Everyone has a pelvic floor!
Imagine you get a call inviting you to a dinner party with close friends, and you would love to go. But you are too afraid to say yes for fear of not being able to make it to the bathroom in time. What I have just described is not a fictitious story. This is an example of what I hear multiple times a day from my pelvic floor patients who are desperate to get their quality of life back. Everyone has a pelvic floor. It is important to care for it because it helps us maintain our independence and continue participating in the activities we enjoy.
– Pelvic Floor 101: Anatomy & Function
– The Importance of Mobility
– Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
– How Essentrics® Improves Pelvic Floor Health
Pelvic Floor 101: Anatomy & Function
We know the pelvic floor is important. But what is it? The pelvic floor is located between 4 bony points on our pelvis: the 2 sitz bones, the pubic symphysis, and the tailbone. Between these points are 14 muscles and their connective tissue that form a bowl or hammock-like structure which makes up the pelvic floor. That’s a lot of muscles in such a small space! The primary functions of the pelvic floor are to support our pelvic organs, maintain continence, intimacy, and childbirth.
The pelvic floor is part of a team called the “core” which consists of the diaphragm at the top, the abdominals around the front and sides, the multifidi (deep spinal muscles on the back), and the pelvic floor at the bottom. When this core system works and functions properly, all the muscles and connective tissue involved are taken through their full range of motion as we work, play, and rest. Simply working the abdominals or pelvic floor by themselves doesn’t consider that the team members work synergistically. It’s important that we address the entire core system for optimal pelvic health.
The Importance of Mobility
For the pelvic floor to work properly, we need to be able to move our spine, ribs, pelvis, and even our tail bone in their full ranges of motion. The muscles of the core team attach to these bones through connective tissue. Thus, immobility in any of these muscles or joints can impact the mobility and function of the whole core system. To breathe, the diaphragm needs to expand and contract to draw air in and push air out of our lungs. This requires mobility of our ribs and spine. If they are locked down and we cannot inhale fully, the pelvic floor and other core members cannot move through their full range of motion. This lack of mobility can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) happens when the pelvic floor becomes weak, uncoordinated, and is unable to perform its job properly. Some common causes are childbirth, menopause, overweight, sedentary lifestyle, pelvic surgery, cancer of reproductive organs, and trauma. Pelvic floor dysfunction may lead to incontinence, urgency and frequency, constipation, pain, and pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
Dysfunction in the pelvic floor will show up in other parts of the body as well. Tightness in the upper back, neck and pectoral muscles can lead to a rounded posture. This results in decreased mobility in the spine, ribs, and pelvis, which in turn leads to decreased mobility and PFD. Similarly, we can think of the importance of proper foot, ankle, and hip mobility for a healthy pelvic floor. If the muscles and joints of the lower body cannot move through their full range of motion, the mobility of the pelvis, tailbone, and spine will suffer.
If you are struggling with symptoms of PFD, it’s important to seek care from a local pelvic floor specialist who will partner with you to develop your own personalized treatment plan.
Essentrics® is a pelvic floor safe exercise program that can be easily adapted to fit individual’s precautions.
How Essentrics® Improves Pelvic Floor Health
Essentrics® is a full body exercise program that carries all the muscles, joints, and surrounding connective tissue through their full range of motion. That includes the core and the pelvic floor! Additionally, Essentrics® safely stretches and strengthens the muscles that help support the pelvic floor. The safety aspect is important as those who are being treated for a weakened pelvic floor are often cautioned to keep one foot on the ground during exercise while avoiding heavy lifting and traditional crunches.
As a pelvic floor specialist and Level 4 Essentrics® instructor, I often assign Essentrics workouts to my patients as it is safe, adaptable, and beneficial for those with PFD. For example, I like to use Essentrics® Pliés to help my patients strengthen their glutes, quads, and inner/outer thighs which all attach on the pelvis and assist the pelvic floor. Those same muscle groups are also dynamically stretched during each workout which helps improve flexibility and blood flow to the pelvic floor. Essentrics® Windmills are a wonderful full-body exercise to strengthen the core, lift the posture, and decrease pressure on the pelvic floor. Essentrics® is a pelvic floor safe exercise program that can be easily adapted to fit individual’s precautions.
The Pelvic Floor is Important!
For the pelvic floor to work properly, we need to be able to move our spine, ribs, pelvis, and even our tail bone in their full ranges of motion. The muscles of the core team attach to these bones through connective tissue. Thus, immobility in any of these muscles or joints can impact the mobility and function of the whole core system. To breathe, the diaphragm needs to expand and contract to draw air in and push air out of our lungs. This requires mobility of our ribs and spine. If they are locked down and we cannot inhale fully, the pelvic floor and other core members cannot move through their full range of motion. This lack of mobility can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction.
Kathi Bushway, COTA/L is Level 4 Essentrics Trainer and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who specializes in pelvic health for women and men of all ages. She continues to learn by taking courses through Lindsay Vestal: The Functional Pelvis, Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute, and Essentrics Academy for instructors.
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