Physical Therapist demonstrates 2 unsafe abdominal core exercises to avoid with prolapse from https://www.pelvicexercises.com.au
What is the Problem with Intense Abdominal Core Exercises and Prolapse?
Intense core abdominal exercises create downward pressure onto the pelvic floor. If the pelvic floor is weak it is forced downwards.
Many women with prolapse problems have weak or poorly functioning pelvic floor muscles.
2 Abdominal Exercises to Avoid or Modify for Prolapse Protection
Abdominal Exercise 1: Forward Plank
Forward Plank is an abdominal core exercise for strengthening core abdominal and spinal muscles.
Forward Plank is usually performed bearing body weight through the forearms and the balls of the feet. Forward Plank involves intensely contracting the strong Rectus Abdominis muscles that can force the pelvic floor down when strongly activated.
How to Modify Forward Plank
Forward Plank can be modified to reduce the pressure it creates within the abdomen. Some women avoid the Forward Plank until their pelvic floor muscles are strong enough to withstand this exercise or modify the exercise to reduce the load on the pelvic floor.
Avoid the Forward Plank or Modified Plank if you notice prolapse symptoms with this exercise.
Modified Forward Plank Technique:
*Start lying down on your abdomen with your elbows bent and forearms on the mat
*Gently activate your deep abdominal muscles
*Draw your shoulder blades together and slightly down
*Activate your pelvic floor muscles before and throughout this exercise
*Keep your knees and feet in contact with the mat
*Raise your hips and trunk off the mat
*Avoid holding your breath
*Hold this position briefly and return your body back down to starting position.
Abdominal Exercise 2: The Hundred Pilates Exercise
The Hundred exercise is a Pilates exercise that strongly activates the abdominal muscles especially Rectus Abdominis when the head is raised forwards off the ground.
How to Modify The Hundred
This exercise can be easily modified to reduce pressure on the pelvic floor:
*Start lying on your back with your knees bent
*Keep your head down in contact with the mat for this entire exercise
*Gently activate your deep abdominal muscles
*Avoid raising both legs in the air simultaneously
*Instead, raise one bent leg above your body so your hip and knee are at right angles
*Lower your leg back to starting position keeping your abdominal muscles gently activated
*Breathe throughout this exercise
To Increase Challenge
Make this exercise more challenging y by slowly lowering the raised leg towards the ground and then raising it back above the body maintaining the normal inwards curve in your lower back as you do so.
These are some examples of the intense abdominal exercises to avoid with prolapse and how to modify them.
For more information on Prolapse Exercises refer to Michelle’s book at https://www.pelvicexercises.com.au/pelvic-exercise-products/pelvic-exercise-books/prolapse-exercises/
