Exercise in the gym

Body: 

I have been to my Urologist, I do have a cystocele. He has told me not to lift, but that walking is ok. I have noticed on the treadmill, if I do the incline, it seems to bother my bulge. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what machines, or floor exercises, besides the kegals, I might be safe to do? I have been going to the gym for 10 years, doing cardio and weights. I am 58, and I really just hate to stop working out. When he said not to lift my grandchildren, that was bad enough. He did put me on Estrace Cream. has helped quite a bit. I also have a spastic colan, so if anyone gets an upset stomach, I assure you this aggravates the bulge also. No more coffee for me. Please any suggestions
Bronco Exercises

You are in luck - This is my forté :)

My major cele is also cystocele - :)

OK where to begin.. Situps will aggravate it badly.

Many exercises (lifting weight etc) I find easier using something like a Total Trainer where you lift but your back is supported on an inclined board - You can do squats and most things on this machine - And There is a cheaper Total Gym that is very similar (I have both of then but the Total Trainer is best as you can add weights to the bar and make things harder)

Treadmill - When using the incline shift your body forwards a bit and make sure you are still in a decent posture so that while you are inclned as if you were walking up a hill in reality your body would bend forwards with the incline and resistance that gives you - Start for just a few mins then go back t flat and work your way up to long times on incline - This will aid the muscles down there to have time to adjust

Lifting children is a pain - I find lifting my daughter is a pain so i tend to have taught her to lift herself to me rather than my drag her up - She has done this from age1 and now she jiust jumps up onto my lap rather than me hafta lug her up there :)

I also do step aerobics (My own style as I am now disabled with MS) This is something I used to do at midnight when i was alot better than I am now so i learnt to 'step lightly' and quietly - Imagine you are stepping and rather than stamp you rolllllll the foor thru its range of motion and not bounce - This aids the lift onto the step and also stops and bangs and bumps and also alleviates knee apains

Any of that help?

You can do anything - You just hafta adjust it to your needs - :)

(If you see a weird T in this post its cos I pressed T and it was like nowhere lmao)
Sue

Look into the eyes - They hold the key!
http://www.bringmadeleinehome.com/img/maddy544x150Banner.jpg

I am 59 and have a major cystocele - I also workout 6 days a week - step, strength training and aerobics. I have found that wearing a V-2 supporter makes working out more comfortable. My gym does not have machines; only free weights. My upper body is quite strong since I have been working out with 20 pound weights for certain muscle groups - I feel this protects my pelvic area as I can lift things and not be straining my lower body in the process. Abdominals are a different story - you MUST listen to your body and adjust accordingly. I refuse to let my prolapse dictate my life - I love working out, it is a major part of my life and I therefore make adjustments as I go along. I am always aware of the posture and try to maintain it as best I can during workouts. I do jump in aerobics - that is why wearing the V-2 supporter is very important. I hope in some small way that this has helped. Good luck - Claire

Bronco:

I do yoga and did the gym for about a year to strengthen my arms so that I could do more yoga. What I discovered was that the gym made me less flexible - stronger, but unable to do some of the yoga that I loved best. It about ruined my hips. I quit yoga during menopause and ended up with a cystocele and a rectocele.

I discovered my prolapses in April and began yoga again this past May. In only weeks of strenuous hot yoga, and Cristine's posture, my prolapse is 75 percent healed. It was peeking and now I only notice it when I'm on my feet after a long day and I notice it when I am really tired. My personal goal is to repair it completely and get on with my life. I am sure I can do this by Christmas.

The floor exercises that I do to really help are "separate leg stretch," a combo of "upward and downward dog," "bridge and fish" and "yoga abdominal series." These are only a few of fifty or sixty poses I do.

Separate stretch is with legs apart (3-4 feet) facing forward. Bend whole body from the hips, straight back and grab your ankles. Do a kegal at this point that you feel in your face. Object is to get your head on the ground. For me this replaces my bladder into its original position.

Upward and downward dog are easy too. Hold your bottom in the air while your arms and legs are separated about four feet. Your legs and arms should be straight and your feet on the floor. Pull your head toward your knees and do a super kegal that you feel right down into your face cheeks.

Upward dog is holding your body up with your arms (like in a push up) and the the front of the feet just above the toes. Everything else is off the ground. Look up and pull everything in and up, up up - do another super kegal. Then change to downward dog, upward dog, downward. etc

Bridge and fish are done on the back. Pull your ankles toward your hips and your knees up. Raise your hips off the floor as far as you can with your shoulders still on the floor. Do the super kegal again and hold it. This too seems to pull the bladder back into position. Fish is the same but with your hands meeting under you and your shoulders off the ground and the crown of your head on the floor holding up the upper half.

The yoga abdominal series begins with arms overhead. Cross your ankles above your hips and pull everything in (including rectum muscles) up and down while you pull in, up and down, pull your shoulders off the ground. Don't bear down at all; it's a pull in up and down only. Do that super kegal and draw it up until you can feel it in your teeth. Change your ankles (first over goes under) repeat.

There are lots more, but this morning I found these are the best.

Any inverted pose that strengthens all the muscles are good for this prolapse thing, and even the standing poses are good (except tree) and when you add a kegal to them, it does wonders.

Don't forget to rest like a dead person after.

I am the very active 56 year old mother of four grown children and grandmother of 6. I teach in a progressive early childhood school and I can't be eaten alive by a body part gone bad. Repair is possible if you simply think about it, stay away from doctors, eat right and exercise. A hot tub and a cocktail won't hurt either.

PS - my daughter told me that green tea in the tub makes a great bath!

Judy
Change what you can change; be happy with what you cannot.