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Pelvic floor probs and swimming

9 replies

knackeredpelvicfloor · 01/06/2008 21:17

I am 11 months post-birth of 1st baby. I had a 2nd degree tear which seems to have healed ok. However when I go swimming I seem to be 'taking up' a lot of water. That is quite gross in itself. However a lot more gross when I get out the pool and deposit said water by the side of the pool . Whoosh.

Can anyone tell me if this will get better? What exercises can I do to help this? I am doing the usual pelvic floor exercises but can't believe this is it for ever.

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hatcam · 01/06/2008 21:23

Loving the whoosh sound effect...

It will get better, persevere with the pelvic floor exercises. Also try and do some abdominal exercises, which will help support your pelvic floor. Not being gross-out, but do you think you're doing your pelvic floor exercises right and how often are you doing them?

whomovedmychocolate · 01/06/2008 21:27

Oh dear. Might be worth asking your GP to refer you to the obstetric physio if you aren't still under their care. They can give you an electro pulse thingy (not as horrid as it sounds) which can help retrain your pelvic floor into being a floor rather than a basement.

Good for you for getting some exercise though and hey, washing down the poolside saves the lifeguards a job

knackeredpelvicfloor · 02/06/2008 07:38

Thank you both. Hatcam - what kind of abdominal exercises should I be doing to support my pelvic floor i.e. is there anything that I shouldn't be doing? Would Pilates help?

WMMC - I think you may be right that I need to go back to doc but currently can't face any more gratuitous rummaging up there.

Do you think those pelvic floor trainer cone thingies would help?

Thanks again!

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NotQuiteCockney · 02/06/2008 07:44

The cone things aren't meant to help that much (from what an obstetric physio friend tells me). Pilates are great - if you work your core muscles at the same time as your pelvic floor (which pilates seems to tell you to do, even if they're a bit coy about it, with all this 'squeeze and hold' business).

There are some good webpages about this, here is an example.

hatcam · 02/06/2008 08:52

Firstly, sorry for long post....Don't do billions of crunches, ruins your posture, puts lots of strain on your back, forces your stomach muscles into an awkward shape and does nothing for the deeper muscles. Oh and it will bore you WITLESS.

You need to think as much as possible about bringing your tummy button in towards your spine, without lifting shoulders, try and do it as much as possible during the day. Try and 'brace' with your abs when you're lifting anything heavy (nearly one year olds for example!). Try and locate your transverse abdominus which is the deeper muscle which goes across the lower section of your abs which gives real strength to your middle esp post babies - if you put your finger tips on your lower tummy just on the inside of your hip bones and cough you should feel a muscle press against your fingers. This is the muscle you're trying to use more.

The plank is a brilliant exercise, but quite tough - you need to build up to it. Can explain it if you don't know which one this is but don't want to teach grandmother to suck eggs and all that. Also exercises which use your abs without making you crunch over e.g. sit with knees bent feet flat on floor, place hands on knees, sit up tall as you can. begin to lean back, keeping hands near knees and trying as hard as poss to keep your tummy button in towards your spine. lean back, until you feel you can just hold the position and hold for a count of 3 before sitting up really tall again.

Finally, straight leg head raises (!) work really well esp post babies - so lie on your back with straight legs and toes slightly pointed. Try to lift your head and shoulders up off the floor, look towards your toes. Try keeping your shoulders up off the floor but do small raises (pulses) looking towards your toes the whole time. Hands best kept over your hip bones/thighs rather than behind your head.

Pilates is great, works mainly on the principle of tummy button in towards spine as much as possible and using deep abdominals, agree with notquitecockney - make sure you find a good teacher. Independent pilates teachers can be better than ones in gyms/leisure centres as they often have more qualifications (not always). You can 'qualify' as a 'mat' pilates teacher in a weekend, which just isn't enough to really know what you're on about! You should look for someone who has more than just a 'mat' pilates qualification....

Do your pelvic floor every day without fail and you should do enough squeezes so you think you can't do any more, and try and make sure you 'squeeze' without clenching your butt and your thighs!

Have billions of abs exercises,happy to bang on at length about them all. Pet subject, can't you tell!

Oh and lots of orgasms really helps with your pelvic tone (apparently)

knackeredpelvicfloor · 03/06/2008 13:50

Thanks for your replies and that link NQC. And thanks Hatcam for your huge reply.

Please tell me about the plank exercise and any other abs exercises you would recommend.

Forgot to answer your original q - I am doing my pelvic floor exercises every day, admittedly more religiously when I have just had a shock moment at the swimming pool. Do you know if swimming is good or bad for my problem?!

Ta.

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hatcam · 04/06/2008 12:05

sorry for delay in replying

plank is a difficult exercise, but worth trying to get right!

Start on hands and knees and then drop down so you're supported on your elbows. Elbows need to be directly under shoulders. Extend one leg back behind you, then the other so that you're supported on your toes and elbows.

You need to really concentrate on being in a straight line from toes, knees through hips and shoulders (so no bum poking up in the air).

Try and really brace your tummy muscles to support you. Your back is working too.

You shouldn't have any pain in your back though.

Aim to hold for a few seconds, before dropping down on to your knees, resting and going for it again.

Aim for 3 planks holding for as long as you can. When you can do about 30 secs a time, then you get upgraded to a more difficult exercise!!

Don't hold your breath (makes your blood pressure rise).

Start with this, straight leg curl ups and doing your pelvic floor RELIGIOUSLY (without clenching your butt cheeks!!) and see how you go.

Also concentrate on 'bracing' your abdominals as much as possible just throughout the day - so bringing your tummy button in towards your spine without hunching shoulders.

And don't stress about the whoosh - I think it's a good party trick!

knackeredpelvicfloor · 04/06/2008 12:52

LOL at my fantastic party (killing) trick Hatcam...

Although I am quite depressed at the same time that no-one else seems to have the same problem. What a freak.

Couple of stupid questions here: when I drop down to rest on my elbows, are my hands still on the ground?

Also are the straight leg curls up the same as the straight leg head raises you mentioned in the earlier post? I take it they are?

Thanks again for your great advice. I am off to exercise now.

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hatcam · 04/06/2008 19:55

For plank - elbows and forearms on the floor (if you see what I mean) and straight leg curls same as what I was talking about before.

And you're not a freak, you should hear the musical accompaniments from some people's nether regions at pilates or yoga, taking up air not water makes for a bigger noise than a whoosh, I can tell you!

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