Eight Factors That Can Negatively Impact Your Pelvic Floor
The group of muscles and tissues that support your bladder, uterus, bowels, and help maintain continence is called the Pelvic Floor. A strong, healthy pelvic floor is essential for overall health and well-being.
Let’s explore several things that can adversely affect your pelvic floor, including Kegel exercises, vaginal weights, jade eggs, tampons and clothing choices.
1. Misusing Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises are widely recommended to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. When done correctly, they can help prevent or alleviate urinary incontinence, improve sexual health and support pelvic organs. However, improper use of Kegels can have opposite effects.
Over-exercising the Pelvic Floor: Performing Kegels excessively or with incorrect technique can lead to pelvic muscle tension, pain and dysfunction. Instead of strengthening, the muscles may become overly tight, leading to conditions like pelvic floor hypertonicity.
Incorrect Technique: Many people unknowingly engage other muscle groups, such as the abdomen, thighs, or buttocks while attempting Kegels. This reduces the effectiveness of the exercises and can cause muscular imbalances.
2. Vaginal Weights
Vaginal weights have gained popularity as tools to enhance pelvic floor strength and sexual wellness. While they may offer benefits when used appropriately, they carry potential risks if misused.
Infections: Improper cleaning can introduce bacteria, leading to urinary tract infections or vaginal infections.
Muscle strain: Using weights that are too heavy, or inserting them too frequently, can strain pelvic muscles causing pain and dysfunction.
Pelvic organ prolapse: Excessive or improper use may contribute to pelvic organ prolapse, where pelvic organs descend into or outside the vaginal canal.
If weighted devices are recommended by your physiotherapist, opt for medical-grade, non-porous products specifically designed for pelvic health and use under professional guidance.
3. Jade Eggs
Jade eggs are often marketed as holistic tools for enhancing pelvic floor strength, improving sexual health and promoting energy flow. However, their use can pose unexpected risks to your pelvic health.
Overactivation or muscle fatigue: The weight of a jade egg, combined with the effort required to keep it in place, can overwork the pelvic floor muscles. This can lead to tightness, chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse or difficulty with bowel and bladder function due to hypertonicity.
Improper sizing and weight: Jade eggs are not standardized. Choosing one that is too large or heavy can strain the pelvic floor. This increases the risk of pelvic organ prolapse, where the bladder, uterus or rectum shifts into or outside the vaginal canal.
Infections: Jade is a porous material, making it prone to harboring bacteria even with thorough cleaning. Introducing bacteria into the vagina raises the likelihood of bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections and other pelvic infections that, over time, can weaken the pelvic floor.
Lack of supporting evidence: There is no scientific evidence that jade eggs improve pelvic health. In contrast, their improper use may worsen pelvic muscle function or lead to unrealistic expectations of benefits.
4. Flavored Lubricants
Flavored lubricants are often marketed as a fun addition to intimacy, but they may pose unexpected risks to your pelvic health.
Irritation and allergies: Many flavored lubricants contain artificial sugars, flavors or chemicals that can irritate the delicate tissues of the vagina and pelvic floor. This can lead to inflammation, discomfort and pelvic pain.
Disruption of vaginal flora: Ingredients in flavored lubricants can disrupt the natural pH balance and microbial flora of the vagina, increasing the risk of infections like bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections. Infections can weaken the pelvic floor muscles over time if left untreated.
Increased friction: Some flavored lubricants may dry out quickly, causing increased friction during intercourse. This can strain or damage pelvic tissues.
If lubrication is needed, opt for unscented, water-based or silicone-based lubricants that are specifically formulated to be pH-balanced and gentle on vaginal tissues. Avoid lubricants with artificial flavors, sugars, or chemicals.
5. Tampons
While tampons are a common menstrual hygiene product, their use can impact the pelvic floor if not handled properly.
Muscle strain: Consistently inserting tampons improperly or using tampons that are too large can cause undue strain on the pelvic floor muscles, leading to discomfort or pain.
Pelvic floor tension: Some individuals may unconsciously clench their pelvic floor muscles while inserting or removing tampons, contributing to tightness or hypertonicity in these muscles over time.
Vaginal dryness or microtears: Inserting tampons when vaginal dryness is present can lead to small tears or irritation in the vaginal walls.
Prolonged use: Leaving a tampon in for too long can increase the risk of infections, including toxic shock syndrome (TSS), which can have systemic effects on the body, potentially including the pelvic floor.
