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Issue #2

Power to the Pelvis

Hello friend!

Here's your Power to the Pelvis newsletter for November! I'm still trying out this name, so let me know what you think!

NOVEMBER: a month of gratitude. What are you thankful for?

I am very thankful for my family, friends, clients (and subscribers) for believing in me. I received a glowing review from one of my clients recently that really touched me. She said "My knowledge for pelvic floor function and whole body function improved greatly which helped me to make changes within my own habits. I felt supported and I was given so many techniques to improve my overall function. I had a fantastic experience, and felt like I finally could make changes. I highly recommend Aleta!" I couldn't have asked for anything more for this client. My ultimate goal is to teach my clients to recognize patterns and make changes to improve their overall function while addressing their pelvic floor concerns.

* Tip of the Month: Don't push when you "go"

Okay, so this is something that I need to put out there. Please stop pushing on the toilet! Whether it's pushing pee out (power peeing), bearing down with BMs (aka straining), or blowing your nose while sitting on the toilet (convenience aside), all of these are no-no's for your pelvic floor. Pushing and straining if often a sign of pelvic floor dysfunction. When you "go" you want your pelvic floor to relax completely, and pushing or straining can cause your pelvic floor to weaken and can cause prolapse to worsen. Take your time, BREATHE, and relax your pelvic floor muscles. If you want more information about this, I'm happy to chat!

* IG I'm loving

I've NEVER been a fan of feet - that's part of why I became an occupational therapist instead of a physical therapist - TRUE STORY!! But feet are SO IMPORTANT for the health and mobility of our pelvic floor. GaitHappens is one of my favorite IG to follow. Dr. Conley and her team offer excellent tips for foot health, mobility, and often include some great pelvic floor exercises with foot exercises since it's ALL connected!

The deep front line (DFL) is a collection of muscles and fascia running from our feet through our inner thighs, pelvis, diaphragm and even up to the jaw (jaw pain anyone?!). The DFL is responsible for maintaining your core alignment and stability in static (stationary) and dynamic (moving) positions. Click this link for a great exercise to target your pelvic floor through the whole deep front line of fascia!

NOTE: the linked exercise requires balance, so you could always hold onto a wall or a chair, and if you don't have a band for under your toe you can use a washcloth or even something like a quarter - the goal is to keep your big toe planted on the floor.

* Blog I'm reading

We have become a sitting culture, and over time this can lead to postural changes in our bodies. A common postural change is an anterior pelvic tilt (APT). An APT can contribute to future hip impingement (think pinching pain in the hip). I'd like to prevent that in myself and others if I can. Here are a few adult (and kid) friendly exercises to decrease anterior pelvic tilt. The goal is to strengthen the hamstrings and abs.

• Crab walk - Focus on reaching forward with the leg and pulling with the hamstrings. Keep the hips up high and maintain a posterior tilt.
• Bear Crawls - Focus on keeping the pelvis tucked under and utilizing the abs to help connect the upper body to the lower body.
• Hands and Knees - Grab a balloon and tuck your hips under to strengthen your abs, and focus on keeping that tuck as you blow up the balloon. Note: if you have prolapse or diastasis, please utilize extreme caution. If you want more information or modifications - PLEASE reach out to me!
• Encourage full squat sitting as much as possible. Use a yoga block or small pillow to assist if you lack the range or strength to hold a full squat position.

Click here for more tips/exercises for managing APT and a great blog post for everyone, not just postpartum mamas (as it's geared toward). I do want to note that she talks about "belly breathing" in the post - I'm NOT a fan of encouraging "belly" breathing. We want full rib expansion with our breath to allow for the diaphragm to fully expand and pelvic floor to naturally descend.

Did you try any of these tips? I'd love to know what you think. I read every email!

See you next month!

P.S. Having a good, clean lube is SUPER important. Right now I'm loving Uberlube - it's silky, smooth and has multiple uses - Style/Sex/Sport. Use discount code pelvichealth10 for 10% off of your purchase.

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