“THEL pelvic floor it contains experiences and emotions, it is not just a set of muscle bundles. Know the relationship between posture and perineum and knowing how the posture one assumes can benefit or harm this so important and so much undervalued part of our body, might come as a surprise,” he explains Giorgia Lucchi, in art (and on social media) Lady Peri, Pilates and Menopause Yoga instructor, body mediation counselor, mindfulness facilitator and bioenergetics trainer. With Isabella Traballi, posturologist physiotherapist, is planning an online and confidential experiential laboratory on Zoom, dedicated to pelvic floor health. Here’s how and when to participate.
The free online course: how to participate
Appointment Thursday 19 May at 20.30 on Zoom, at this link, with Giorgia Lucchi and Isabella Traballi. A free experiential laboratory, which allows you to find out more about your pelvic floor and how the posture you assume can benefit your well-being. During the meeting, the two experts will show how to immediately put into practice what they will talk about, proposing a series of relaxing and effective exercises to feel better.
Giorgia Lucchi, Myrto Photography
What is the pelvic floor
THEL pelvic floor (or elevator muscle) is a muscle region closely linked to female health and well-being, still little known and underestimated today. How many women know what it is, what it is for, why it is important to keep it functional and in what state of health it is? From it depend theelasticity of the vulva, vagina, urination, defecation And Pleasure. It is the seat of sexuality and if contracted or lax, neglected following childbirth or stressed by physical, emotional and hormonal factors, it can cause various types of ailments. Untilinability to have an orgasm.
Is critical keep it healthy from infancy to adulthood and then during and after menopause to avoid problems such as incontinence, hemorrhoids, recurrent cystitis, constipationpain in intercourse, vaginal atrophyanorgasmia.
«To put it simply, it is the part of the body that rests on the saddle when we ride a bicycle. It is located at the base of the basin, a sort of trampoline, made up of 3 layers of muscles, ligaments and connective tissue.
It supports the pelvic organs (uterus, bladder and rectum), check the passage of urine, gas and bowel movements, contributes to the maintenance of functional posture and to ability to feel pleasure during sexual intercourse explains Giorgia Lucchi.
During menopause, the pelvic floor also changes
«Estrogens play a fundamental role in the integrity of the pelvic floor tissues. When they start to swing in perimenopause, this part suffers. Lower estrogen levels are linked to a lower production of collagen and elastin and to one decrease in blood circulation’ explains the instructor.
What if the pelvic floor is not healthy
“They follow less tone, stretch and support of the levator muscle. Aging also has a negative impact on collagen production and muscle mass. Pregnancy, childbirth, overweight and constipation are other factors that can weaken the pelvic floor, which loses strength and elasticity. The consequences? Stress incontinenceleaking pee when sneezing, laughing or coughing, or when running or jumping.
Urge incontinence, the need to go to the toilet more often. Faecal incontinence, very little is said about this! Prolapse (of the bladder, vagina or rectum). Loss of sensitivity which could make harder to reach orgasm and reduce its intensity», adds the expert.
The importance of physical activity
Physical activity aimed at female well-being is of fundamental importance precisely when it is easy to lose the desire or energy, such as during menopause. «The consequences of menopause on the levator muscle can create embarrassment and negatively affect the quality of life, increasing the anxiety that often already accompanies this phase. All of this can lead us to move away from physical activity precisely when it is most important for our psychophysical health», recommends Giorgia Lucchi.
Hypertonic Pelvic Floor: mistakes to avoid
«Better to avoid exercises that greatly increase intra-abdominal pressure and which subject this part to strong stress and (precisely) pressure. So no to very heavy loads. In case of pelvic hypertonicity, even the famous ones can be contraindicated Kegel exercises. On the other hand, it is very useful to relax the pelvic floor through breathing techniques, for example the diaphragmatic one.
Also work on the mobility of the rib cage, since there is a direct link between breathing and the pelvic floor (respiratory diaphragm and pelvic diaphragm). Here you can do a thoracic rotation from sitting or from quadrupedia.
It also makes sense to relax the muscle groups that collaborate with the pelvic floor: transversus abdominis, diaphragm and multifidus as well as legs and buttocks», explains Giorgia Lucchi.
… And useful exercises
The exercises indicated in this case are:
Supine butterfly (in Pilates we talk about femoral circles and Bent Knee Fallout)
Child position
Crouched position against the wall
Happy baby pose
Muslim prayer position
Exercises for the muscles of the feet (by virtue of the myofascial connection between the feet and the pelvic floor).
If the pelvic floor is hypotonic
Even in this case breathing is useful to get used to identifying and activating the pelvic floor muscles. From Quadrupedia, flexion and extension of the spine.
Bridging
Toe Taps (supine walk)
Legs flat, exert resistance by pressing hands on thighs
Since a healthy PP is elastic, it is important that it can both contract and relax.
In both cases it is essential to learn how to correctly identify and activate the PP through breathing exercises and, if you are unable to do it on your own, contact a specialist in pelvic floor rehabilitation.
Very important to combine movement with correct breathing!
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