In our active Boulder County community, we have observed an increase in the number of women participating in high intensity exercise such as CrossFit. The topic of pelvic health and CrossFit has been under discussion in recent years, prompted by reports of competitive female athletes experiencing urine loss due to stress urinary incontinence during CrossFit...
Word choice and verbal instruction impacts how one performs a pelvic floor muscle contraction. Previous research on women suggests that around 40% of women do not perform a kegel or pelvic floor muscle contraction correctly with verbal instruction and 25% of them were doing something that would increase the likelihood of leaking such as holding...
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, aside from skin cancer. A radical prostatectomy (RP) is a common and highly effective treatment for men with prostate cancer in which the prostate is surgically removed. Despite being an effective treatment option, it is not without negative side effects...
A radical prostatectomy is a common treatment option for prostate cancer in which the prostate is surgically removed. It is well known that following catheter removal after surgery, many men will experience moderate to significant amounts of involuntary urinary loss following surgery that can last from weeks to years. Hunter et al. in 2004 wrote...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a condition that is thought to be prevalent in up to 9-23% of the world’s population. It is associated with diarrhea, constipation or both, abdominal pain and bloating, possible urinary symptoms and pelvic pain. Common comorbidities including sleep difficulties, chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, and TMJ dysfunction can have a...
Pelvic floor muscles play an important role in sexual function for both men and women as they help increase and maintain blood flow to the genitals during sexual arousal. Both strength and motor control are important for proper muscle function anywhere in the body, including the pelvic floor. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction is unknown,...
Understanding and prioritizing pelvic floor relaxation is fundamental to maintaining overall muscle health. The pelvic floor’s unique ability to lengthen and relax plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including urination, bowel movements, childbirth, and sexual arousal. In this blog, we’ll explore the significance of pelvic floor relaxation and provide insights into its benefits,...
Avoiding constipation helps keep your pelvic floor happy. The following are 7 daily steps to help treat constipation and improve general bowel function. Eat slowly. Digestion starts when saliva from your salivary glands break food while you chew and taking your time while you chew can help break down food and signal to your gut...
Scientific research, including a Cochrane Review by Dumoulin et al. from 2018 that reviewed the information in 31 research trials, concludes there is grade A or high-quality evidence to support the use of pelvic floor muscle training to treat stress urinary incontinence or the urinary leaking that occurs with cough or a sneeze. There is...
What’s considered “normal” when it comes to bladder health and urination? The following is some basic information I use to screen people for possible bladder dysfunction and help them better identify the habits that may be contributing to their urinary symptoms. It’s important to remember there is no exact set of normal bladder habits, but...