Body Problems

Ya know it might be a good idea to see a chiropractor to see what he thinks and maybe he can work with you for a while. I had my hip adjusted before I started the WW series because my hip was out. It really helped while doing the excercises. I would think we would want to be aligned as much as possible before we begin our new approach to body work. What do ya think? Food for thought.
Heavenly

grandma joy, this is the first time i have responded to a thread of yours, but i have read many of your comments and have benifited and felt nourished by your wise words since i discovered whole woman a few months ago. im wondering if you have ever seen a osteopath? i had great trouble with seperation of my pubic bones during my first pregnancy, very painfull and difficult to manage,hypermobile joints and bones travelling everywhere! i didnt get any help but saw an osteopath from the beginning of my second pregnancy and still see her now.she helped me so much, gently guiding my bones (mainly spine and hips) into the best place for them to be. she has a very holistic approach and was very interested in hearing about the whole woman approach.she is currently helping me greatly with my journey of healing after my prolapses. just wanted to suggest this route as i have found it so very beneficial.
i type with great love and admiration grandma joy, you are an inspiration to me.
blessings xxx tullyleaf

I have similar difficulties in not being able to keep my prolapse in when getting into the car, doing squats, Christine's exercises etc. I broke my hip three years ago which healed beautifully. This did not make the prolapse worse so much as just add difficulties like an aching groin when walking. It seemed like I was never without a significant bulge with frequent urination and bowel movements. My daily walk was confined to the mall (proximity to toilets, and flat, even walking surface, two flights of stairs, up and down, are maximum I do any one trip.) and was uncomfortable and mostly painful. I worried I might have been doing more harm than good. I followed a lot of the advice on this forum which you know already, but I will recount just so you know what I did. Altered my diet to check the frequent bowel movements. Also charcoal tablets when it gets a bit windy and a cup of red clover tea twice a day. I got myself a stationary exercise bike and began to ride it for five minutes, 3-4 times a day. Sitting on it was a matter of jiggling and using the seat to push the bulge in level so that it did not pinch. The best time is immediately after toilet. This actually got the prolapse to move upwards. I watch my favorite tv show standing up. I stopped all exercises which caused the prolapse to descend (and most housework and gardening etc.) Became much more conscientious about Christine's posture. Concentrated on the exercises that did not make the prolapse descend and did more of them. I found two especially that were most helpful which I will be happy to describe if any of this resonates with you and Christine can comment. She has done so much research and expended so much effort on helping us all from a sensible position that I don't want to hand over any misinformation.
Result since June: Can now do squats which are actually making that area stronger. My walks in the mall are no longer painful. I can complete the full circuit (twenty-thirty minutes) mostly without a toilet break (not always). I walk slowly and in posture. I've come a long way. I haven't solved the car seat problem. I tried sitting on a cushion but haven't found it to work. I'll keep working on that and let you know if anything. Hope something here is helpful, love and best wishes

Hi Fab,

Of course, please post what has been helpful for you...that's what the site is all about.

Christine

Dear Grandma Joy,

Here's something that came to mind for you (you may do this already):

Lie out flat on your back with arms stretched overhead and a small pillow underneath your lumbar spine. Just breathe into this most relaxing passive stretch. I imagine you might not be able to stretch your arms all the way up, but wonder if you can affect this area gently over time.

Gentle stretching and strengthening exercise plus the help of an external support garment might be your best course over the long run.

You know, my dh and I went out for dinner a couple of weeks ago after a long day of hard work. I felt pretty lousy prolapse-wise. For the entire time I sat in normal, right angle posture in a booth, but I really accentuated the posture so that my belly was pushed well over my thighs. When we got up to leave I couldn't believe how much my symptoms were improved.

I think for women with severe, intractable prolapse who can't exercise, simply mellowing out into WW seated postures and also incorporating breathing exercises and external support garments might be the best long term solution. This way, your symptoms may or may not noticeably improve, but they are also not going to get appreciably worse (like falling down to your knees - it just doesn't happen if you have a uterus.)

I look forward to hearing how you do.

((((hugs))))

Christine

Thanks Christine for your encouragement
Both the exercises I mentioned I think come from Pilate (I've lent my books on Pilate and Yoga to a friend so can't say for sure where I found them).
1. The first is a pre-crawl position I have since seen my granddaughter do naturally. You need to get down on your knees and elbows with your forearms resting on the floor. This first movement will probably make your prolapse protrude a bit, but tuck it in and persevere. It's basically a rocking motion forward and back on your elbows and knees so that your chin brushes over your hands on the forward motion and the backs of your thighs nearly touch your calves on the way back. If you can turn your knees a little outwards this gives the exercise a further dimension.

I ignore all the breathing stuff that Pilate goes in for. That's too complex for me. I just breathe normally. This first exercise you possibly need to do on your own (I do) because those air noises can sometimes be invoked by it. I take this as a good sign not a bad, although I would die for anyone to overhear.

2. The second is on knees and knuckles. First you arch your back like a cat, hold that pose for a few seconds and then let your stomach drop and lift your head and tail up as far as you can.

This exercise should not invoke the acoustic accompaniment, but everyone is different.

I started with three of each of these and have increased them to a regular twenty each morning. I am now aiming to do another set around midday and late afternoon.

Grandma Joy you might find these a little vigorous for your condition at the moment and the stretching exercise Christine has described sounds like a good start. However, you sound one gutsy lady and so might decide to give them a go.

I think both of these are great exercises. Though I'm a bit confused by the rocking motion of the first (mostly why rock and not stay stationary?)

The rocking forward and back seems to give my stomach and groin muscles a work out as well as the internal organs. I really need to strengthen these without causing my prolapse to fall in the process, otherwise what I gain on the swings I lose on the falls. I don't know maybe just taking the positions and holding them stationary may suit some people better. I'm glad you like them Alemama and thanks for your reply Grandma Joy. It's good to know you have already been using one of the exercises and that it suits you.

Been reading all the posts from you and others about the rocking. I start to follow ideas and then get slack and get in trouble. I have got to learn to be consistant. All these post I am reading this moring have given me ideas so will try. My tv is broken so can't do the excercises right now and to hard to follow the book. The repair man is coming Thurs. Some excercises I have trouble with like the plia(spelling) don't want anything falling through the cracks so to speak.:LOL
Never thought I would be in this situation. They teach sex in school, why not this,a special teaching for girls when they are young. Wish someone had told me then.

Love,
Heavenly

Grandma Joy...glad to hear of the little gains in improvement.

About the vertigo - try to be very careful to keep your neck and head pulled up throughout the back and your shoulders down. The most common cause of vertigo is compression of one the cranial nerves at the base of the skull. It gets that way from knotted muscle tension and swelling. I experienced it several years ago and it was completely paralyzing until I was able to go to the acupuncturist - an older Chinese man who knew exactly what it was and how to resolve it. x

What is the walking Christine is talking about? Do you lay on your back and lift your legs up some like you are walking? Kinda confused about that? Also do you have a rectocele or cystocele, if you don't mind me asking? "walking while laying on the floor.?"

Thanks Grandma Joy,
Heavenly

Those are in the virtual WWCenter on the membership side of the site.

Hi Grandma Joy

I learned a new way of standing up from sitting that doesn't involve so much bracing of the rectus abdominus, which is what I think pushes the bladder back and down.

When you rise from sitting, keep your hips flexed, so your knees straighten first. Then straighten your hips second, up into WW posture. This was demonstrated to me as a way of dealing with troublesome knees. It is a Feldenkrais technique.

It keeps the bladder over the pubic bones until you are upright. Hope it helps.

Louise