Can we know the true anatomy of the pelvis?

Submitted by liminalpool on April 21, 2015 - 2:23am
Body: 

Hi, iv recently been diagnosed with a prolapse uterus, and as a result of this I am doing lots of research to try to understand what is happening to my body. The first gynecologist I saw said I have a 2/3rd degree uterus prolapse and it would be best to have surgery I disagreed on having surgery. He fitted a pessary but it felt uncomfortable and pushed out when I went to the toilet. So I was given another appointment to change the pessary. By now I had found this site and had been doing a lot of research. I presented my research to the gynecologist and asked for his feedback. He agreed that when standing our pelvis is like a ring on its side as Christine has pointed out and that the pubic bones come together horizontally under the torso. I told him that through her indepth research Christine points out that we do not have a soft tissue floor under the torso and that the pelvic floor is a vertical wall of muscle so how can kegels help?, his answer was that the pelvis tilts so the pelvic floor would still be under the torso but to ask the gynecologist physiotherapist about this as she is expert in this field whereas his expertise is in surgery! Surely he should know all about anatomy and the pelvic floor!!! I am really trying to get my head around all of this and will be ordering ‘Saving the Whole Woman’ Book. I teach yoga so do have some knowledge on anatomy. My teaching is for the whole person and the yoga postures are never a one for all approach as we are all different. But one of the questions I am asking at the moment is ‘Can we know for definite the true anatomy of the pelvis?’ Or is all of the research I am reading speculation?

Forum:

ActiveandLapsed

April 21, 2015 - 2:33am

Welcome to WW.

I enjoyed your story of your gyno - how crazy we should expect a gyno to understand our pelvis orientation before they cut us open. Goodness me!!! There are many stories from women on here that say something similar. I hadn't found this info when I went to one but I would definitely have put this material to them too. Now I don't bother as they have nothing useful to tell me.

I have been doing WW for one year and don't have the anatomy knowledge you have but have practical experience with WW and yes can say for sure that Christine is right. For many of the ladies on here (me included) our symptoms tell us exactly when we are out of posture and having our pelvis in neutral or if sucking and tucking then things definitely get worse immediately. This work has been amazing but not easy as I have really had to change a lot of things.

The book is fab as is so much of the material. You might love WW yoga.

Good luck on your journey.

liminalpool

April 21, 2015 - 2:53am

thank you its good to hear that from your practical experience you have discovered that Christine is right. This is how I have learned what works and doesnt work for me with yoga and hope to learn from 'Saving the Whole Woman' book and I am looking forward to WW yoga too! Good Luck with your continuing journey.

Surviving60

April 21, 2015 - 5:06am

Christine is not the first to have pointed out the fundamental error in representation of the human pelvis. She has spent the last dozen years trying to get this message out to the world, and try to save as many hip joints and pelvic organs as she can! I suggest you immerse yourself in the work, and the truth of it will become self-evident to you. Also for the sake of your female yoga students, you will want to understand how many traditional yoga and pilates positions are extremely compromising to pelvic organ support. - Surviving

liminalpool

April 21, 2015 - 9:08am

In intend to immerse myself in the work. I studied as a mature student in both yoga and art. As a teacher with my own art and yoga practice I have continued to study the human as a whole being. Its worrying as I have discovered through experience that there are a lot of classes out there which are given the name 'yoga' but its not yoga at all they are gruelling 'keep fit' classes under the pretence of 'yoga' which I feel are not good for you at all. I will definitely be taking on board any advice on any postures that would be compromising to the female pelvic support as I care very much about my students. Although its worrying and upsetting finding out I have prolapse of the uterus it looks like something good can come out of this in new understanding.

Snapcracklepop

April 21, 2015 - 12:59pm

It's great to have a yoga teacher with such an open mind on here, welcome!

I know what you mean about classes being offered under the pretense of yoga. My current yoga teacher is very nice and offers true yoga, but to this point has not been open to integrating Christine's work. I was proud to substitute Christine's alternative leg lifting pose for the boat variation my teacher was having us do today. Boat is definitely one of the no-nos along with warrior. There is more information on the website about what to avoid (obtuse angles) and I believe it's covered in the book.

Enjoy your WW journey,
Snapcracklepop

liminalpool

April 22, 2015 - 4:24am

Thank you I think its healthy to have an open mind. Glad you have a yoga teacher who delivers real yoga and as long as she is open to you integrating Christines work into you own yoga practice when at her classes or at home then that is good, maybe she will eventually come round to integrating it as a whole, I dont know enough about WW yoga at this point so its difficult for me to give an informative view. I always tell my students to really listen to their own bodies and do what is right for them as what is right for one may not be for another. I can guide them but I cant be them. I must admit its very rare that I do boat posture as it never feels good for me and it needs to feel good. I am passionate about yoga (and art) I think they have strong links. Yoga is definitely not about gymnastics or getting a slimmer waist line etc. rather for me it offers the chance for deep relaxation, self discovery and a re-connection with the joy of life itself. Yoga's healing qualities also help us to maintain good health and boost energy! Love yoga :) I am looking forward to immersing myself into WW yoga and discovering what 'Saving the Whole Woman' book will reveal.

Aging gracefully

April 22, 2015 - 6:18am

Hi luminalpool,
You will finds the book an eye opening experience with so much background and practical information to get you started on your way. The routines that Christine has in her book as well as the First Aid for Prolapse are more in line with a ballet style, although very effective in lengthening and strengtheing our bodies into whole woman posture.
I just wanted to add since you are into yoga, Christine also has 3 yoga DVDs that you may find to your liking also.
It was harder for me to get used to the ballet style exercises, because I was not used to doing them, but the benefits started to really become clear as I was doing them. Love them now!
The yoga I got into more easily, because I had done some in the past. I would love to hear your take on these exercises as you go along, so please keep posting.
And, remember, the posture is the end result we want to obtain in all this, and that is something we can work on all day.
Just wanted to welcome you!

liminalpool

April 23, 2015 - 11:55am

Thankyou Aging gracefully, I am looking forward to working with the exercises and yoga and hoping they will be of benefit. Wonderful that you are benefiting from them and also enjoying them! I will keep you posted on how I get on, in particular with the posture. I am wondering if Bowen treatment may also help? I have had Bowen in the past and it really does work for me, so im looking into this too.