Pelvic Floor Health & the Gentle Work of Taking Care of Yourself
Most of us spend a fair amount of time trying to take good care of our bodies. We exercise, stretch, work on our strength, and try to keep moving as life gets busier. But when it comes to pelvic floor health, many of us have surprisingly little information about what our bodies actually need.
We tend not to think much about our pelvic floor until something changes. Maybe we notice a little leaking when we cough, sneeze, or jump. Maybe there’s a feeling of pressure or heaviness, some discomfort in our hips or low back, or a sense that our body doesn’t feel quite as connected or dependable as it once did. These things are common, particularly as we move through midlife and beyond, but common doesn’t necessarily mean we should ignore them or assume they’re simply part of getting older.
Our pelvic floor does a great deal of work throughout the day. It helps support our pelvic organs, responds to changes in pressure, and works in coordination with our breathing and deep core muscles to help us stabilize and move. It’s involved in so much of what we do that we can easily overlook it, especially when we’re busy focusing on the muscles we can see and feel more readily.
One of the things I find important for people to understand is that pelvic floor health isn’t simply a matter of making those muscles stronger. Of course, strength matters, but so does the ability to relax, respond, and coordinate with the rest of the body. A pelvic floor that has difficulty releasing or adapting to pressure may need a different approach than one that needs more strength. And doing more exercises isn’t always the answer if we haven’t first understood what our body is asking for.
This is where I think intentional movement can be so helpful. The way we breathe, how we manage pressure through our trunk, the way we organize our posture, and how we lift, carry, bend, and move throughout the day all influence how our bodies manage the demands we place on them. These things don’t happen independently of one another. They’re in constant communication, and learning to recognize those relationships can change the way we approach our strength and our health.
Many of us have heard that we should do Kegels, but we may never have been taught how to know whether we’re doing them effectively, whether they’re appropriate for us, or how to coordinate pelvic floor activity with our breath and everyday movement. There’s a lot more to pelvic floor health than squeezing and holding. Sometimes the work is about building strength; sometimes it’s about releasing unnecessary tension; and often, it’s about helping everything work together.
I also think there’s something important about giving ourselves permission to pay attention to these parts of our health before a problem becomes too disruptive to ignore. We don’t have to wait until something hurts, feels uncomfortable, or interferes with the activities we love before we start asking questions. Understanding our bodies is a worthwhile investment in how we want to live, move, and feel in the years ahead.
This is especially meaningful to me because I believe movement should support our lives, not become another thing we feel we’re failing to do well enough. We want to feel comfortable walking, lifting our grandchildren, dancing, exercising, traveling, laughing with friends, and doing all the ordinary things that make up a full life. Feeling supported in our bodies helps us participate in those moments with greater confidence.
That’s why I’m teaching a workshop dedicated to pelvic floor health. We’ll take time to look beyond the usual advice and explore how the pelvic floor works with our breath, core, and everyday movement. My hope is that you’ll leave with a better understanding of your body, practical things to pay attention to, and a clearer sense of how to support yourself moving forward.
You don’t need to know anything about pelvic floor anatomy to join us, and you certainly don’t need to have a particular concern to benefit. Whether you’ve noticed changes in your body, have questions you’ve never quite known how to ask, or simply want to be more informed about your health, you’re welcome.
Taking care of ourselves doesn’t always require a dramatic change or a whole new routine. Sometimes it begins with understanding something we’ve overlooked, learning to listen a little more closely, and giving our bodies the kind of thoughtful attention we so readily offer to other parts of our lives.
I hope you’ll join me. Let’s make a little space to learn about our bodies, ask questions, and discover how we can move through life feeling more supported, connected, and confident.
