Leaking, Pressure or Pelvic Pain? Why Kegels Aren't Enough and How Pilates Can Help

Oct 5

Do you leak when you cough, sneeze, run or jump? Do you have a sense of pressure or heaviness in your pelvic floor? Do you have pain with sex? Are you afraid to exercise because of leaking?

You are not alone and we are here to tell you it does not have to be this way!

Your Pelvic Floor Is Part of Your "Abdominal Cylinder"

Your pelvic floor is a part of your “abdominal cylinder”. Think of your torso as a can, the pelvic floor is the bottom and your diaphragm and ribs are the top. Your abdominal muscles wrap around the front to the back and your spine is on the back. In the past, you may have been told to simply do kegels if you wanted to strengthen your pelvic floor. Unfortunately, for many people this does not work. We need all the systems in that abdominal cylinder to work in harmony with each other. Just addressing your pelvic floor in isolation is not enough.

Why Your Diaphragm, Hips and Core Matter

This means it has to be able to work in conjunction with a strong diaphragm and mobile spine. It needs support from strong hip muscles, inner thighs, and a supportive core. Sadly, these muscles are frequently ignored with isolated exercises.

Sometimes Your Pelvic Floor Needs to Relax, Not Contract

There is a common misconception that if you are having problems with your pelvic floor, the muscles need to contract more. Interestingly, there are just as many instances (if not more) where these muscles of the pelvic floor need to be taught to fully lengthen.

How Pelvic Position and Posture Affect Your Pelvic Floor

The position of your pelvis can also contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction. Tight hamstrings can pull you into a flat back and tight hip flexors can pull you into an arched position. Addressing these imbalances can help to level out the pelvis and set the deeper pelvic floor muscles up for success in supporting you.

Fun Fact: Did you know releasing your tight jaw or rolling out the bottom of the feet can help release tightness in the pelvic floor. This is due to the deep and complex fascial connections in the body.

Why Pilates Is Great for Pelvic Health

So those feelings of pain, pressure, heaviness or leaking are often easily explained by an imbalance in one of the systems described above. Here’s the good news - Pilates is an excellent way to improve your pelvic health. The focus on breath work, spinal mobility, and balanced strength throughout the hips and spine can be a game changer if you’ve suffered from chronic pelvic dysfunction. In addition, learning about pelvic position and posture can help set you up to use your pelvic floor better.

3 Tips to Start Improving Your Pelvic Health Today

In summary here are our top three tips to start to address your pelvic health:

Maintain good flexibility in your spine and hips
Maintain good strength in your abdominal cylinder and hips
Learn how to breathe properly

If you’re interested in learning more or would like to see if Pilates would be a good option for you, then sign up for a 6-week Pilates for Pelvic Health Series Thursdays at 11:15 starting at the end of October.

Please note, an assessment from a pelvic health physical therapist is always recommended if you have any new or painful pelvic floor issues.

Karena O’Rourke

Karena has been teaching Pilates for over 10 years. She became certified in 2014 after moving to the United States with her family. Born and raised in Ireland, she trained and worked as a Physiotherapist for a decade and is also a certified Personal Trainer.

Karena is passionate about using Pilates to help people move better and feel stronger in their bodies. She believes in educating clients about movement so they can confidently return to doing the activities they love. Her physiotherapy background allows her to design highly individualized programs that support each body’s needs while prioritizing safety. Having used Pilates to rehabilitate from several of her own injuries, she brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to her teaching.

She has extensive additional training in pelvic health, pre- and postnatal care, spinal pain, hip mobility, scoliosis and spinal fusions, shoulder conditions, hypermobility, and osteoporosis, among other areas.

Karena’s goal is to empower clients to keep living their best lives—or to safely return to movement after injury or setbacks. She is dedicated to motivating and supporting each person in reaching their individual goals.

Outside the studio, Karena is a proud mom to two teenage sons and loves staying active in many ways. She enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, swimming, playing tennis and pickleball, strength training—and just as much, curling up with a good book.

https://goldenptpilates.com/pilates-team