So glad I found this site!

Body: 

I'm post-menopausal by two years now and had never felt so healthy and strong. I work out five days a week--a combination of cadio, strength and ab work. About two weeks ago, I discovered a bulge coming out of my vagina, felt a dragging inside and had trouble urinating and emtpying my bladder.

Needless to say, I was really anxious and worried! I did some research at WebMD and figured, by my symptoms, I had some kind of prolapse. The suggestions were surgery, pessary, kegels and pt. In that order. My mom had a prolapse, but she was 10 years older than I am now. Her doc pushed for surgery, but she decided on a pessary and was happy with it.

But I was still worried until I found this site. I like being active and strong and didn't want my lifestyle to change.

I ordered the dvd and have already watched it and tried out the beginner workout. I plan to incorporate this into my regular workout, eliminating the movements I was doing that were harming me. It looks like some of the movements I was doing are actually good, so I'll keep doing them.

I already feel better, though, with the posture, which I'm still learning, and some of the suggestions from the dvd, like lifting and the beginner dance moves. I love the music! Very inspiring!

I did have a question about ab exericises though. I know lifting my legs at an angle straight out is bad, but what about curl ups? I've been doing them for years and now know not to press my back to the floor. But are they harmful even if you don't flatten the back, or just not worth doing at all?

Hi Writerladys

Re curls, "Are they harmful even if you don't flatten the back, or just nor worth doing at all?"

If you feel any pressure they are bad. If your pelvis tips back and your back becomes c-shaped when you do them you are straightening out your vagina and turning it into a slippery slide that has no angles or bends to redirect intraabdominal forces.

You are doing the same exercise by doing leg lifts forwards, and the same backwards, at a barre or free standing. You can also do leg lifts with a Captain's Chair at the gym, or with a couple of handles hung high on a wall. Hold on with your hands, facing away from the wall, and do bent knee leg raises.

The difference is that you can use proper WW posture with both the methods, in vertical stance, in a way that you cannot, while lying down.

In WW posture your abdominal muscles are stretched out to their functional length all the time, so they get a workout with everyday activities, but if you want more, I suggest that you go for the vertical leg lifts, rather than the lying down curls.

Thanks! This helps me to decide which moves to keep doing and which to scrap.