Flat abs are an aesthetic sign that you’ve been hitting the gym and watching what you eat (probably more on the eating side), but as a physical therapist, I’d like to dive deeper into this topic than aesthetics. I’ve seen enough patients who have “met aesthetic goals” but are in pain that I think it’s […]
Abdominal Doming: Why Your Abs Bulge Out and How to Fix It Read More »
Table of Contents Add a header to begin generating the table of contents Pelvic organ prolapse can feel like a devastating diagnosis for many women. Interestingly, some women have it and never know, while other women can tell if the slightest thing feels wrong in their vagina and seek help immediately. Mild to moderate prolapse
Safe Exercises with Prolapse and Ones to Avoid Read More »
There are exercises and strategies that can make pregnancy more comfortable, delivery a little easier, and postpartum recovery faster. Let’s dive into which exercises are recommended during pregnancy, exercises that can be harmful during pregnancy, and exercises that should be done with caution. Pregnancy is amazing, exciting, and hard, all at once. Feeling those first
Exercising While Pregnant: Why You Should, and How to Do It Safely Read More »
I love helping women improve their diastasis recti! For a percentage of women, this is as simple as properly activating the core muscles, and it heals right up postpartum. Some women don’t even realize they had one! (Much like low level prolapse.) But for another percentage of women, improving a diastasis will take a lot
3 Steps to Fix a Diastasis Recti Read More »
What is urge incontinence? Urge incontinence is when you get an overwhelming urge to pee, and you might or might not leak a little (or a lot) when that urge happens. It’s that “panic and find the closest bathroom” moment, or the overwhelming need to pee when you turn down your street on the way
Urge Incontinence: Why You Always Have to Pee (and How to Fix It) Read More »
Maybe, maybe and maybe. 🙂 Ok, let’s dive a bit deeper into each of those maybes so you can hopefully pull out some more useful information than a bunch of maybes. First, what is a hernia? A hernia is a weak spot in your muscle or connective tissue where organs or tissue can squeeze through.
Can you Prevent a Hernia, Keep it From Getting Worse, or Heal it Naturally? Read More »
Twisting can be a controversial topic. A simple Google search or scroll through Instagram can give you wildly differing opinions and reasons for or against twisting, which of course makes it my favorite topic! I love diving into the movement patterns that stir up controversy to really pick apart the why. I usually find that
Should you Twist with a Diastasis? Read More »
Side planks are an AMAZING exercise, but they can easily be turned into a back exercise instead of an abdominal exercise. They are a great exercise because they target the lateral abdominal complex. This includes the transverse abdominals, internal obliques and external obliques. Another key muscle that side planks work is the glute medius. Most
Check Your Side Plank With These 5 Tips Read More »
Table of Contents Add a header to begin generating the table of contents What Is Rib Flare and Why Should You Care? Rib flare is a term that is often thrown around in the rehab world. Understanding what it means and how you can fix it can go a long way toward better breathing, core
What is Rib Flare? Read More »
Every couple of years we head out west and hit the slopes with my dad and brother. (Both of whom ski circles around me. Literally, I think they could ski actual circles. LOL) The first time back skiing after having my second I was really worried about how my pelvic floor would handle skiing, but
Mountain Ready Leg Workout Read More »
Prolapse is often considered a very scary diagnosis because it is talking about the center of our femininity and it’s often diagnosed on the heels of bringing life into the world. I think that’s the part that makes this diagnosis so hard. You’re now a sleep-deprived mother working hard to keep a little one alive
What is Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Does it Require Surgery? Read More »
Let’s talk about the pelvic floor, exercise and prolapse. Soon after the birth of my second, I discovered that I had multiple prolapses. Grade two rectocele, grade one cystocele and a pinch of a urethrocele. That was a little over 3 years ago and I’ve had an awesome recovery. (More details on exactly where these
Exercise and Prolapse Ramblings Read More »
