bladder or uterus. I started feeling a sense of bulging/collapse internally AFTER I began working out. From my Internet research I'm guessing that the abdominal exercises Ive been doing were too strenuous. Im P.O.'d because I wasn't especially cautious doing ab stuff because I don't have diastasis recti and my abs have historically been fairly strong. But apparently intense ab work puts strong downward pressure on your pelvic floor, and if those muscles are weak it can make them weaker. The higher impact cardio I've been doing probably didn't help either. I'm going to modify all my workouts to low-impact and ease off the ab stuff until I can figure out how to get my pelvic floor stronger. I will check out all the resources everyone has listed and maybe try and see a specialist like hotncmom suggested. I'm just really bummed that I may have made things worse, when in general I try to be attuned to my body and I thought I was well-informed about post-natal workout precautions. Thank you all for your input, you have provided some really helpful leads! beyond.omega and casswoman - Thanks for the info about Callanetics Evolution! I love Callanetics and have all the classics and the new Callanetics Cardio and Evolution, too. I might try Callanetics Evolution and modify it. It sounds like it is the isometric holding of the pelvic floor during the exercises that is contraindicated. The exercises I have learned in the past for pelvic floor strength have always included a conscious relaxation and release of the pelvic floor after the contraction, so maybe I will experiment with making sure that I am both holding a contraction and then relaxing and releasing the muscle, too. I do feel that the Callanetics Evolution exercises engender an awareness of the pelvic floor in general, so that's got to be better than nothing. |
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