Will Pelvic Floor Exercises Reverse Prolapse?

Will Pelvic Floor Exercises Reverse Prolapse?

Will pelvic floor exercises reverse prolapse is a big question and, in my opinion, the short answer is no.

Prolapse is when one (or more) of the pelvic organs (uterus, bowel, bladder or top of the vagina) slip down from their normal position and bulge into the vagina. This can cause pain, discomfort, problems with urinating, problems with bladder and bowel control and sexual dysfunction.

Contrary to popular belief, prolapse does not necessarily happen because your pelvic floor is ‘weak’. It is much more about the function of your pelvic floor – is it able to contract and release effectively? Is there tension that is preventing good function? – and what sort of downwards pressure is being created through your torso.

Intra-abdominal pressure

Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is a huge factor when it comes to managing prolapse symptoms. IAP is the amount of pressure within the abdominal cavity. We create a level of IAP when we breathe, when we move and especially when we do things that cause impact on the pelvic floor such as running, jumping sneezing, coughing, laughing (all the things that might cause someone to leak urine). If factors like our posture mean that we are bearing down into the pelvic floor, then that pressure will be put onto the organs and this can contribute to prolapse too.

We need to address prolapse as a full body issue – your head placement changes the pressure all the way down to your feet, your breathing patterns can increase the amount of pressure going into your pelvis, your leg alignment will impact your pelvic floor function and your foot function and alignment will also offer support to your pelvic floor if they are working optimally.

Breathing

When you breathe in you need to create balance through your torso – if your ribs won’t move then too much pressure will go down into your pelvic floor. Practice diaphragmatic breathing (breathing low into your ribs) to try and create more balance.

Good Pelvic Floor Function

It’s not just about strength! You need your pelvic floor to be reflexive and responsive so ensuring that your have enough mobility in your pelvic area is vital. Strength matters but building true strength in a muscle or group of muscles means loading them and moving them not just static contractions.

Other resources

There is so much to say about this (I really recommend Strong Foundations by Clare Bourne  as a great read if you want to go into depth) but the key thing to understand is that there is MUCH more to pelvic floor health than squeezing your muscles! I have some great blogs about this too including:

The Best Pelvic Floor Exercises

Will pelvic floor exercises help prolapse?