Will You Pass This Glute Strength Test? It’s been a rough week in our house with my youngest getting mono and having lymph nodes in his neck the size of a baseball. The poor kid was just in the PICU for 4 days on a ventilator a few weeks ago. The immune system is a
Can You Pass This Glute Strength Test? Read More »
Yes!!! A diastasis recti is a normal part of development in kids and also during pregnancy to allow room for the baby to grow. It’s actually pretty amazing what the body is capable of!! Let’s start with development. Almost all small humans have a diastasis recti (DR). Usually it naturally goes away as they get
Is a Diastasis Recti Normal? Read More »
This video is a compilation of 9 posture tips to leave you feeling great after a trip in the car! Car Tip Tuesday Summary Find your headrest. Relax your shoulders, find the headrest with the back of your head and gently rest your head back. Even when things get stressful try to keep your head
9 Tips for Better Driving Posture Read More »
This is a great question to ponder! Pelvic floor weakness is all too common, especially after having kids. So what causes pelvic floor weakness and how long does it really take to get stronger? The first thing to understand is the pelvic floor is a set of muscles, much like any other muscles in your
What causes weak pelvic floor muscles and how long does it take to get stronger? Read More »
Perifit exceeded my expectations! Things I loved, things I didn’t, and why: #1. Deep verses superficial muscle testing. The superficial muscles (located near the outside of your vagina) help with bowel and bladder control. (They keep you from having leaks.) The deep muscles further in help to hold up your organs. This is the first
Do you leak or have clients who leak? It can be a complex topic and there are actually times when leaking could be a good sign. Let’s dive into the details and see what interesting takeaways we can pull out. So, there are two ends of the spectrum right now when it comes to leaking.
When is a weak bladder (stress incontinence) not the worst thing ever? Read More »
The pelvic floor is an incredibly complex part of the human body. A thoughtfully-designed training program can go a long way in helping a client with pelvic organ prolapse to not only lift heavier and get stronger but also to decrease her symptoms and in some cases heal the prolapse. Because of its central location
5 Key Steps for Helping Clients with Pelvic Organ Prolapse to Lift Safely Read More »
This morning I was at the gym working out, and while doing hanging leg raises I thought to myself, “gee, this is an exercise that many “experts” say to never do if you have core or pelvic floor issues.” I did 3 sets. Boom. Take that, list! Whether it’s hanging leg raises or leg raises
Exercises that Harm the Core and Pelvic Floor Read More »
My specialty is helping women figure out why their pelvic floor isn’t getting better after they have “done their kegels.” There are so many other areas of the body that affect how well the pelvic floor functions, whether that’s leaking, prolapse relief or just great sex. But before we dive into these other areas of
6 Ways to Maximize Pelvic Floor Strength By Mastering a Kegel Read More »
Can you pass the plank challenge? Should you even do front planks? Are they safe for a diastasis? Can they hurt the pelvic floor? Is there a right or wrong way to do them? What if your shoulders always feel tight? Like with all exercises, the answer is maybe. Let’s sift through a few different scenarios
Take the Plank Challenge Read More »
Should we, as women, consider a different training schedule for different times of the month? Well, maybe! A lot will depend on your life stress level and your hormone fluctuations. Some women don’t feel much change throughout their cycle and other women feel like they become a completely different person. With this in mind, experimenting
A Better Training Strategy for Women (and their Menses) Read More »
One topic I’ve been pondering lately is stress. How much of it is under our control, or are we not actually in control at all? Keep reading for a fast-acting tip for relieving stress that doesn’t involve any extra effort. LOL! I love meditation— but come on, we don’t always have the extra time! Why
Quick Stress Tip (That’s not meditation. LOL) Read More »
Let’s talk about that “just in case pee”. Do you: ✓ Find yourself peeing before you leave the house every single time? ✓ Feel like you don’t empty your bladder completely? ✓ Map out where the bathrooms are or go if you pass one? This could be a sign that your bladder is running your
