more questions

Hi Jo-Ann,

Everything is connected and yes, a healthy bowel is a prerequisite to this work. I hope you can re-institute your walking program, especially now that you have clean country air to breathe! This is a great way to learn the posture.

As Diana just mentioned, a key here is lifting the buns. The gluteal muscles are well exercised when we walk, taking long strides, run, and climb stairs or hills.

Pilates is now a generic term and all classes will be different. I'm glad you are enjoying yours and just avoid those exercises that place your body in a "crunch" position, as in lying on your back with your head and feet raised off the ground. When you feel a bearing down sensation, you'll know to pay closer attention to how your pelvic organs are being affected.

:-)Christine

Hi Jo-Ann,
I read your post with interest and although it was probably due to a different cause, I recently went through a long period (3 & half weeks) of diahria which i have never experienced before. The GP thought mine was due to a virus but my acupuncturist thought due to stress work/ Husband troubles etc. I too felt my prolapse was rather worse after this illness. However I have only recently begun to appreciate how much the bulging can vary throughout the monthly cycle and so many other factors can have an affect i can't be sure the illness was solely to blame.
I hope you will enjoy following Christine's posture and excercises but don't give up on the Pilates, I have been doing it for 2 & half years and find it very helpful, especially as my teacher's voice rings in my ears throughout the week at every exersion, cough and sneeze (she says 'zip and hollow' but of course now i just zip up my pelvic floor and forget about hollowing my navel to spine)! Although I was disapointed at first to have to reduce the intensity of certain exercises, I listen to what my body is telling me and have modified my practise to suit it and the advise on this site. Also you will see there are many excercises in Christine's book and video which are very similar to Pilates ones. It took me a long time to pluck up the courage but eventually last week I spoke to my teacher and told her of my condition. If you have a sympathatic lady teaching you I would suggest you find a private time to tell her, she may be abled to suggest variations /alternatives to the less suitable exercises.
As an aside, my Pilates teacher told me that she has at least another 6 ladies in her various classes who are suffering from prolapse!
Best wishes and good health, Caz

Hi Christine,

As always thanks for this wonderful forum and your continuing work.

Another exercise quiery if I may! Responding to Jo-Ann you say to avoid 'crunches' type exercises. I haven't been doing these or sit-ups since my first visit to the physiotherapist but there is one we do in pilates which I am not sure about...'lying on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms straight by your sides, raise head and shoulders off the floor and beat arms up and down 6 to 8 inches' (pelvic floor pulled in all the while). I feel reasonably ok doing this but wondered what you think. As we grew more experienced with this exercise our teacher added..'raise first one leg and then the other with knees bent 90 degrees and hold' this last part I feel puts too much strain on my lower back unless I strongly pull in my tummy muscles so I have been avoiding it.

What do you think about other exercises involving lying on your back on the floor and pulling in the tummy? Is this to be avoided as much as when standing?

Thanks again, Caz

Hi Caz,

This sounds like a gentler variation of the classic Pilates "100's" exercise. At least your knees are bent and feet flat on the floor, so it