When I first “cracked the code” on stabilizing and reversing prolapse, and wrote and published Saving the Whole Woman, I set up this forum. While I had finally gotten my own severe uterine prolapse under control with the knowledge I had gained, I didn’t actually know if I could teach other women to do for themselves what I had done for my condition.
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fab
July 9, 2011 - 7:35pm
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About posture
Dear Lilemma
Yeah, I think you have the basics on the posture.
Yes, it is normal to get a lower back pain when first going into posture, but like with any exercising or stretching to realign and strengthen muscles ( and in this case also organs) your muscles will tire and ache. It’s best to just do it in easy steps. Pain is not a good constant companion. Where muscles have not been used for a while, they will ache when suddenly called to action. Similarly, assuming posture which requires strong back, stomach and neck muscles will mean you may hurt for a bit. But frequent use of posture followed by rest as opposed to prolonged painful use will get you over this hurdle. Otherwise if pain persists.......
With POP itself, it is normal to have a back ache. I guess you could call it a symptom of POP. I used to have one after standing or bending for any length of time in my lower ribs on my left side. I was also one of those people who when standing favoured by right leg.
As for Kegels yes it is not strongly recommended. Most of the women on this site who have spoken favourably of it, have done so in considering it as a strictly short term exercise to gain feeling and knowledge about the muscles in their pelvic area, others of course have found it very uncomfortable and in some cases found it made things worse.
As to the pelvic floor rehab, I don’t know about that, someone else here will probably be familiar with it and will be able to comment.
Best wishes
bad_mirror
July 9, 2011 - 7:51pm
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Hi lilemma
Me again . . . this is one of the best illustrations of WW posture:
http://www.wholewoman.com/picture_library/goatgirl.jpg (sorry, I still don't get how to hyperlink on here) Anyway, I like this image, especially the belly aspect, which I think many women get hung up on. Notice how it is just a gentle outward curve, not a pot. Try to look like her ;-) As for sitting, you are basically maintaining the standing spine while in a chair or on the floor. See how your body supports you when you sit on the edge of a chair, feet flat. When you use your own spine to hold you up, it pretty naturally goes in the right place. Mainly, you want to avoid the C-shaped spine and curved under tailbone that comes from leaning back on furniture.
Here's my take on pelvic rehab -- it costs way more than just standing and sitting correctly, will probably focus on the kegel, and may not help your POP since it is based on archaic concepts of the female pelvis. Since you routinely perform pelvic exams, I bet you already know how to educate others on the kegel, and can do it just fine yourself. PT had no value for me, but perhaps it will for you. You will only know if you try. The good thing about POP is that it may temporarily worsen, but will rebound to baseline within a few days of TLC. If the PT makes you feel better, go for it. If if makes you feel worse, stop. How are you doing on nauli? That would be a great thing for you to start learning . . .
louiseds
July 9, 2011 - 11:58pm
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Pelvic rehab
Hi Lilemma
If you think you might benefit from pelvic rehab by all means go . If there are muscles in your body that you should be able to use, and can't use, then that is good enough reason to go. If you can work your pelvic floor muscles OK then I can't see much point. On the other hand anything you learn from it will be with you for life.
I try not to let opportunities for learning something about my body go by. Often the things I learn in the end are not what I expected to learn!
Mainstream pelvic rehab is quite different from Wholewoman techniques, so I cannot see the two being at odds. Once you learn both, if you find that the two do not reinforce each other, then you can decide for yourself what action to take for the well-being of your body. If you are taught pelvic floor muscle exercises in a way that is wrong for your body, your body will soon tell you! What you do after the pelvic rehab is up to you.
I know it is a bit of a yes and no answer, but I think that is the nature of the beast.
Louise
granolamom
July 10, 2011 - 9:41am
Permalink
pelvic floor rehab
is it worthwhile?
one of the big problems is that 'pelvic floor rehab' is not standardized, so you might find one therapist who does nothing but tell you to kegel and another therapist might be lurking here and learning all about WW technique. probably most are somewhere in the middle.
along the lines of louise's advice, if you can afford to see a PT, I cant see the down side of going to see what they have to offer you. I hope that pelvic floor rehab has come a long way since I've been in school, but back then it was a combination of kegals, crunches (I shudder to think!) and postural training (but bear in mind that 'correct posture' means different things to different people). if that's all it is, I'd say stay away.
but a good PT might also help you address other underlying issues, in theory, that could help you maximize what you gain from WW technique.
I guess in a nutshell, try it out, see what it is, see how your body responds and take it from there. only thing on the 'don't' list (imo) is dont do any sit ups/ crunches type of thing. you can tell a therapist who asks you to do them that you feel pressure on your POP and dont feel comfortable with that exercise.
re posture..you do seem to have a good preliminary understanding. only thing I would add to 'raising chest and crown of head and relaxing other muscles' is double check that you are not lifting your shoulders up to your ears (the shoulders should stay down and wide) and for me, the image of separating breasts and belly as much as I can helps keep the proper pelvic tilt going. especially when I'm sitting.
it gets easier : )