Exercise and Obtuse vs. Acute Angles

Submitted by JDsmommy on July 23, 2010 - 11:50am
Body: 

Hi Everyone,

I joined the forum recently, posted a few times, and then didn't have time to post for a while. I received my WW bundle and read the book. I have to say, after reading it, I am completely terrified to have surgery for prolapse, which I have been told will be necessary once I'm done having kids. I wonder how my physical therapist could be unaware of all of the complications of these surgeries, and I also wonder why I never have heard any horror stories? I guess the answer to the second question is that women are embarrassed to talk about what's going on with their bodies.

Exercise has always been a huge part of my life and I'm feeling really scared about how prolapse is going to affect my ability to exercise from now on. At the end of the book, Christine says that exercises that put the body in an obtuse angle are bad for prolapse, while exercises that put the body in an acute angle are OK. The pictures show a person who is supine (lying on back). Does this mean that obtuse/acute rule applies only when supine, or does it apply when standing as well? If it applies when standing, then I wonder how I will be able to do anything at all, since basically all exercises from standing would require one to pass through the obtuse angles in order to get to a right angle and then to an acute angle. (If you think about what a squat looks like, you will see what I mean. You start straight, then as you bend progressively lower, first the angle at the hips is obtuse, then it is 90 degrees, then it is acute. As you come back up, this is reversed.) So, I remain quite confused about what types of physical activity may worsen the prolapse and what may help. I do have the First Aid for Prolapse DVD, and while this is a nice form of activity and I am doing it to try to help the prolapse, it just will not suffice as a real workout for staying in shape for me.

I'm just scared that I will not be able to work out and I will end up all weak and flabby. I'm still young and not ready to resign myself to that in the name of avoiding surgery.

Thank you for your responses!

Christine

July 24, 2010 - 3:02pm

Hi JDsmommy,

I am referring to sustained obtuse angles. Of course we pass through them all the time, but when we hold them - as in slightly bent and pushing a vacuum - they are stressful.

:) Christine

Oh, and the workout could've been anything. That was just one fun little program I cooked up, but the possibilities are endless. The important thing is to stay in the posture.

JDsmommy

July 24, 2010 - 6:17pm

Christine,

Thank you for clearing that up. That makes sense to me. Now I understand why boat pose was a particularly good example.

I think my main problem with the First Aid for Prolapse workout is that I am a terrible dancer, so I cannot do the advanced workout well enough to get any physical exertion out of it. However, the beginner workout does seem to make me feel less "bulgy" and it's nice and relaxing.

I want to thank you so much for your book. I was certain I would have to have surgery and yours seems to be the only voice saying I may have a better option.

Carrie