5 Daily Habits to Support Your Pelvic Floor
Creating healthy habits in your life has benefits that can last a lifetime. If you focus on habits with a goal in mind, such as developing a strong pelvic floor, then the habits become easier to implement into your daily routine. Learning how to support your pelvic floor with simple daily habits can potentially help you prevent pelvic floor dysfunction in the future.
A strong pelvic floor will have a domino effect on the rest of your body. The pelvis has a big job, which includes supporting your upper body, protecting organs, maintaining balance, and more. It’s important to strengthen it so that your pelvic floor can continue to support your body at optimal function.
At Pillar Physio – Georgetown, Texas, we are committed to supporting our community of women who desire lasting relief when it comes to pelvic floor pain. Follow below for tips to implement now and prevent pain later on.
Related: How Does the Pelvic Floor Work: What You Should Know
5 Daily Habits to Support Your Pelvic Floor
Implementing these five simple habits into your daily routine will help strengthen your pelvic floor. Discover how easy it can be to give your body the support it needs.
Breathe Out During Exercise
As simple as it sounds, many people actually hurt their pelvic floor by holding their breath when they lift heavy. Remembering to breathe out during exercise or lifting heavy objects will help prevent damage to the pelvis.
Holding your breath causes downward pressure on your pelvic floor. Think of it as a big bubble trying to escape within your body; it has nowhere to go but down. This downward pressure strains the pelvic muscles and weakens their abilities to support you correctly. A simple tweak to your breathing can make all of the difference.
Stop Wearing Restricting Clothing
There are many times when you may want to wear tight clothing, such as compressing activewear or spandex underneath a nice dress. However, wearing restrictive clothing can actually cause more harm than good. These clothing items compress your diaphragm, which directly restricts your breathing.
Allowing yourself to fully breathe is a way you can support your pelvic floor. Restrictive breathing can cause tension and weakness in the pelvic floor muscles. It also adds increased pressure to the pelvis, which could lead to dysfunction. Give your body the space it needs to breathe comfortably.
Fully Sit on the Toilet
If you are someone who likes to hover over the toilet while relieving yourself, this is your sign to stop. When it is time for a bathroom visit, it is important to remember to fully sit on the toilet in order to support your pelvic floor.
Hovering over the toilet causes you to engage your pelvic muscles, which may lead to not being able to fully empty your bladder. This can lead to prolapse. In addition, tensing your muscles during toileting experiences can cause muscle strain and weakness. Instead, allow yourself to fully relax on the toilet and let your body engage in the movements needed to keep you healthy.
Relax Your Ab Muscles
Many women have been taught to suck in their stomachs from an early age. Unfortunately, this conditioning can have a negative impact on your pelvis.
Sucking in your stomach causes unnecessary pressure on the pelvic area. This action creates less space in your abdominal area, which restricts your breathing and can potentially lead to things like prolapse, incontinence, and even pain. Support your pelvic floor by relaxing your stomach muscles.
Related: How to Promote Pelvic Floor Health: 6 Tips for Optimal Function
Add Pelvic Floor Exercises
Create a fun habit during your day by incorporating pelvic floor exercises that will help strengthen the pelvis. This could look like adding lunges when walking from the kitchen to the living room. You can also add squats every time you stand up from a sitting position.
If you have dedicated exercise time in the day, add some pelvic bridges to your routine. These simple exercises can make a big impact on your pelvic floor health.
Questions Others are Asking About Supporting the Pelvic Floor
For additional information on how to support your pelvic floor, read the questions below that others have asked.
What organs does the pelvic floor protect?
The pelvis supports your bladder, rectum, colon, and uterus. It is made up of intricate muscles and ligaments that are designed to help with body functions.
Related: How to Find a Pelvic Floor Therapist Near You
What is the best way to support the pelvic floor?
The best way to support your pelvic floor is by participating in pelvic floor therapy. During this therapy, your physical therapist will guide you on the best ways to strengthen your pelvis. Pelvic floor therapy is known to provide pain relief in addition to helping others gain control over their body functions again. Contact Pillar Physio today to schedule your assessment.
How long does it take to strengthen the pelvic floor?
This answer will depend on the trauma you experience that causes a weakened pelvic floor. For example, pregnancy and childbirth can cause trauma to your pelvic floor. However, each woman is different, and the degree to which their pelvic floor may have been weakened will vary. Therefore, it’s important to schedule an assessment for pelvic floor therapy so that your individual needs can be addressed.
Simple Habits Can Greatly Support Your Pelvic Floor
The effort you implement now can have lasting benefits for your pelvis. Taking care of your body is the best way you can ensure a comfortable life without pain. You deserve to live with relief because your family and your community need you.
Take steps today to strengthen and support your pelvic floor. Visit Pillar Physio to begin your journey to healing.
