Running with poor pelvic floor- what is your solution

Learn, please go to your gp and if you already have, please go back and see someone else!

I guess that's why three thongs can become a mental health issue.
the checklist I completed at the gynae asked: do you leak urine when you orgasm. I left it blank and squirmed when he asked me 'well, yes or no?' (that was his tone. he was an arsea nd I haven't been back).

O Learn that's sad. Do you do pf ....a lot?

I definitely get that dragging, aching feeling after sex. it makes me want to avoid it. For around 24 hours after sex I always feel like I've got a lead weight in there, and it, with my insides, is going to fall out.

it's not even as if we're going at it hammer and tongs. even very gentle moves gives me the ache. it has nothing to do with orgasm (I haven't had one of those through sex since October 2012 I think my bits are very, very broken. I can't even get off the starting blocks anymore. I only do it for DH, but then I've got aches all day, especially if standing or walking for more than ten minutes.
Is that pelvic floor or prolapse related? Will pfe fix that our is it surgery? it doesn't make for an amicable sex life. He wants and I dread. he knows it makes me ache so he rarely asks and feels bad that I get so little from it.

Gussie mine is two but didn't happen until menopausal symptoms started at 51. It happened because of an episode of twenty four hour vomiting and a big sneeze . Two vaginal deliveries with one cord round neck which wasn't spotted for a couple if hours so much pushing and getting no where. Was fortunate that pf was fine until menopause. No leaking issues either luckily.

doctrine - another "it depends".

They are ok to do if you have good core strength and no prolapse.

But, they do cause a spike in your intra-ab pressure if your technique is poor.

So, fix your feet, tuck your chin in, just lift shoulders up, breath out as you go up and in as you lie back down.

All that touching your elbows to your knees looks impressive but doesn't work your abs, it's your hip flexors that work once you're past lifting your shoulders up.

TBH, all the pilates core stability stuff is better for tummy flattening. Way better.

Great question, Katnip.

Normal is - no leaking of pee or poo and no pain in your bits or deep in your pelvis (not even if using tampons or during penetrative sex).

That includes when running/jumping/sneezing/puking/shouting/orgasming/week before your period/pissed and dancing like a loon/trampolining/bungee jumping.

That's pretty much the test, it's more a functional measurement than being able to generate x amount of power.

Add to that, do you pee less than x8 day or x1 night? More than that's abnormal

Can you wait between 2-4 hours between feeling the urge to pee and actually being bursting? (yep, it's a long time. That's the norm)

Do you avoid caffeine or alcohol because you know it'll make you leak? Or, do you limit how much liquid you drink for fear of leaking?

And, are you aware of a dragging sensation down below?

If you don't get any of those, you're ok.

HOWEVAH...

you STILL need to do the exercises once a day, every day. Because, as you age, the muscles sag...and, it'll get you in the end.

About half the women over 50 wet themselves. Whether they've had kids or not. Menopause is a bugger.

Go on, #doyerblardyexercises.

Thanks for the link.

Gussie, how do you feel about sit-ups?

What is "normal" in terms of pelvic floor function?

Are there tests you can do yourself to see if everything is ok?

OohAah - blooming heck, PARALYSED? Glad you are recovering, that just sounds beyond grim.

Thanks for linking the pelvic floor first site- it's a cracker. The Australian government put shedloads of cash into continence after finding it cost them $64bn dollars a year.

they indluded the cost of the associated depression, heart disease, orthopaedic injury, relationship breakdown and subsequent single parent families, loss of earnings, people moving into nurseing care as well as the obvious pads, investigations, surgery and medication costs.

UK government think our costs are £17m.

They are wrong.

I warned you for a reason, Milly...

eye watering stuff.

Of course, the grade 2 is something that's considered medically normal in the States in a woman who's had 2 vaginal deliveries. And, that's something you might see with a hand mirror, so, assuming you know what your bits looked like pre-baby you can spot it and go and see GP.

The complete prolapse is something that is usually confined to women who have had a hysterectomy and lost the ligaments that hold the top of the vagina up. Horrific.

But, erm, yep. Makes you comply!

I am seeing a specialist physio at present for my pelvic floor, I do Pilates as I also ended up paralysed after birth and learning to walk again and rebuild my other muscles was higher priority than the incontinence issues. However now I am finally on the mend walking wise I am now sorting out the pf hence seeing the specialist.

My physio gave me this link as to what exercise was ok and what was not while working to sort out my pelvic floor.

My Pilates teacher has been great at making allowances for those exercises that I cannot do and finding alternatives until my pf is up to it.

www.pelvicfloorfirst.org.au/pages/what-are-pelvic-floor-safe-exercises.html

I hope this helps those that want to exercise but don't want to make the situation worse.

And sqeezing away like a mad woman.....lol!!!!

feel a bit sick actually.

OMG I did it I did it ha ha.

Im too scared to look on that Gussie. Just cant do it ha ha!!!

Going swimming tonight! Inspired by you all!

Women don't tend to know what our bits look like, never know what a prolapse looks like. ANd, it's hard to motivate yourself to protect against something intangible.

So, in the interests of motivation...don't click if you're squeamish, surgical images.

grade2 prolapse

grade 4

complete prolapse of vaginal vault

Here's the link to the cillit bang for your eyes...

imgur.com/gallery/QkWxU

The aim is to prevent further prolapsing and strengthening those pf muscles which if too much jumping and high impact exercise will cause further stretching of the ligaments and possibly further prolapse.

Day I understand you wanting to get fitter but the exercises you are doing are not good for prolapse and if your suffering now it could be potentially so much worse when you hit peri menopause and then menopause as things naturally drop significantly as hornone levels change.

I'm chuffed the thread's running as long as it is! Am quite sure a wee PF section on MN would be useful, but, then, I'm not exactly objective .

Day - yep, many people find their symmptoms change during their menstrual cycle. Oestrogen/progesterone swinging around changes the elasticity of your ligaments and tendons, so, your pf sags down ever so slightly. Agree, avoid jumping if you can, stepping would be better? Got stairs at home?

Mink - have a shiny, the wee heavy aquaflex is darn near Ninja Level of Fanjo Fu.

Milly - good point. Pilates done well can be brilliant for prolapse. Really good - infact, there's a USA medic who has a DVD of pfilates, pf pilates www.pfilates.com/. It's good, evidence based exercise (he, erm, got a bunch of women to do pilates with a sensor up their snatch to measure the forces created and designed the exercises round the results.) The music's a bit annoying (to me) but, it is good.

the problem with pilates is that if you are not strong enough to hold the pose you'll cheat. And, that's usually breath holding and poor posture,which can be enough to pop a prolapse out - same issue as with rowing machines.

so, if you've got a great teacher or trainer, go for it. If you've got a busy class and aren't really getting much attention from the leader, be careful, doing them on your own with a video - be really careful. As with any exercise, stop if you've got pain.

Me too kelper

Every time i see this thread it makes me do pf clenches!

I'm doing the 30 day shred so jumping jacks, running on spot, skipping etc...I really need to be able to get that cardio in at home. I'm glad I'm not having any more children if having 2 has done this :-(

I thought Pilates was not good for a prolapse?