Alright, ladies, how many of you have been told to do your Kegels like this one exercise is going to make your lady parts go back to normal just like that. Or, how many of you have been told that peeing while running, jumping, or even sneezing is normal and it will get better. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. Women should not be going through their daily lives thinking there is nothing they can do but Kegels to restore “normal” bodily functions. A woman’s body is amazing in the way it creates, changes, and adapts to pregnancy and childbirth.
The body creates an environment that supports and nurtures another life, so why are women not given the care to accommodate such a beautiful process? Pregnancy, or even life in general, can cause dysfunctions of your pelvic floor. Did you know that your pelvic floor is made up of 19 different muscles? Or that they are all voluntary muscles, meaning you should be able to control all of them? Crazy, I know!
The pelvic floor is completely underappreciated by health care providers and is not addressed as a key area of dysfunction. Your pelvic floor does so many things besides transform to support a growing human, it also is used to support your organs and sexual function (sex is important). However if dysfunctions to our pelvic floor are not addressed it can lead to leaking, prolapse, unpleasurable sex, back pain, leg pain, and hip pain. So what can we do to help our women become in tune with their pelvic floor and engage these muscles to function properly so we can jump on the trampoline with our kids or chase them down the block, or heck have great sex?
Well, chiropractic care can help align the hips and low back so the muscles aren’t being stressed. So can seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist (we know a great one that will come to your house.) Consider working with a trainer that is educated on how to properly engage your core and teach you diaphragmatic breathing. Also daily practices like not straining to have a bowel movement, peeing every 2-4 hours, stretching, and eating a well-balanced diet. Nowhere did I include Kegels. Why? Because our bodies need more than a few squeezes here and there to maintain optimal function of our pelvic floor.
Women give so much and deserve to have the proper education to care of their pelvic floor just like they care for their kids, husbands, dogs, or family. Our team at Peake Wellness is here to help guide you to the proper care and resources to ensure your pelvic floor is getting more than just Kegels.
