WHAT IS PELVIC HEALTH?
I'm sure by now we have all heard the term Pelvic Health. It is a hot topic; many companies are selling ways to improve pelvic health. Do you ask, "What is pelvic health?" and "Do I need it?" To answer one of those questions, we all need pelvic health care. Let's talk about pelvic health and three tips to help improve it with exercises accompanying them.
Pelvic health is not merely performing Kegels or tightening the pelvic Floor; trust me, that is another article. Pelvic health involves treating, functioning, and managing conditions in the pelvic floor, bladder, bowels, reproductive organs, hips, back, or abdomen.
Anything directly above and below the belt is part of pelvic health. These areas significantly affect mental, social, physical, and sexual health. Heavy on sexual health.
The folks responsible for pelvic health include Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists (PFPT). Pain with sexual activity, painful menstrual cycles, urinary leakage, abdominal surgeries of any kind, and constipation are conditions these providers can assist with.2 Leading by example, Dr. Sha'Rose is improving her painful menstrual cycle using the tools and resources she provides patients as a PFPT.
What is the Pelvic Floor? The pelvic Floor combines bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles around the pelvis. This combination of structures is interconnected to support the internal organs, abdominal muscles, hips, and glute muscles. This connection allows them to maintain bladder control, bowel control, pregnancy, and sexual function.
Three tips to improve pelvic health
1. Understand your breathing
Belly Breathing or Abdominal Breathing is the best way to do this. You place one hand on the chest and the other on the belly. As you breathe in, the hand on your belly should move more than the hand on your chest. That provides for the most adequate and effective movement of the Pelvic Floor.
2. Release your pelvic Floor.
Instead of trying to hold and squeeze the glutes and inner thighs, we need to release those areas. By lying on your back or sitting, bring the feet together and separate the knees apart. This butterfly stretch helps to release the pelvic floor muscles. This exercise works even better combined with belly breathing.
3. Decrease food irritants and inflammation.
The bladder and body can be sensitive to certain things. Bladder irritants such as caffeine, carbonation, and decreased water intake can cause leakage and urgency to pee. Inflammatory foods such as spicy foods, sugar, and saturated fats can cause increased inflammation, leading to increased pain and slower healing times. I am not suggesting stopping all those things; the best way to make changes is slowly and through moderation. Adding more water before and after bladder irritants and more low-inflammatory foods to diet goes a long way.
Nothing is absolute, and all things depend on your body and health. The best way to ensure you are doing what's best for you is to contact a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist and schedule a consultation.
Book a Consultation: www.rosepelvicphysio.com
References:
1. What is the definition of pelvic health? Baylor College of Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.bcm.edu/research/research-centers/center-for-research-on-women-with-disabilities/a-to-z-directory/pelvic-health/what-is-the-definition-of-pelvic-healthChiarello, Cynthia M. PT, Ph.D.; Editor-in-Chief. How Do We Define Pelvic Health? Journal of Women's Health Physical Therapy 45(4):p 145-146, October/December 2021. | DOI: 10.1097/JWH.0000000000000219
2. Eickmeyer SM. Anatomy and Physiology of the Pelvic Floor. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2017 Aug;28(3):455-460. doi: 10.1016/j.pmr.2017.03.003. Epub 2017 May 27. PMID: 28676358.
3. Bolte LA, Vich Vila A, Imhann F, Collij V, Gacesa R, Peters V, Wijmenga C, Kurilshikov A, Campmans-Kuijpers MJE, Fu J, Dijkstra G, Zhernakova A, Weersma RK. Long-term dietary patterns are associated with pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory features of the gut microbiome. Gut. 2021 Jul;70(7):1287-1298. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-322670. Epub 2021 April 2. PMID: 33811041; PMCID: PMC8223641.
DR. SHA’ROSE ERION
Dr. Sha'Rose Erion, PT, DPT, owns and is CEO of Rose Pelvic Physiotherapy, a pelvic floor physical therapy clinic in
Huntsville, AL. She is a Florida Girl, born and raised, an avid
Miami Dolphins fan, and a lover of foods of all kinds.
Dr. Sha'Rose graduated with her Bachelor of Science from the University of South Florida in Tampa and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine in Austin.
She has trained directly under manual physiotherapists in Queensland, Australia. To sum Dr. Sha'Rose up, she is a woman that enjoys her family, some sunshine, travel, and a hot plate of food.