Choose the lowest absorbency level needed for your flow, to minimize strain and avoid dryness. Ensure tampons are inserted comfortably without resistance, and never leave them in for more than the recommended 4-8 hours.
6. Tight Clothing
Tight clothing, such as skinny jeans, compression leggings or shapewear, may seem fashionable or supportive, but they can have negative effects on your pelvic health.
Restricted blood flow: Tight clothing can compress the pelvic area, reducing blood circulation. Proper blood flow is essential for muscle health and recovery, and restricted circulation may lead to discomfort or dysfunction over time.
Increased pressure on the pelvic floor: Consistently wearing tight clothing can place undue pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, contributing to tension and, in some cases, hypertonicity (overactive muscles). This may lead to pelvic pain, urinary urgency or painful intercourse.
Irritation and infections: Tight clothing, especially non-breathable fabrics, can trap heat and moisture, creating an environment conducive to infections like yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis. These infections can inflame pelvic tissues and potentially affect pelvic floor health.
Postural changes: Tight clothing can restrict natural movement and proper posture, leading to compensatory patterns in how you hold and move your body. Poor posture may stress the pelvic floor muscles, contributing to dysfunction over time.
Choose breathable, well-fitted clothing that allows for full movement and proper circulation. Opt for natural fabrics like cotton and avoid wearing restrictive garments for prolonged periods.
7. High Heels
High heels are a popular fashion choice, but wearing them frequently or for extended periods can negatively impact your posture and pelvic health, including the pelvic floor muscles.
Altered posture: High heels tilt the pelvis forward by shifting your center of gravity. This posture can place extra strain on the pelvic floor muscles, causing them to overwork to maintain stability. Over time, this may lead to muscle tightness, discomfort or dysfunction.
Increased pelvic floor pressure: The forward tilt of the pelvis in high heels can increase intra-abdominal pressure, placing additional strain on the pelvic floor. This can contribute to issues such as urinary leakage or pelvic organ prolapse.
Impact on core alignment: High heels disrupt the alignment between the pelvis, spine and core muscles. Poor alignment can weaken the pelvic floor over time as these muscles struggle to compensate for improper support.
Reduced mobility: Wearing high heels often limits natural movement patterns, including the ability to engage and relax the pelvic floor muscles fully. This lack of dynamic engagement can contribute to dysfunction or imbalance in the pelvic region.
Limit the time spent wearing high heels, and choose lower-heeled or supportive shoes for everyday use. Incorporate stretches and exercises to counteract the effects of wearing heels, such as calf stretches, hip openers, and pelvic floor relaxation techniques.
8. Colonics
Colonics, or colon-hydrotherapy procedures, are marketed as a cleansing method for the colon and as a way to promote digestive health. Colonics are usually performed by a medical professional but can be self-administered at home, usually in the form of enemas. However, frequent or improper use of this procedure can have negative effects on your pelvic floor muscles and overall pelvic health.
Pelvic floor strain: Repeated colonics can lead to excessive pressure or overactivation of the pelvic floor muscles, especially if the procedure is not performed gently. This may result in muscle tension, pain or dysfunction over time.
Dependency on external stimulation: Overusing colonics can interfere with the natural functioning of your bowels. This reliance may cause the pelvic floor muscles to weaken due to reduced engagement during bowel movements.
Increased risk of infection: Colonics involve introducing fluids into the rectum, which can disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the gut and rectum. This imbalance can lead to infections or inflammation that affect the pelvic floor muscles and surrounding tissues.
Trauma to rectal and pelvic tissues: If the equipment used during colonics is improperly sanitized or if the procedure is performed too aggressively, it can cause irritation or small tears in the rectal and pelvic tissues.
Rather than relying on colonics, maintain bowel health through a high-fiber diet, proper hydration, and regular physical activity.
Conclusion
Maintaining a healthy pelvic floor is crucial for overall well-being, but various factors can negatively impact these essential muscles and tissues. From the misuse of Kegel exercises to the potential risks of vaginal weights and jade eggs, understanding and mitigating these risks is key to pelvic health. Additionally, lifestyle factors like childbirth, heavy lifting, obesity, and high-impact activities play significant roles in pelvic floor integrity.
At Solstice Physiotherapy, we specialize in pelvic health and support individuals in maintaining a strong and healthy pelvic floor. If you have concerns or are experiencing pelvic floor issues, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional guidance and a personalized treatment plan.
Stay informed and proactive. Contact with Solstice Physiotherapy at (929)269-2505 or at info@solsticept.com to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your personal concerns and questions.