Pelvic Health and Alignment

Photographs used with permission of Mandi Cavallaro This week I participated in a Nia class in Brisbane. Going in I didn't really know what to expect, except that it was done barefoot (sign me up!) but I'm so glad I went!  The best way I can describe it is simply freedom of  movement to beautiful music. The teacher guides you through the moves but there is really no strict focus on technique other than to let your body just feel the music and to do what feels right, exploring all of the motions that are available to you. I felt a little self-conscious initially but I honestly had a smile on my face the entire time and soon enough felt very relaxed and free.  This is me doing some Nia inspired moves on the balcony of the gorgeous place we are currently house-sitting! As someone who loves music and whole body movement, I have often thought about looking for a local dance studio, but since I really have no dance training (and not always the best coordinatio...

Thanks to the American Recall Centre for this fact sheet! Recently I have been asked by the American Recall Centre to write about Osteoporosis in order to help increase awareness about this all too common condition. While not directly a pelvic health-related topic, it is something I am very passionate about and you can't have health of one without the other!  The current statistics show that 1 in 2 women over the age of 50, and 1 in 4 men will experience a fracture due to osteoporosis, with 25% of hip fractures resulting in death within 6 months. Thats HUGE! And devastatingly unnecessary as there is so much that you can do to prevent, and even REVERSE osteoporotic changes.  What is Osteoporosis? Bone, despite how most of us imagine it, is not solid, rather it is made up of millions of cells that form a strong matrix able to withstand substantial forces. The words osteo (bone) and porosis (porous) refers to the condition characterised by a...

I realise that I've been going on and on about shortened pelvic floor muscles, but what are they really?  Muscles have a very specific length that allows them to function optimally according to a length-tension (strength) relationship.  Length-Tension Relationship* This demonstrates that a muscle that is too short or too long has a decreased ability to contract compared to when it is within it's ideal range. A tight muscle is not necessarily a strong muscle, instead it is unable to function and respond appropriately to required demands because it is never able to contract through its full range.  Shortened pelvic floor muscles can manifest in many different ways: Stress urinary incontinence - leaking with cough/sneezing, laughing, running and jumping Pelvic pain - tailbone , pubic bone, SIJ or lower back pain Pain with sex Decreased sensation or difficulty achieving orgasm with sex Constipation Higher risk of perineal tearing with a vagina...

If you've never experienced difficulty with bowel movements before, then good for you and keep doing what you're doing! However, if you are like many of us who have had experienced constipation then you know it can be quite uncomfortable and more than a little annoying. Constipation can also become hazardous to the pelvic organs and muscles when we begin to strain and hold our breath in an effort to get the stool out. This puts an enormous amount of pressure on the pelvic structures and over time, this repetitive straining can lead to prolapse of the pelvic organs, weakness of the pelvic floor muscles and also hypertonicity (tightness) of the muscles. Constipation is medically defined as less than 3 bowel movements per week and is usually due to one of two reasons; either the stool itself is very solid and difficult to pass, or there is a problem with the emptying process. Solid stools can be due to a number of things: Dehydration - as your food is digested and m...

I love travelling and feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to do so. However, one of the downsides about moving to the other side of the world is that you do spend a lot of time in transit just to get home for a visit. Over the last month and a bit, I have done a ridiculous amount of flying (for educational courses, home visits and fun), spending about 45hrs in the air (between Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Brisbane, Sydney, Dallas and Austin) and a whole bunch more time in and around airports, taxis, buses and trains. All of this added up to a very sore tail bone and tight pelvic floor muscles and a lot of time to think about how travelling can affect your pelvic health.  Here are some of my travel-related observations to keep in mind that you can also apply to your everyday life! Sitting The most obvious downside to travelling is the looong amounts of time spent sitting and particularly the way that you sit. I have a tendency to curl up in my sea...

Today's post is slightly different to most of the others. I've never written a book review before (outside of primary school), however I just had to share this particular one with you. Recently I was lucky enough to get my own copy of... Alignment Matters by Katy Bowman! My first impression was: Oh my gosh this woman is smart! If you've never heard of her, Katy Bowman is a biomechanist from the USA and teaches thousands of people easy ways to look after their body and keep it functioning the way that it should. I love this book from a Physio perspective as there is a huge focus on prevention of injury and maintaing (or gaining) whole body wellness. The information throughout the book is very well researched but also easy to read for people with lots or little health education. The book is a collection of the first five years of her blog, organised into relevant categories and body parts with each gem of knowledge presented in short chapters. Great if you don...