Prolapse – Advance Stabilisation

[Davina Alderton]

Hi Tasha,
I’m four months post partum with baby no2 and have bladder prolapse symptoms. My physio said it is mild but I feel symptoms of something coming down all the time. My physio said to level but after reading your site I knew that wasn’t enough. I’ve now been doing your DVD hab it for 8 weeks and I feel stronger. I swim and cycle but don’t walk more than q0 mins as I still have symptoms. I have read the educate section and can do all 4 workouts of the DVD.
I also work on my posture. I’m keen to progress things and get further symptom reduction. Would you recommend moving on to advanced stabilisation now and/cardio despite still having sympto.s or keeping with hab it longer?
I’ve learned so much from your site already, thank you!
Davina

[Catherine]

Hi Davina and Tasha
I could have written this post as I have the same experience. I too have found the DVD so helpful. Likewise I have a mild prolapse and am not symptom free in daily activities.
However I decided to move on to the advanced stabilisation and give it a try.
So far I found the exercises to strengthen my body as a whole. However my prolapse symptoms have increased such as I feel the bulge more during exercise after and the following day. I wondered if I was recruiting my RA? I feel strong enough to do the exercises but the prolapse definitely feels descended despite trying to pull in TA, breathe and keep good posture.
So like you I am now unsure of whether to stop and go back to Hab it again?

[Catherine]

Sorry posted a bit soon. I love the workout so feeling a bit frustrated. I have read and been cautioned a lot about planking however I also read all of your entries on why you recommend them too.
Any advice would be great
Thanks

[Tasha]

Alright Ladies,
My answer is this – we are missing something if we are not feeling the pressure lifting with stance in neutral spine. Can you stand and breath with chest elevation and expansion? Can you breathe in and feel your chest elevate and expand and your belly actually draw up and in, and then on your exhale, can you release your breath with no movement of your belly (TA). Can you take in 3-5 of these breaths with no belly expansion? Thats a nice test to start with to see if you can control your TA.

When you get on your stomach or hands and knees and perform multifido lifts, do you feel your TA activate and do you feel your pelvic floor being drawn to a bit of a stretch with your tailbone lift as well? This should result in a distinct feeling of lifting your pelvic organs.

Let me know how your body feels on these two exercises and then we’ll move on from there.

tasha

[Catherine]

Thanks Tasha.
Ok – I can pull up and in my TA and breath without my belly expanding (te belly movement is tiny as in barely moves when looking in the mirror too).
I can also feel my TA and pelvic floor when I do the multifidi lifts on the ground and a very slight pelvic floor stretch when I tilt or lift my tail bone.
I have a mild scoliosis, might this be what is stopping me seeing a eduction in symptoms. It’s never caused any issues before.

Thanks!

[Tasha]

Catherine,
That all sounds good. Lets go back to the Advanced program, but modify the planks so that your hands are on the 3rd or 4th stair when you do these and the tricep push ups. I don’t care if this feels “too easy”, I want to be ultra confident we aren’t getting any Rectus Abdominus firing with the Advanced planks and this will help you really focus on your TA and exercise form, vs putting in extra effort for an exercise that may cause you to recruit some muscles we don’t want just yet!

tasha

[Catherine]

Thanks for the response. I will go back to it and let you know.

However in the meantime I’m feeling very confused again. I’ve been seeing a physio since 6weeks pp and one said I had a mild prolapse but the other two (they have changed due to mat leave) have said I definitely don’t have a prolapse (cystecole).

I saw a Urogynocologist yesterday (to check 3a tear which is all fine) and she also checked prolapse. She said my bladder is in place but the lump I feel is due to laxity at the bottom of the anterior wall, about 1cm in. This causes a small firm lump.
I am thankful that it is not a prolapse and small however my symptoms are still very bothersome. I can feel it all the time. It is uncomfortable and I’m just aware something is coming down. My pelvic floor is apparently strong (4/5).

As you know I’ve been doing Hab it consistently since 12 weeks pp (I’m now 5 months) and I’ve also avoided heavy lifting etc and watch my posture.

The urogyn basically said it may be overstretching so may improve with time or may never improve. They said surgery would never be an option as it is not a prolapse. She said maybe use a cube pessary. Beyond that the message I got was basically you have had two babies, live with it.

I feel quite confused and disheartened. Will your programme or any exercise help with whatever this is (which I also don’t really understand the difference with prolapse and laxity).

Your advice and programme has always given me continued hope and I do believe in the power of exercise however just feel a bit confused and disheartened now.

Any advice, clarification etc would be appreciated more than you could imagine!

Thanks so much!

[Catherine]

Hi again
I should add the two physios that said it is not a prolapse also said it is laxity. They just tell me o kegel. The Uro-gyn did note that the little bulge is probably the bladder drooping due to laxity.
Thanks so much Tasha.

[Tasha]

My goodness – why don’t people just talk in layman terms – the laxity of the anterior wall is a grade I prolapse of your bladder…period. So your bladder has sagged a bit, but the anterior wall is holding nicely. Do i think that you can and will be symptom free – absolutely! But it takes time and consistency, mostly with posture, chest breathing, TA activation when exerting with any sit/stand/push/push.

Allow your body to remodel and help support your pelvic organs – it will if you consistently stand with your knees unlocked, your tail bone slightly lifted, your belly draw up slightly, your chest lifted, and your hands open. This is the basis for all your good habits of chest breathing and TA activation.

You got this! Don’t get hung up on a label of prolapse or laxity. You know what you are feeling is not the way you used to feel and you want it to go away. I believe it will! Let’s start getting into planks, squats, glute work and stop focusing so much on the floor! Do you have Hab It Cardio?

tasha

[Catherine]

Thanks so much for your promo response Tasha. I will keep going. Interesting the urogyn told me not to squat however it’s one of the exercises from Hab it that I like the most so plan to continue!

Yes I have the cardio but didn’t start it yet. I did Hab it for 8weeks and then moved to advanced stabilisation but felt symptoms increase (think it was after plank) so went back to Hab it and asked your advice. You told me about moving to third stair and recommended sticking with advanced. I have been doing daily Hab it and planned to get back to advanced this week. Should I do that or do the cardio?

I wish you were. Asked close by as you are so clear, containing and proactive. Do you know of anyone in the U.K. that teaches your method?

Thanks again

[Catherine]

Ps sorry for typos, I’m multi tasking!!

[Tasha]

Catherine,
I don’t have a name for you in the UK, but no worries, you got this.

The reason I asked about the Hab It Cardio is because all my planks in there are modified with hands on a bench, arm of couch, or 3rd stair – whatever you have available and near by your workout space.

Honestly, the 7 Day Advanced is more advanced than the Hab It cardio because of the planks alone. So try the Hab It Cardio for now and let me know how things progress!

Tasha

[Catherine]

Ok thanks Tasha. I’ll try the cardio programme and I’ll let you know.
Thanks again

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