Pelvic floor knackered, told not to exercise HELP!!

Well, you couldn't do anything that adds more pressure to your pf, than 100s, really.

The exercise is weighted at both ends, so, the intra-abdominal pressure is enormous. If you've any sort of rectus abdominus diastasis (the gap between your tummy muscles) then you'll do yourself a mischief. Even without a diastasis, the power in your core needed to do that safely is remarkable.

Most folk can't manage it. Farting at best, fanny falling out at worst.

When I'm in charge of the world there'll be no double leg lifts, no crunches, no sit ups, nothing where you have to hold your breath in order to do the exercise.

i saw PP mention that the 100 exercise in pilates is not good for PF - i'm desperately hanging onto mine after hysterectomy last year, and marathon training now. Was going to NC, but what the heck - I don't have any issues until I've really sprinted (not very often) but obviously it shows a degree of weakness.

I've just started regular pilates classes (as well as twice-weekly swims) and we do the 100 every week, what negative impact does this particular move have on PF please? I'd hate to think that any good exercise I'm doing is being undone by this simple one

Who knows - yep, it's very difficult to get this info above the roar of bootcamp/shred/insanity/crossfit.

Ask your GP to refer you, in fact, lots of departments have self referral.

Oooh, just had this smashing video pop up on my twitter feed. It's 10 mins of talking through how to #doyerblardyexercises. I'm @gussiegrips - if you follow me I'll nag you - it's the remembering that's tricky.

www.cuh.org.uk/addenbrookes-hospital/services/outpatient-physiotherapy/womens-physiotherapy/pelvic-floor-exercise-video

I put forward a question to Jillian Michaels for the Women's Hour phone-in last week which said (paraphrased) "I stopped doing the Shred after developing prolapses, have you ever considered doing a pelvic floor safe DVD", unfortunately the presenter only read out the first bit and Jillian gave a stock answer about consulting your doctor before taking up any new exercise. The problem is the average GP is not going to know this stuff, when I first went along with my prolapses I just got a sheet of how to do PFEs.

I got an alert to this thread - my fanjo spies are everywhere on MN...

So, the reason that running/double leg lifts/planks is not great for us with fallen undercarriages is that the pressure on the pelvic floor can be damaging.

Anything that raises your intra-abdominal pressure pushes down on your pelvic floor, and the forces can be really high. Running has x3 your bodyweight in impact force rattling up your leg into your pf with every step.

So, if you weigh 10 stones then that's 30 stones of pressure with every step. Running 2.5miles x2 week is about 10,000 steps - so, no wonder female runners pish themselves.

I do understand, though, that runners want to run. Well, I don't understand it myself, I loathe running with a passion and use my knackered nethers as an excuse to avoid it. But, you can get an endorphin buzz from other exercise - it's just getting good enough at the new activity so that you get the "hit". Hard to motivate yourself, I know. I'd suggest googling "prolapse images" for motivation if I didn't think it'd freak everyone out.

There is the option of using a pessary to support your pf as you run, but, TBH, I'm not that keen. They do work, and can be a great solution for some people, but, if your sweet chariot is swinging low, well, you should probably avoid the activities that are going to stress it further. Certainly until you've sorted the problem - after that a graded return to impact sport, being careful to monitor any symptoms, and using a pessary for support, well, that's fair enough.

1:3 women wet themselves, and physio has an 80% cure rate for stress incontinence. So, it's ludicrous that we're not properly educated on this stuff. I'm on a mission to change that, getting there, slowly.

Linkie to a blog I wrote for MN www.mumsnet.com/Talk/guest_posts/a2085688-Guest-post-Stress-incontinence-Fallen-fanjos-are-a-feminist-issue

Swimming is amazing exercise, and very under-rated. I've gone back to it and am in the midst of lessons, now tumble-turning and butterflying like someone who knows what she's doing. Well, some of the time.

There's a new online tool full of advice, training schedules and coaching tips that might be helpful - www.swimming.org/swimfit. They've got a clever googlemap tool so you can chart your swim - I'm currently swimming along at Greenwich. There I am, waving, not drowning.

Am really heartened to read about so many women looking after their pelvic floors. Thanks for the thread

Hi op, my pf is also currently fecked, I have a hospital appt next week to get it seen to.

I'm not surprised you were warned off gillian and insanity, having done them they put lots of strain on your pf.

However, that doesn't mean you can't do anything! I go to two different postnatal bootcamp classes. They are great fun and really are a bloody hard workout! Not sure if you are postnatal, but I know any woman would be welcomed at my classes. The PTs who run them are trained in women's fitness and will adjust or give alternative excersises that will ensure you get a full cardio and strength workout without doing more damage. Plus most of us are in the same boat so we can laugh about it.

Might be worth seeing if there's anything like that in your area?

My latest swim gadget (apart from goggles ) is swimming headphones. I can have music while I swim - much like a runner. It's really great to keep you concentrated & not get boring after 20 laps...

I tell you what else has transformed my swimming experience - prescription goggles. I'm as blind as a bat and they are just brilliant.

Swimming doesn't have to be light. .look at the physiques of Olympic swimmers :)

I'm a largely self taught swimmer, I could always do backstroke and breast-stroke, but never managed front crawl for more than a length without getting exhausted. Last year I found DS could beat me comfortably over a length of front crawl so I decided to up my game and work on my technique, applying everything I've watched the DCs being taught over the years, I can do 24 lengths now with a short break (30s or so) every 6 lengths, and I want to up that considerably this year. The only problem is the chlorine trashes my skin and hair.

I've just been googling adult swimming lessons and I think I'm going to go for it. I'm going to try and undo the years of bad habits and poor technique! The other thing is: I don't want to be the mum sat on the beach not swimming in the sea with my kids because I'm a rubbish swimmer - that would not be good! Thanks for the encouragement.

Clara & mouthful..you might think you are bad swimmers, but consider this that I had to learn swimming at the grand age of 35 - to get myself fit. I had no choice in the matter but I put my mind to it..got a few lessons, looked up YouTube, got some lovely swimming costumes & got down to it with utter seriousness. I'd promised myself that if I learnt to swim & fixed my knees, I'd allow myself to have another baby (there was no way I could've with my bad knees!). And here I am with DD2 now. Took me a year to become a good swimmer (from non-swimmer) & now I love swimming...I set myself small challenges & feel great when I achieve them. It's really a great way to train once you've worked at your weaknesses a bit. Good luck...I do hope you pf recovers fully & soon.

Body balance is great . Only thing to remember is to breathe out when doing ab work so you don't put up your intra abdominal pressure i.e. anything that is like straining. Some of the Pilates based exercises are like that, but if you explain to the instructor they give you modifications.

Oh and I had surgery on one of mine, it was successful and I'm glad I had it done.

Walk. You need to do 10000 steps. Get a pedometer app maybe?

I know exactly how you feel, I developed prolapses after taking up running and doing the Shred about 3 years ago. I now do Pilates modified as above, Hab-it, swim, cycle and walk. I have been quite open about it with women of my acquaintance and been surprised (and a little sad) at how many have said "me too".

Me too, OP. I'm off the running/gym (have been for a couple of years now) and slowly rebuilding with lots of gentle Pilates classes and walking.

I don't know any more advice other than you've already had, just Bucketloads of sympathy, and let's do all we can to delay surgery until we are much older!