Weak or Overactive pelvic floor
There are 3 main dysfunctions of the pelvic floor that can lead to more severe conditions:
Pelvic floor tension: caused by muscles being too tight
Pelvic floor weakness: caused by a lack of muscular strength in the pelvic floor
Poor pelvic floor coordination: when pelvic floor muscles can’t be activated at the right time
Pelvic Floor Tension:
Pelvic floor muscles get tight for several reasons:
heavy lifting without managing the abdominal pressure that is created
Chronic stress or anxiety causes the pelvic floor to tighten. Research shows that the pelvic floor is the first to tighten when the body is under stress
Trauma or tearing during birth can lead to the body wanting to protect and tighten the surrounding areas, regardless of vaginal birth or c-section
Indicators of tight pelvic floor muscles:
Frequent urge to use the bathroom – tightening and compression on the bladder increases the urge to go
Urinary incontinence
Pelvic pain
Low back pain
Hip pain
Releasing tension:
Breathwork
Start incorporating breathwork at the beginning and end of each workout to engage the nervous system and relieve tension in the pelvic floor. A 4-5 minute warm up to prepare the body to exercise and a 3–4-minute cool down to relax the body can release tension in the pelvic floor, low back, hips, hamstrings, and glutes.
When you inhale, the diaphragm and pelvic contract and descend together and when you exhale, they relax and ascend to resting position.
You may also benefit from a nightly 5–10-minute cool-down consisting of breathwork and mobility exercises to maintain flexibility and reduce tension.
Hip Mobility
Many of the hip muscles attach to the same areas on the pelvic as the pelvic floor muscles which can cause tight hip muscles to affect the pelvic floor muscles.
Stretches like pigeon or figure 4 are helpful for this.
Pelvic Floor Weakness:
The pelvic floor muscles can become weak when they are overused or stretched during pregnancy. As the baby grows, the weight on your pelvic floor will cause it stretch up to 3 times it’s normal length.
Indicators of weak pelvic floor muscles:
Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the muscles and ligaments loosen or weaken. The organs may shift and descend when there is no longer support for them. I have a more in-depth blog about this condition
Urinary incontinence is the most commonly known symptom of pelvic floor dysfunction. The muscles wrap around the urethra which helps prevent the flow or urine, but when they are relaxed, you might lose that control
Building Strength:
There is strong evidence that appropriately prescribed pelvic floor muscle training is very effective at managing and treating pelvic floor dysfunctions associated with pelvic floor weakness. Find a pelvic floor kinesiologist or physiotherapist to create a plan with you!