Posts tagged 'Exercise'

You have probably heard of Kegel ball exercises, which involve contracting the pelvic floor muscles in order to strengthen them. Kegels are best for weak pelvic muscles that cannot contract as much as you need them to. On the other hand, reverse Kegels are perfect for tight pelvic muscles that need to relax. They focus on releasing tension from the muscles and stretching the whole area out. Reverse Kegels are a great exercise for anyone who suffers from a tight pelvic area, which can lead to pain during sex, cramps, and more. In this guide, we’ll explain how to do reverse Kegels and offer some tips for getting the most out of these exercises.

Thanks to dropping estrogen levels and a reduced metabolism, you might find yourself gaining weight during menopause, especially around your belly. Losing that weight can also become more challenging, and you might find it taking longer than it did previously. (Not to mention, the link between menopause and bloating can make your tummy look even larger.)

If your pelvic floor muscles become too stretched out, then that can result in a host of issues, including incontinence and less pleasurable sex. While many women are focused on tightening up their pelvic floors through pelvic floor exercises, having pelvic muscles that are too tight can also lead to other issues, namely pelvic spasms. If you’re wondering whether or not you have pelvic spasms, below, we explain what pelvic floor spasms feel like and then explain a couple of options for treating pelvic floor spasms.

New mamas know that a lot of things happen to the body before, during, and after pregnancy. There’s the expected — weight gain, skin changes, hair loss. And then there’s the unexpected. Although it’s rarely discussed, pelvic organ prolapse is a shockingly common post-childbirth complication that many women don’t anticipate. In this guide, we’re going over everything you need to know about this condition so you can handle it with confidence.

You know that your abdominal muscles are involved in breathing, but did you know that your pelvic floor is, too? Proper pelvic floor breathing ensures that your muscles are contracting and releasing at the appropriate times and that they aren’t being overworked. Here’s what you need to know about how to do pelvic floor breathing properly:

If you’re a woman, chances are you’ve heard the phrase “pelvic floor dysfunction” a time or two. That’s because changes in the pelvic floor are shockingly common among women. In fact, the experts say that about one in three women will experience a pelvic floor disorder in her lifetime. While the stats don’t make these conditions any less frustrating — or any less scary for first-time patients — they do mean we have a wealth of knowledge and treatment options available, from simple Kegel ball exercises to professional interventions. So don’t stress!

If you’re looking to take your pelvic floor therapy a step further, yoga for pelvic floor strengthening can be a great complement to other things, such as Kegel ball exercises. If you’re wondering how to get started with yoga for the pelvic floor, here are seven poses to try out:

Pelvic tilts involve moving the pelvis in small contractions. These muscle contractions strengthen the lower back and abdominal muscles and can improve core stability and balance. Pelvic tilts shouldn't be confused with Kegels, another pelvic floor exercise that involves directly contracting the pelvic floor muscles. (In pelvic tilts, you're simply moving the pelvic bone by tightening other muscles. A bit confusing, we know!)

Having a little bit of bladder leakage when you work out is more common than you might think. This falls under a type of bladder leakage known as stress incontinence, meaning that your bladder leaks when subjected to physical stressors (such as peeing while jumping). About 15 million women in the U.S. experience stress incontinence, so you’re definitely not alone.

If you’re wondering “why do I pee so much?” or experiencing pain during intercourse, the answer might be weakened pelvic muscles. Like your other muscles, pelvic muscles often weaken as we age, especially if we don’t purposefully exercise them. Pelvic muscles may also lose strength following a significant life event, such as childbirth or gynecological surgery.