Taking care of your pelvic floor is super important for keeping everything running smoothly down there, supporting your organs, and boosting your core strength. This guide breaks down some key insights and exercises to help you get a grip on your pelvic floor muscles and keep them in tip-top shape.
Understanding Pelvic Floor Anatomy and Function
Your pelvic floor muscles are kind of like the unsung heroes of your body. They help you control your bladder and bowels, support your internal organs, and work together with your core muscles. Picture them like a hammock stretching from your pubic bone at the front to your tailbone at the back. By getting to know these muscles better, you can learn how to keep them strong and healthy.
Awareness Exercise: Locating Your Pelvic Floor
- Feel Your Pubic Bone: Place your fingers at the bottom of your abdomen to feel the hard structure of the pubic bone.
- Locate the Sit Bones: Sit down and feel the bones you’re sitting on; these are your sit bones.
- Identify the Tailbone: Reach behind to feel the tailbone at the base of your spine.
- Map the Triangle: Visualize a triangular shape connecting your pubic bone, sit bones, and tailbone, representing the boundaries of your pelvic floor.
Engaging Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
To engage the pelvic floor muscles, imagine squeezing and lifting the orifices (urethra, vaginal opening, and anus). Here are some specific cues:
- Pick Up a Blueberry For engaging the vaginal canal, imagine picking up a blueberry with this area.
- Pick Up a Marble To engage the anus, visualize lifting a marble.
- Pick Up a Grain of Rice For the urethra, imagine lifting a grain of rice.
These visualizations help you focus on different parts of your pelvic floor and ensure you are engaging the right muscles.
Breathing and the Pelvic Floor
Breathing plays a significant role in coordinating pelvic floor activity. Here’s how:
- Inhale The diaphragm descends, causing the pelvic floor to lengthen and descend slightly.
- Exhale The pelvic floor contracts and lifts, supporting the expulsion of air.
Core Integration: Understanding the Core Unit
The core is a system that includes the pelvic floor, diaphragm, abdominal muscles, and spine. This unit must work together for effective movement and stability. Factors affecting core function include stress, tight clothing, pregnancy, constipation, abdominal surgeries, and exercise imbalances.
Foundational Core Routine
- Breathing Exercise
- Lie down and take deep breaths in through your nose, expanding your abdomen.
- Exhale through pursed lips, drawing your belly button in and hollowing out your lower abdominal area.
- Perform 10 breaths, maintaining a flat back and engaged core.
- Tabletop Leg Lifts
- Start lying down with your back flat and core engaged.
- Lift one knee to a tabletop position while exhaling, then lower it back down while inhaling.
- Repeat 10 times on each leg, ensuring your back remains flat.
Advanced Core Engagement
- Tabletop Position
- Elevate both legs to a tabletop position, ensuring your back stays flat.
- Engage your core and maintain the position, feeling the stability in your abdomen.
- Breathing with Pelvic Floor Engagement
- Breathe in, allowing your diaphragm and pelvic floor to lengthen.
- Exhale, lifting your pelvic floor and engaging your core, visualizing zipping up a pair of jeans.
Getting to know and strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can make a big difference in your overall health and core strength. By doing these exercises and understanding how your pelvic floor works with your core, you can improve your pelvic health and keep everything running smoothly. Stay tuned for more exercises and tips to keep your core and pelvic floor in sync!
To book a session with Maria, click here!