More Than Kegels – The Pelvic Floor Inner Core

What is the Pelvic Floor Inner Core?

If you have had a baby, are going through menopause or are an athlete, there’s no doubt you’ve performed pelvic floor (or kegel) exercises. We’ve talked about the importance of kegel exercises several times here at MedAmour. But sometimes, you may still not be seeing results. What if you are still struggling with incontinence, hip pain or back pain? What if you are still experiencing vulvodynia, or pain during intercourse? Runner’s World shares with us the importance of the pelvic floor inner core. Although regular pelvic floor exercises are important, so is breathing!

So breathe, already

“I used to get the same story with postpartum women a lot: They’d have back pain and hip pain, they’d go to physical therapy and work on their ‘core,’ but the pain would still be there,” Vormittag says. “I started to realize that the pelvic floor was the missing link. You’re dealing with a problem in the kinetic chain. If it’s not addressed, the body will start to compensate further down the chain.”

Combining focused breathing that utilizes the diaphragm, gentle movement and pelvic floor engagement can have a positive effect. This series of exercises can help every woman, even those who haven’t had children, haven’t experience menopause or aren’t currently experiencing pain. Female athletes, who are more likely to experience pain during sex and incontinence issues, can benefit as well.

Watch and learn

The video at this link takes women step-by-step through a series of gentle exercises. Any woman, athletic or not, can perform these to help improve their pelvic floor inner core and overall quality of life. A life without as much pain and without peeing at the wrong times is one we can all cheer about.

You can also follow this link for images with explanations about each pose, including:

• Ski Jump
• Towel Pull
• Weight Shift
• Reverse Jumping Jack

These exercises absolutely do NOT require you to be an athlete to do them. They are gentle, subtle movements that can have a huge impact on your pelvic floor inner core!

Source: Help for Pelvic-Floor Dysfunction | Runner’s World