Uncover the Truth About Prolapse

These last few years, you can’t begin an exercise routine, have a baby or sneeze without having someone mention your pelvic floor. The funny thing is a lot of people don’t even really know what it is, why it’s important and how easily is can be healed and strengthened.

If you're familiar with prolapse or have experienced it, you'll know that pelvic floor function plays a crucial role in rehabilitation. This article aims to provide you with a better understanding of the relationship between the pelvic floor and prolapse, as well as tips for addressing this issue if you are struggling with it.

What Is your Pelvic Floor?

Your pelvic floor is like a little hammock that attaches to the bottom of your pelvis and when strong, aims to hold everything (uterus, bladder, bowel) in it's place.

The pelvic floor plays a crucial role in allowing you to control urination, defecation, and maintaining bladder and bowel control when a restroom is not readily available. It works in conjunction with other connective tissues, including the deep core muscles, to perform its functions. The pelvic floor muscles can be consciously contracted and relaxed, and in some cases, they may be continuously active, which can lead to prolapse over time. Just like breathing, the pelvic floor muscles are constantly working without you being aware of it. Prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor muscles weaken, causing internal organs to descend and protrude into areas where they do not belong. This can result in incontinence, weakness, and a heavy feeling in the vaginal area.

If these symptoms go unmanaged, it’s not uncommon to feel anxiety, depression and lack of self confidence due to the worry of embarrassment in public.

What is prolapse?

Prolapsed Uterus
Prolapsed Bladder
Prolapsed Rectum

There are three main types of prolapse for women that are commonly diagnosed as a prolapsed:

Uterus
Bladder
Rectum

Obviously these relate to whereabouts the weakness is being felt. For some it can be more than one area of weakness and bulging. Alongside your diagnosis you will be graded into one of three stages for severity.

  • Stage 1 is when it protrudes a little way into the vagina

  • Stage 2 is when it protrudes close to the vaginal opening

  • Stage 3 is when it protrudes outside of the vagina

What causes prolapse?

Prolapse can happen to any woman, whether she is of childbearing age or not. She can be fit and very active and it’s not only limited to women who had a vaginal birth or trauma during. Prolapse also doesn’t necessarily happen straight after birth, as sometimes it can be weakness that gets progressively worse with strain on the pelvic floor months and years after your baby/babies.

How can prolapse be treated or prevented?

Prolapse can happen to any woman, whether she is of childbearing age or not. She can be fit and very active and it’s not only limited to women who had a vaginal birth or trauma during. Prolapse also doesn’t necessarily happen straight after birth, as sometimes it can be weakness that gets progressively worse with strain on the pelvic floor months and years after your baby/babies.

The good news is physiotherapy and simple protection techniques during exercise and in the postpartum can get you on the road to healing and feeling like your beautiful confident self.

As this topic is so important and the preventative approach is always best, BirthTools™ and all it’s counterpart's feature many videos from our fitness and women’s health professional Alison Frendin.

If you’re thinking, “what’s next?” when it comes to rehabilitation or perhaps you’re pregnant or ready for another baby, then check out the articles.

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