Restorative Exercise Specialist



Exciting news! About a year ago, I discovered something that has now changed the way that I treat and educate my patients, as well as the way that I personally move and live. 

 Having seen with my own eyes the increase in young women (including teenagers) with pelvic health issues, as well as reading the literature and worrying statistics about the rapid increase of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), I became very interested in the "Why". Why does it seem to be more common in Westernised cultures (regardless of access to some of the best health care systems in the world), why is something as natural as childbirth so difficult, and why are we seeing PFD in younger and younger populations. 

 Katy Bowman's awesome blog and her early work with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction got me hooked and helped open my eyes to the bigger picture of the human body and its environment. For a long time, treatment for pelvic floor issues (such as incontinence, prolapse and preparing for childbirth) has revolved around simply strengthening weak pelvic floor muscles or releasing tight pelvic floor muscles. However we now know very clearly that the pelvic floor muscles are just one part of your human machine and as such, the optimal function of these muscles depends on the function of every other muscle in the body; from the local support system of the gluteal and hip musculature to the curves of your spine, tightness in your calf, hamstrings and psoas, the amount of foot 'schmear' and control of the arches in your feet, and the way that you use your body throughout your daily life.

 Conditions such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, depression, pelvic floor dysfunction and things as common as back pain can all be considered Diseases of Captivity. Just like animals in zoos, we are no longer required to traverse long distances every week in search of food, squat several times a day to bathroom, clamber over varying terrain or use our arms to pull ourselves up and over things for survival. Instead, we rely on repetitive and often high intensity exercise programs to get our daily movement in. Over a decade or several, this lack of natural movement leads to maladaptive changes throughout the body leaving most of us dependent on medication or surgery to survive (think pain killers, blood pressure medication, c-sections and joint replacements to name a few). While I am grateful for medicine and its advancements, I would much prefer to thrive under my own nourishing movement rather than just get by. 

Katy Bowman and the Restorative Exercise Institute are dedicated to teaching the biomechanics of natural movement to optimize the function of the human body. This includes education, exercises and practical ways to incorporate more natural movement into your daily life.

 In June I attended a week long course in Torrington, Connecticut with this amazing group of people to complete my certification and begin my journey as a Restorative Exercise Specialist!


I'm very excited to now be sharing information on broader topics of health and the human body, still with a passion for pelvic health but also with a renewed interest in all things Alignment.

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Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Part 1

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The risk of Pelvic Organ Prolapse can increase with pregnancy and vaginal delivery, however may occur even without any pregnancies and can even happen to men! What is it?  'Prolapse' comes from the latin word prolabi which means "to fall out". Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) involves the descent of the pelvic organs; the bladder, bowel or uterus, into the vaginal space.  The degree of prolapse is measured on a scale of 0-4, determined by how much the organs have moved toward the opening of the vagina or if they are protruding outside the body. This may be observed by your family doctor, OB/GYN, birth professional or pelvic health physiotherapist by asking you to cough or hold your breath and bear down for 8 seconds to determine the extent of the prolapse.  The female pelvic anatomy (larger pelvic outlet and open space of the vagina) combined with our upright posture makes women particularly vulnerable to this condition. However, men can also experience similar ...
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Post-Natal Pelvic Care and Return to Exercise

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