Pelvic floor knackered, told not to exercise HELP!!

[Clarabumps]

Yesterday I was at the women's physiotherapy department for my pelvic floor issues. I've been told to stop all the exercise I've been doing and I feel so upset.

I've stopped running on the advice of my physio as it was too stressful for myPF. I was really gutted as I love running. I stopped all prolonged high impact exercises but I started doing Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30.
It's a combination of squats, small jumps, lunges, crunches and compound movements with weights.

Around starting this exercise regime, something 'went wrong' with my pelvic floor and the physio says I have the start of a prolapse. She has advised me to step up my pelvic floor exercises but has warned me off any exercises with weights or anything I had been doing previously.

I am in the process of losing weight and I really saw a big difference when i added exercise into my weight loss programme. I feel like this is a massive set back. I know it sounds silly but I ended up in tears at the thought of not being able to exercise properly until I strengthen these muscles.

Has anyone been in this situation? I've been told I can swim but that seems to be the extent of it. Can anyone give any advice as to alternative activities that worked for them. I feel like I'm like an old woman and I'm only 33.

Sorry if I sound dramatic.

TIA

Haven't been in your position before but I have a specific knee problem - and hence not able to exercise in any way which can cause impact to my knees. Switched to swimming, loving it, it has changed my life. Lost weight, strengthened my legs & upper body. It's really amazing. Give it a fair try before you dispair.

Thanks artistic. That's good to hear. I'm not a great swimmer but I've signed up to adult lessons this afternoon to learn properly. I guess I've always thought of swimming as a bit light on the exercise front but it's really encouraging that it's helped you so much. And I suppose a plus point is that you don't get sweaty.

I'm sure Pilates would be fine - it's specifically recommended for PFs! Worked wonders for mine. And such great exercise - doesn't feel like much at the time, but great results re toning and general fitness. Never felt so good as I did when doing Pilates.

I was going to suggest pilates as well. Fitnessblender.com has a lot of low impact videos (some easy, others not so much), but probably worth running it past the physio to check if there are some abdominal exercises, for example, that should be avoided.

Clara, could you use the crosstrainer or similar non impact cardio equipment in the gym?
Is cycling out for you?
What about a rowing machine?

Walking is fine - it is recommended after a prolapse operation. If you used to like running, would power walking shorter distances be more your style?

NIA dance is good - you just do it to your own level.

Cycling.

My pelvic floor is grand but I do feel your frustration. If I was told to stop running I would crack up. But ultimately u do want to sort out your pelvic floor and not make the problems worse. Ask your physio if you can do Pilates its great for toning, swimming can be a great workout too if you are allowed. Also you could try aqua jogging if approved by the physio, running in the water with a flotation belt on, could you do some seated weights? Our gym has alot of machines where you would be sitting while using weights for different parts of the body but again I would talk to your physio. You may be advised to avoid certain ones. Maybe it was the high impact cardio that was the problem. Discuss it again I'm sure ye can come up with something that you can focus on and congrats on your weightloss. Keep up the good work on the diet front

I'm in the same boat! The gp has told me not to do anything with impact. And I'm a shit swimmer.

Exact same thing happened to me. I now go swimming (and love it).

Get thee to the Hab-It website. Lady who runs it is qualified physio, but doesnt give the your pelvic floor is weak you must not move spiel.(Which is IMO bollocks, if you dont move muscles will get even weaker and everything will fall out)

She rules out very few things (trampolining I think is one). Running is fine as long as you build up your pelvic floor strength.

You can get her DVD from stressnomore, it has a progression of PF exercises (not just kegels), and then more on the site for proper hard core sporty people.

Ooh I just checked this and loads of messages. Yippee.

The physio told me I can go on the cross trainer but at a slow pace so I was maybe thinking very high resistance but slower(?)

I have not been on a bike since I was about 12. I think I just need to work round this. I'm going swimming for the first time in 6 years tomorrow. Woohoo!

I also wanted to feel incredibly sorry for myself and down a bottle of wine but I refrained. I had an orange instead.

I might look into getting a bike. It's perhaps a good thing, I might actually get really good at something as I won't flit about. I've been jumping from insanity to Jillian to running. Maybe if I'm limited to a few sports I'll end up great at them. Ha! Every cloud and all?

Can anyone recommend a good pilates dvd? There are no classes near me. The nearest one is 30 miles away. I know I have to steer clear of the exercise called the hundred or something. Like it's like an extended hold crunch.
Apart from that I think i'm safe to do pilates.

Thanks for all the replies. It really means a lot.

well done for dodging the wine:o
I understand about running, few things can match it for intensity and post exercise high but you have to work with what you've got and there are usually other options with exercise.
I've packed in running in the past because of injuries and gotten very into swimming and cycling, swimming in particular I find can give a very good post exercise high:)

That's good to know Suzanne. I found the endorphin rush with running totally addictive. I really miss it but it's not going to happen so I can get my endorphins from swimming and cycling can get me my outdoorsy hit.

I feel so much more positive after reading this thread. I was so fed up earlier today. Still. It's a new challenge in something i've never done before. Quite excited now.

What about yoga?
There may be some postures that are unsuitable but some will help.

It's not just the hundred you need to avoid in Pilates, it's quite a few other things I'm afraid, such as double straight leg lifts, planks, but you can modify and gradually build up. If you google Michelle Kenway, she's an Aussie women's health physio, find her website, it's got lots of info.

Do not do a Pilates DVD.

Yes some physios do use some of the exercises but a Gynae Physio will tell you some of the common Pilates exercises are bad news for a weak pelvic floor eg the one hundred.

The Hab-it DVD. Get that. Fantastic legs, bum and tum workout and great for the pelvic floor obviously.

Also if you go on the Hab-it website she talks about cardio she thinks is ok plus does reviews of fitness DVDs like Jillian Michaels on request and tells you which exercises to avoid.

Yes I agree it's not just the one hundred that needs to be avoided from Pilates.

The head Gynae Physio at my London hosp got me to do some of the other moves mentioned by PP while she, ahem, examined me and then told me they were putting terrible pressure on my pelvic floor.

Oh and don't blow up balloons!

I'm in exactly the same position as you & have a prolapse. I've not run for nearly a year & am still trying to shift the baby weight. I cried when my Physio told me after 2 months there was no improvement & I still shouldn't run. Tonnes of sympathy. It sucks. Definitely check with your Physio before you do Pilates. I've been told not too, my pelvic floor is too weak & by doing Pilates using the wrong muscles could make things worse. I have taken up cycling instead & am absolutely loving it & the weight is coming off - hurrah. Just a few pounds left to go. It's so frustrating but I tell myself that it's worth taking time out from stuff I love to get my pelvic floor fixed for the rest of my life.

Ah, that's good. I think I'll get the Hab-it dvd and take up swimming for the moment.

REALLY??BALLOONS??who knew? That's a bit scary. I'm crap at blowing up balloons. Now I know why.

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!

Thanks norm.Its nothing life threatening, I feel a bit daft getting so upset over it. Its probably because I can't really talk to anyone in real life about it. "I can't run anymore because my insides are going to fall out and I'll pee myself" isn't easy to drop into a conversation . Ha. I should probably shave my legs if I'm going swimming. beforesomeomethinksimayeti

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".

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

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