Understanding Pelvic Health Beyond Kegels
Picture this: You've been having some pelvic health issues and when you talk to someone about it, you're told to "do kegels." But you've been doing kegels since you learned about them in high school, and you're STILL having issues. Frustrating, right? It's a common story among women. But here's the truth: relying solely on kegels won't solve all your pelvic health issues. Let's dive deeper into this and uncover the real solutions.
Imagine your pelvic floor muscles as a bowl or a sling, supporting your organs (and even your little one during pregnancy!). They're made up of muscles that can contract and shorten and relax and get longer. The ability of these muscles to move through their full range of motion; lengthening to allow us to relax and void, and shortening to keep us stable and prevent incontinence is extremely important.
Only ever doing kegels is problematic because you don't train your muscles to contract, relax, and be coordinated the way you need them to. This becomes even more problematic when someone with really tight muscles keeps doing kegels and making them even tighter without ever learning how to relax.
To better understand this concept, I want you to imagine your bicep being stuck in a flexed position. Would you do more bicep curls? No way! You'd focus on relaxing and extending your arm first. Well, guess what? The same goes for your pelvic floor muscles. It's not always about weakness; tightness could be the culprit behind issues like incontinence, urgency, frequency, or pain.
To best understand where you land on the spectrum and what can help you, get yourself to a licensed professional for a pelvic floor exam. This crucial step will help provide answers to what your pelvic floor muscles need. Do they need strengthening? Do they need a little more length? Do they need better coordination? Only an expert can provide the answers. Once the exam is performed, your provider will give you a customized treatment plan tailored to your needs and lifestyle.
Kegels have their place, but they're not the be-all and end-all for pelvic health. It's time to dig deeper. Don't wait—contact your medical provider and take control of your pelvic health today and embrace a life of confidence and vitality.
