ICYMI: Kegel/Kahgel - Tomato/Tomahto

In case you missed it: What the heck is your pelvic floor and why should you care? It may affect more of your health than you think. We talk with Dr. Alexis Elias-Spohn, DPT from Empower Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy.

Show Notes

In This Episode: 

• If you're having pelvic floor issues that can look like, bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, peeing when you jump, vaginismus, or general hip issues.
• When Alexis got into her practice she thought most of her cases would be due to pelvic floor weakness after childbirth, but at least half of her cases were with women who experience pain with sex, a lot of young women specifically are having these issues.
• We unpack what is the pelvic floor?
• Pelvic Floor PT is a specialty area of physical therapy that focuses on the pelvic floor, which is composed of a group of muscles that support your abdominal contents and make up the base of your core. 
• Sometimes they become weak, and sometimes they carry too much tension. Anyone with pelvic pain, weakness (that may present as incontinence or pelvic pressure), or tension (pain with sex, urinary frequency, vaginismus, and even constipation) could benefit from a Pelvic Floor PT evaluation. 
• We discuss the importance of breath when it comes to correcting issues that affect the pelvic floor.
• Alexis walks us through the right way to practice correct breathing to help with your pelvic floor with a step-by-step guide.
• We talk through the benefits of Kegel exercises.
• We spent time talking about fascia, which is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place. 
  • Top things to do when you're looking to get balance in your pelvic floor
  • Learn to breathe
  • Strengthen your core
  • Increase your knowledge and flexibility
  • Improve stress and sleep quality

Quotes from This Episode: 

• "If you're going to do one thing for your pelvic floor: learn how to breathe the right way." - Alexis
• "Not everyone needs to kegel." - Alexis

Links To Things I Talk About: 

• Empower Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy [phone]
• The Squatty Potty
• Anatomy Trains

Episode Sponsor: 

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