Running with poor pelvic floor- what is your solution

[Runlikeareindeer]

So my pelvic floor isn't great after two vaginal deliveries, one that was forceps. I do my exercises (prob too late)

I'm running again and it is often difficult to control. I've tried tena lady (well the Aldi version) but sometimes that becomes sodden and then I have a great lump in my pants.

Is there anything I can do?

Gussie - You are just making me feel pressurised/paranoid over nothing over something that is to do with how I am, how I've always been and doesn't cause me any issues, not to do with losing function after pregnancy or vaginal birth. If I do get problems that are debilitating then I would go and see someone and not put up with it. At the moment I have nothing to "put up with".

Like the fact I'm slightly knock-kneed on my right knee and flat-footed when I run, I have orthotics in my running shoes, it doesn't mean I should stop running or immediately have major knee/foot surgery. If it causes me problems in the future then I might have to have surgery, but not until then.

I'm not about to march into the GP and make myself an appointment because I weed a little bit when I had a bad cough, or drank too much fluid before running, when 99.9% of the time I am entirely continent! If I had problems like Learn, however, I would certainly go to the doctors.

I agree with the general message that women should not put up with problems and generally be more body aware. But please don't see problems where there isn't one.

Milly - delighted to say my pf's awesome.

It WAS reduced to rubble. Three giant headed babies and I was reliant on pads. Properly pissy. I had urgency, frequency and did heehaw about it for several years. Made me sad, affected my relationship - and I KNEW what to do, just couldn't quite remember to do it. Mind you, I was so tired I couldn't remember the names of my children...

It wasn't until I wet myself at zumba and on my doorstep in front of my neighbour that I set 3 months of my life aside to "give it a bash".

No one was more surprised than me that it worked. Which is daft, seeing as how I knew the science!

But, it did. I have a G2 prolapse which is managed conservatively, and, with any luck, won't get worse.

I can run (though, I prefer not to), star jump, zumba and (gasp) trampoline. I no longer smell vaguely of pee.

That's why I landed up in women's health. I "get it". I've lived it, and I know how regaining your continence brings with it your dignity, your sense of humour and, erm, your sexual pleasure.

Fecking awesome set of exercises.

I do a 10, 10, 3 a LOT. More than x3 day. But, then, I'm in a habit now.

I didn't use aquaflex or any other gadgets, but, they have their place. Mostly, I just wanted to not be a smelly old lady.

Being an elite athlete can give you all sorts of physical problems. Being fit and healthy though gives you a lot fewer health problems generally, though I agree, not everyone should or can run. Everyone should exercise and get out of breath though, which is what I meant by cardio exercise.

Gussie is a physio who specialises in this sort of thing Katnip.

Katnip, I apologise, I don't mean to make you feel pressured.

You are right, some women leak from early adulthood - about 25% of 15-35 year olds. THat's one of the factors that leads many women to stop participating in sport.

But, truly, leaking is not normal. However, I take your point, if it's not a problem for you then it is not a problem.

I am sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable.

Milly - yoga done well is great. Like pilates. ANd, the "3" is a yogic doodah - mula bhanda I think.

Thanks Gussie. It means a lot.

That's how I felt too Gussie . I read everything I could on the subject and went for the exercises like a demented woman .

Learn - part of the issue is that pf problems are not-very-interesting bread and butter to consultants.

To be fair to them, most women will say "oh, I did the exercises, doctor, it made no difference"

No one checks whether she's doing them correctly or often enough. The NICE guidelines say you need to have an internal to establish strength, spasm, detachment of muscle, neurological or co-ordination problems.
Without doing one there's no way of telling whether you've got spasm, and, if you're 30w pregnant then your pf's working overtime as it is and it's not the time to sort it out!

Might be worth having a chat with your MW, they are great at the pregnant pf. And, then, get a referral from a physio. Who'll be nice to you or I'll shout at her

Delighted to hear it.

I'm totally getting an Olympic squad together...who wants to be in it?

The supermarket checkout queue
The between-service-stations-motorway-drive
The lugging a buggy with toddler and shopping up steps
The bus sprint
The birthday party bouncy castle

Be great telly sport!

Katnip you were rather dismissive in your earlier post regarding how some of us have given up running because of our pf issues. You said that it was rubbish. So you are equally guilty here of making others feel bad.

I'm in Gussie. Squeeze squeeze!!!!

I apologise if I made anyone feel bad. I'm just improving my running again and training for a race so I guess it hit a raw nerve. I was really referring to people who said in the past that physical exercise damages women - in a sexist way, to keep women down, so that's what I was thinking of. Of course you shouldn't run if it causes you physical problems- my dad can't run because of his hips these days, but he loved running. He does walk a lot though and is still fit.

gussie for your posts.

Yes Gussie thanks. So helpful and encouraging.

Good for you Katnip hope you do really well

Right, this is a bit of a hijack but I'm hoping Gussie might see it...

I have had mild pelvic floor issues since DD1 was born 5 years ago. In between pregnancies, I've used Aquaflex as well as pelvic floor exercises, but never got it totally fixed. It seems to be the 'speed' response rather than overall strength that causes me problems as I could do loads of weights with the Aquaflex, even on the smaller whatsit.

I am now 6 months with DC3 and trying to get through to my local physics but having a few issues. In the meantime, are there any particular exercises I should focus on?

I do wonder why we all, or a lot of us seem naturally constructed so that our pf muscles are naturally a bit crap though, unless we do some recently invented exercises several times a day.

Obviously having poor muscle tone in general can cause health problems, but this seems to also happen to people who are otherwise fit and healthy.

What is it about modern lifestyles, aside from say, eating too much or not moving about enough, that causes pf problems? I've heard someone say it's due to modern toilets, and that we sit on them rather than squatting over a hole in the ground, but other than that, why should pf go wrong of its own accord? It is just the toilets?

who is to say women in the past had great pelvic floors? Evolutionary pressures have no mechanism to select for strong or better designed pelvic floors, as long as a weak one is neither life threatening nor likely to lead to poorer outcomes in child bearing or child rearing.

I wonder whether the gentlemanly habit of allowing ladies to sit, and the unseemliness of women participating in sports is as a consequence of these problems being common (and back then, not very fixable).

I'm sure this problem is as common in cultures that do squat to wee (though pooing is better done in a squat).

rather, I suspect our upright stance is the problem. As mammals, the basic design is to be on all fours and our pelvises, spines (and pelvic floors) are a compromise.

don't know if this has been said but mine improved drastically with increased fitness/running

Are you saying that your prolapse improved with increased fitness and running Milly?

I can highly recommend katy says or alignedandwell.com
Basically, go barefoot as much as poss, very flat shoes, walk, walk, walk everywhere, sit as little as poss and do various exercises (not just pf ones)

who is to say women in the past had great pelvic floors?

I'm not saying they did. It was an open question, wondering whether this is a modern or ancient problem.

Apparently it does have a lot to do with our posture and the way we as women are told to stand. Pulling your tummy in and pulling your bottom in places the pelvic girdle in the wrong position. Apparently we should relax our body into a more natural position which is allowing the bottom to curve outward so that are spine naturally curves. This puts the pelvic girdle into a more natural position.