My entire journey with prolapse recovery can be found in my previous Prolapse Journey Post.
After a year of consistent pelvic floor PT and gradual progression of activities, I eventually became asymptomatic! I still will have “flare-ups” of symptoms now and then. Things I have found to help when this happens are:
- Diaphragmatic breathing in a reclined or slightly inverted position
- Hamstring Engagement Breathing strategy
- Adductor Release/Strengthening
- Hip Shifting during different movements
1) Diaphragmatic Breathing
Many times, when I have increased symptoms, it is due to pelvic floor tension and not worsening prolapse. A few of the strategies above help release any tension I am holding onto in my pelvic floor.
Diaphragmatic breathing, either laying flat on my back or with pillows under my hips to allow gravity to help release any tension, helps the most when I feel pelvic floor heaviness. This helps me think about moving my pelvic floor through its full range of motion rather than just in a tense state.
I am thinking about full 360-degree motion in my rib cage as I inhale, feeling the pelvic floor lengthen fully, then on the exhale, feeling the pelvic floor return to neutral. Sometimes, it is helpful when I place my hands on my rib cage to feel the total expansion of my rib cage.
2. Hamstring Engagement Breathing Strategy
Another breathing exercise I learned from my pelvic floor PT is a foot up the wall, hamstring engagement breathing strategy. During the movement, I think about pressing into the heels of my feet and dragging them down the wall (without them actually moving). This helps to turn on the hamstrings.
This is something I will implement in my warm-up before I go for a run or something that is a higher impact.
3) Adductor Release/Strengthening
For me, my right adductor is tighter, and my left adductor is weaker. This can lead to some pelvic floor symptoms from this imbalance.
Two things I will do are adductor rock backs and then Copenhagen planks for this aspect. I have added in some manual therapy/foam rolling of the adductor or even dry needling when it was really bad, but most of the time, the exercises below are enough!
For the adductor rock backs, I mostly focus on my right adductor. I will do the adductor rock back only on the right leg and will move my foot in different positions to get into the adductor more. I usually only do this a few times a week, but if I have symptoms, I will add this in more often!
I will do Copenhagen planks with my left leg/foot on top of the bench to strengthen my left adductor. This strengthens not only the adductors but also the obliques/core so it not only helps with my prolapse symptoms but also my SPD pain! So it is a double benefit.
4) Hip Shifting during different movements
During certain movements, I would feel an increased feeling of heaviness when first incorporating movements. Before I omit the exercise until I am symptomless, I will play around with the positions and posture of my body. I will think about ensuring I am not sticking my butt out while in it, my ribcage isn’t flared out, as well as that I am not holding my breath and creating more downward pressure.
If none helps, I will add a hip shift into the movement. This means I am shifting my left hip backward slightly, shortening the left obliques, and lengthening the right obliques. All while not moving my torso. (Insert photo/video of a hip shift in movement)
99% of the time, just by adding in this hip shift my symptoms will go away AND I will feel stronger in the movement as well. Hip shifts are magical! Learn more about the benefits of hip shifting in this blog.
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