The pelvic floor muscles hang like a hammock, extending from the pubic bone to the tailbone under the abdominals. To be in good shape these muscles need to be able to hold in urine, gas and faeces. These same muscles need to be able to relax as well. A strong pelvic floor is as important for men as for women, because the pelvic floor muscles support the internal organs. A deficiency in these muscles can cause urinary problems in middle age.
Stress incontinence occurs when pressure within the abdomen causes urine to leak out involuntarily during coughing, laughing or exertion. According to physiotherapist and incontinence expert Beate Carriere, stress incontinence affects 1 in 10 men and 1 in 4 women. It also effects 17% of children between the ages of 5 and 15.
Dr. Arnold Kegel was one of the first authorities to specifically prescribe exercises for the pelvic floor, mainly to women whose pelvic floor muscles were slack from childbirth. ‘Kegel exercises’ were developed in the 1940’s; women were instructed to draw the pelvic floor up and in, and to exercise 3 times a day for 20 mins. The effectiveness of the exercises depended on motivation and how well the exercises were explained.
More recently, exercise balls have been used with great success in treating stress and urge inconinence and in rehabilitation patients with pelvic floor dysfunction following pregnancy and other conditions. 90% of cases can be greatly improved or cured with simple exercises. By using firm exercise balls and diaphragmatic breathing, patients retrain weak pelvic floor and sphincter muscles .The ball exercises are good for both for prevention and restoration.
Movements on the ball, especially in a sitting position, simultaneously and funtionally retrain muscles of the pelvic floor, abdomen and inner thighs. Bouncing on balls can be used as a means for strenghtening the pelvic floor as well as testing for deficiencies.
Lying on a mat or a bed and gently squeezing a ball or a pillow helps more muscle fibres to be recruited than in an ordinary mat exercise.
At our studio, we address all pelvic floor conditions with appropriate exercises in specific classes. There are a number of beginners pilates classes due to start in September. It is essential that new students participate in a full 6 week beginners module BEFORE coming to a drop-in improvers class.
e-mail jett@pilatesplusdublin.ie or call Jett on 087 9092400 for class details. www.pilatesplusdublin.ie
