Some women are sometimes discouraged from exercising or doing high impact workouts due to a uterine prolapse. Women sometimes experience this after having a natural childbirth. This can be embarrassing and awkward, but if left untreated, can lead to a urinary tract infection. More severe cases are ulceration of exposed tissue and prolapse of other pelvic organs such as the bladder or the rectum. For women over 50, this is one of the most common reasons for undergoing a hysterectomy. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Uterine prolapse is the condition of the uterus collapsing, falling down, or downward displacement of the uterus in relation to the vagina. It is also defined as the bulging of the uterus into the vagina. Uterine prolapse is a result of pelvic floor relaxation or structural overstretching of the muscles of the pelvic wall and ligamentous structures.
It only takes a few exercises a day to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Of course, some cases are more severe than others and may require corrective surgery, but for most, this is certainly reversible with pelvic floor exercises.
To strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, sit comfortably and squeeze the muscles 10-15 times in a row. Don’t hold your breath or tighten your stomach, buttock or thigh muscles at the same time. When you get used to doing pelvic floor exercises, you can try holding each squeeze for a few seconds.
As embarrassing as pelvic organ prolapse can be to talk about, it’s something you need to discuss with your primary care physician or Gynecologist. If you want to live a healthy and normal life and continue to enjoy sports/exercise, whether it is running, cycling, swimming, or high intensity workouts, you can do something about this today. Don’t let this experience deter you from living your best life.
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