If you have received pelvic floor Physical Therapy before, you may have been given the example of contracting your pelvic floor as an elevator.
Elevator- “Imagine the first part of a Kegel as the elevator doors closing (squeezing your muscles as if you are stopping urine stream). Then gently lifting the pelvic floor up as if you are lifting your muscles up to the first floor, second floor……
Then on your inhale, relaxing your pelvic floor down as the elevator lowers down into the basement.”
Have you heard this example before?
The squeeze and lift example?
I want to take you through another example in this blog. I want you to imagine not just your pelvic floor, but your entire body as a trampoline.
Our Pelvic floor and body as a trampoline.
You pelvic floor is the actual mesh part of the trampoline that we jump on.
Trampolines have legs right? So do we. Imagine the legs that support the trampoline as our legs - OUR FEET.
In order for our pelvic floor to function optimally, we need our base- our feet, on a solid surface. We don’t put trampolines on a slope, or on too hard (concrete) or soft (gravel or sand) of a surface (we cover footwear in our Inspired Moms Collective Membership).
The mesh (pelvic floor) is attached by springs to the outer rim of the trampoline. Imagine the metal circular rim is our hip bones. The pelvic floor sits inside our pelvic inlet, has ligaments and muscles that support our pelvis. The pelvis connects the lower body, core and upper body.
The springs (ligaments, muscles, fascia) need to provide the right amount of tension. If the springs are too loose or tight- jumping on the mesh part - won’t be effective.
We need all our core muscles (glutes, hip muscles that attach to our hip bones, abdominals, back muscles, psoas, hamstrings, adductors, LATS), to be functioning and strengthening optimally- not stiff, tight and weak.
Now, imagine the net portion that surrounds the trampoline for safety. This is all above the pelvis. This includes all those core muscles, ribs, mid spine and upper body- all those muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia that support the core and connect the lower body and upper body.
Can you envision now how our entire body can resemble a trampoline?
Can you envision how the pelvic floor may be influenced by many other factors- from a stable base/support, to the tension of the springs, to all the surrounding muscles not just the core but our lower and upper extremities?
Dr. Ashley ensures that every woman and mother that comes into her studio receives a comprehensive evaluation- all areas are assessed that have an impact on your injury, pain and healing.
Learn how to make every movement and exercise a core exercise.
Learn how we, as women and mothers, need to move beyond Kegels sitting at a traffic light or lying down.
Our bodies are unique, our experiences vary and we all have different needs when it comes to resolving pain from injuries, staying healthy and pain free during pregnancy or healing postpartum.
Schedule your Physical Therapy evaluation or Wellness assessment on our website scheduling link or contact Dr Ashley directly at inspiredmaternity@gmail.com
Not sure where to start or how Physical Therapy can help? Dr. Ashley offers a complimentary 15 minute consultation call to help determine what service best fits your health and wellness needs.
*We offer telehealth visits if you are not in the Peoria area or prefer virtual options.
Join Dr. Ashley in her Inspired Moms Collective Membership launched October 2022. This membership empowers all mothers - whether preparing to conceive, pregnant, newly postpartum or beyond - to learn about health topics that affect the health of moms.
Real Mom Health Talk. Real Solutions. Real Support.
Inspired Maternity in Peoria is a one of a kind Pregnancy and Postnatal Physical Therapy, Wellness and Fitness Studio located in Peoria, Ill. We offer in-studio prenatal and postpartum fitness programs, Physical Therapy and Wellness assessments throughout the calendar year, as well as virtual options and telehealth visits.