If you're of a certain age and lift heavy weights, do you worry about prolapse?

[botheredbythis]

This.

I'm post menopausal and my focus is on increasing my weights this year, to help with my bone health.

I had a minor prolapse about 14 years ago...I don't have any issues, and i skip etc etc, but I have noticed that a lack of estrogen has made a slight change "down there."

I didn't even think about whether I should be concerned about prolapse and weight lifting until I read something online last night.

Any thoughts?

Nope, don't even think about it! (Maybe I should?)

Yes. I've looked up about protecting your pelvic floor etc. I've moved down to a lower weight for one move as pelvic floor was not liking it. I'm menopausal.

How did your pelvic floor not like it? What was the reaction?

Do Pilates as well and you’re golden.

My physio told me definitely not to lift after I was seen for my prolapse.

I'm 55, menopausal and lift weights several times a week. This is a total shock to me, I've never even considered this. Should I? Oh crap!

Please don't panic! Lifting weights is great for you. I was just curious about the prolapse issue. But if you've never had a prolapse, then don't worry

I've been lifting dumb bells and doing some olympic lifting for years - some weights that would be deemed heavy by other women - and it has NEVER occurred to me until i read about it last night

Be careful with this - pilates definitely worsened some of my pelvic floor issues. If you are able to do Pilates in a small group with a teacher who will adapt for you where necessary that would probably be fine, but it's not available to everyone.

I have a strong family history of osteoporosis and a weak pelvic floor (no prolapse, but also no amount of exercises seem to help, and it's not 'bad enough' for the gp to refer me to physio); I'd love to lift weights for my bone health but i fear it being the end of my pelvic floor.

Once you have a prolapse, you should not lift heavy weights but not sure if this causes it.
There are other exercises which are bad for the pelvic floor, including trampoling.

Which Pilates movements can do possible harm?
I have a reformer, and cannot imagine any of the things I do (not much, I admit) can affect pelvic floor..... But I wouldn't really know.

Also just getting back to an actual gym, but am avoiding the free weights/Smith machine - that is more due to the mirrors being prevalent there. I imagine deadlifts and squats with weights are the lifts that might possible result in a prolapse?
At the minute, I am using some machines for legs, shoulders, abs, TRX and bit of treadmill and rowing machine (avoiding also stationery bike [prefer my own real one], and could not even manage a stairmaster or whatever those things are where your feet go round and arms like ski-ing).

I do NOT want to do more harm than good!

I have been trying to find the answer to this but there seems to be a lot of contradictory information online.

I have a prolapse, not severe, but I also want to exercise. I know that high-impact exercises can make it worse so have joined the gym so I can use the cardio machines which are low impact. I have also been doing some weights to tone up, but don’t want to make the prolapse worse.

However I am also aware that being overweight is not good for prolapse either, so I do need to do some form of exercise. Also weight bearing exercise is good for post-menopausal bone health….

How do you know you have a weak pelvic floor?