Health: Women supporting Women

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My Name is Helen Wragg I am the owner and Pilate’s teacher at the Pilates station in Halifax, I am one of the first Pelvic health mentors from Claire Sparrows WBPH method and I have a question for you…..

Why as women do we not talk more openly about pelvic health?

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I am a sibling of three other women who have all given birth several times. My son always jokes when we get together “not another baby”. Their sons and daughters have children of their own and with it lots of pelvic healing to be done. The more I talk about leaking pelvic floors, back pain, bowel issues and many other symptoms, the more I’ve realised the subject is taboo. We just put up and shut up.

No more put up and shut up

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Ladies, not anymore. I also would like to state very early on that squeezing, tucking, zipping, Kegels do not work!! I spend a lot of time yelling at magazines and TV when this is suggested, as we know so much more than that now. For every individual on the planet there is a variable of the pelvis, we know how our gate should look, but life happens and therefore change.

The workings of the Pelvic Floor

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The pelvic floor is a postural muscle that gathers and releases in sync with your breathing. Our nervous system is far more intelligent than we are and to quote Clare Sparrow the founder of the whole body pelvic health method “it’s not as simple as that”. To bring balance to any postural muscle we need different techniques such as release, mobility, breathing as well as strength, not just strength alone.

Many women have a hypertonic pelvic floor (too tight not able to release). If they are taught to squeeze, zip up and the rest, they could be adding or creating problems as the pelvic floor needs to equally release.

I myself had ‘zipped in’ for years previously to giving birth to my son, I had what can only be described as the ultimate 6 pack. He popped out at only 2 pounds, and I had an abdominal split nearly two inches wide. I now know that there was no way my body was ready to release in order to accommodate a growing baby, even one so small.

Many women also have trauma, scar tissue, prolapse and many other pulls and twists within our pelvis. These all need release, mobility, breathing and strengthening exercises to bring balance and function to the pelvic floor.

If you are interested in finding out more contact Helen Wragg at The Pilates Station in Halifax. The Studio runs many Pelvic health classes and workshops throughout the year. Interested in finding out more contact us www.thepilatesstation.co.uk

Happy Mother’s Day gorgeous girls!

Helen Wragg

www.thepilatesstation.co.uk

#HappyPelvis #HappyMotherDay

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