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CAUSES OF WEAKENING OF THE PELVIC FLOOR. WHAT YOU SHOULD AVOID

The  weakening of the pelvic floor is something much more common than we usually think. Our pelvic floor  is not exactly that part of our body that we observe every day and from which we can appreciate its state, whether something has changed or not.

Is it bigger now, smaller? Are you more fit, less muscular …? No, we never ask ourselves those questions. It is not even easy to be aware of when these muscles are activated, or with what actions or movements of the body in our day to day. How are we going to be aware then of the weakening of our pelvic floor?

How do I notice the weakening of my pelvic floor?

We became aware of my pelvic floor when the problem had already appeared . At that moment in which, a few months after delivery, I realized that my sexual relations were no longer the same, besides suffering from urinary incontinence.

And what is even more serious! You only decided to try to find a solution when your urinary incontinence interfered with my social activities . That is, when you went to the gym or went for a run and… you wet your pants in the middle of the street!

If it had not been for the modesty you would be unable to control it in public, it would probably have been a problem that you would have assumed and suffered in silence for the rest of my life.

The question is, how many women assume urinary incontinence, prolapse or insensitivity in sexual intercourse as part of their status as mothers or mature women?

The sad reality is that many more women than we imagine.

But NO, we must not assume it, we must treat it!

With the right treatment, we can try to improve it and even avoid it if you still don’t suffer from this problem.

Why does pelvic floor weakening occur?

Certainly, like other muscles in the body, the pelvic floor muscles weaken for the same “natural” reasons.

These reasons may be age and inactivity. However, these muscles in particular are also often weakened by hormonal changes that occur in the woman’s body throughout her life, such as menopause or the period of breastfeeding .

Above all, if there are events such as pregnancy and childbirth . These are usually times when strong pressure is exerted on the pelvic floor .

Long and complicated births, with forceps, multiple births or large babies are quite traumatic for these muscles.

It is important to know that damage such as prolapse and weakness after childbirth may not appear clearly until many years later. Therefore, it is important that exercises are carried out that avoid the weakening of the pelvic floor, such as using Chinese balls or exercising the core, before, during pregnancy and after childbirth .

In general,  all actions that exert a pressure, punctual or continuous, on the pelvic floor muscles cause them to bulge outward if they are not strong enough .

This will gradually stretch them, fatigue and weaken them  until they wear out their ability to guarantee an appropriate continence when urinating or defecating, a correct support for the organs and viscera of the abdominal cavity, certain sensations when maintaining sexual intercourse. , etc.

Other circumstances that exert pressure and therefore can lead to weakening of the pelvic floor and cause problems and dysfunctions are:

  • Constipation  chronic or frequent.
  • Cough  chronic , allergies with repeated sneezing and runny nose.
  • Overweight  and obesity.
  • Lift weight , push or pull heavy objects.
  • Prolonged bad postures . Sitting with your back hunched increases the pressure exerted on the pelvic floor.
  • Hyperpressive or high impact exercises : running, aerobics, tennis, traditional abs, weight lifting or high resistance…
  • Wear  very tight clothing for prolonged periods: tight pants, corsets, girdles, etc.

What can I do to minimize the harmful impact of these bad practices and avoid weakening my pelvic floor?

  • Train and continuously exercise my pelvic floor muscles  to ensure their strength and proper functioning throughout life. If you are interested in knowing what kind of exercises can help you avoid weakening your pelvic floor , read our article on Kegel exercises .
  • Learn and always practice good habits and techniques to  go to the bathroom without the need to “squeeze . 
  • Include regularly in my diet  fibers and probiotics that promote health and intestinal transit .
  • See a specialist to  treat my chronic cough and allergy .
  • Maintain an  adequate weight .
  • Learn and always maintain a  good posture , especially when we are sitting.
  • Modify your exercise routine to reduce its impact on the pelvic floor, choose  low-impact activities  or those that are beneficial for your pelvic floor: hypopressive abs , swimming, bike, elliptical …

All these risk factors, if we do not minimize or totally avoid them, which is unlikely, will weaken your pelvic floor on a daily basis and may lead to dysfunctions, whose symptoms can range from urinary or fecal incontinence to any type of prolapse. (either bladder, vagina, uterus or rectum) .

If you have already managed to  locate your pelvic floor muscles  and become aware of them, you will clearly appreciate the “bulge” that occurs when we put pressure on them; such as when sneezing, coughing, weight gain or practicing any impact sport.

 

Finally, we remind you that if you want to start caring for your pelvic floor from today there are no excuses.

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