Everything you need to know about prolapse for postpartum Weightlifters
Everything you need to know about prolapse for postpartum weightlifters
As a pelvic floor physical therapist specializing in fitness I help a lot of women who have prolapse and they all want to know about what this means for weightlifting postpartum.
If you are an active woman and you have been diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse or perhaps given birth recently, you might be looking for help to understand if it is safe to lift heavy with pelvic organ prolapse and you are in the right place!
50% of women will experience prolapse in her lifetime so if this is you, you aren’t alone!
This blog will go through everything you need to know about prolapse for postpartum weightlifters.
First, let’s break it down.
What is pelvic organ prolapse?
Pelvic organ prolapse refers to the downward shifting of the organs (bladder, uterus, rectum) in the pelvic bowl aka inside the pelvis.
For some people it can feel scary if you have taken a look “down there” and noticed things are like they used to be.
It’s important to know that-
Just because things look different does not mean you will have symptoms
Not all prolapse is the same, there is a special measuring system that experienced pelvic physical therapists learn to measure how much, so this is where having a personalized approach with an experienced pelvic floor physical therapist is important to understanding what is going on with your anatomy.
What causes pelvic organ prolapse?
Vaginal childbirth will be the primary mechanism for most women
Chronic coughing and chronic constipation
Prolonged occupational weightlifting
After pelvic surgeries such as a hysterectomy
Tissue changes that occur with aging and menopause
What are the different types of pelvic organ prolapse?
Cystocele is a prolapse in the front of the vaginal wall
Rectocele is a prolapse in the back wall of the vagina
Uterine or vault prolapse is from the top of the vagina.
Rectal prolapse is downward descent of the tissues from the rectum.
How is prolapse measured?
Imaged used as a member of Pelvic Global.
Prolapse is measured by a urogyneocologist or a speciality trained physical therapist using the POP-Q quantification system to see how much movement is inside your vagina using a fancy measuring stick.
Some movement is considered normal postpartum and just because you have movement, doesn’t mean you will have symptoms.
Some common symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse include
Pelvic pressure
Pelvic heaviness
Pain with sex
Difficulty emptying your bladder fully
Feeling like something is falling out of your vagina
Interestingly enough, there are many women who might experience some of these symptoms but don’t have prolapse which is why have a thorough assessment from a pelvic floor physical therapist is key.
In most cases, pelvic organ prolapse does not threaten your life, but for many active women especially weighlifters, prolapse is a concern and affects your quality of life postpartum and decades after your child moves out!
Different Treatments for Prolapse
You can do nothing if you don’t feel it is bothering your life
You can do conservative options such as a pessary or pelvic floor physical therapy
You can have surgery
You can do a combination of all of the above! I don’t know if you will need a surgical solution in the future, but lets optimize your pelvic health now and this is what I help women with in the 1 on 1 programs at Radiance PT.
What is a Pessary?
A pessary is like a sports bra for your vagina, crazy, right!
It's an internal medical device providing support for people with bothersome prolapse symptoms or bladder leaks that can be a fantastic conservative option in conjunction with pelvic floor PT and lifestyle management.
One way to look at pessaries is like this.
A pessary is like what glasses are for your eyes if your vision is not that great,
Not everyone needs or wants surgery to correct their vision and glasses are an amazing option so you can see better allowing you to navigate life comfortably and confidently.
Just like your frames or prescription would need to be custom fitted and rechecked over time, people who were pessaries go through a fitting process to find the one that is just right with follow ups and checks over time to make sure it's working out well for your body and so that your skin is not getting irritated.
The great news is that there are many conservative options, just like humans have been exploring space for decades— you deserve to enjoy a quality of life where you can make informed decisions so that you can show up as your best self! There are many contemporary ways for postpartum weightlifters to manage prolapse so you can keep training while reaping the benefits to your bone, heart, and muscle health and it’s important to know— the diagnosis of prolapse does not have to define you or what you do!
Comprehensive Treatment for Pelvic Organ Prolapse at Radiance PT
Postpartum weightlifters with prolapse go from worried about how to lift safely to confidently having in the gym using my 4 step signature framework.
Get to the root of why your pelvic floor is back talking and why what you tried before has not worked so that you can have clarity on all the factors contributing to your prolapse so that you understand what your body signals are telling you, and find long lasting relief.
Next we include the functional movement assessment that allows me to understand how your general movement patterns play a role into your symptoms of prolapse or discomfort allowing me to customize your healing experience as you learn new ways of moving.
The Radiance PT office has a treadmill, squat rack, barbells, and boxes to jump - yes that's right– everything a postpartum weightlifter needs so that you feel confident exercising with your prolapse.
To assess the pelvic floor itself, this is similar to a gyno exam where you are in private treatment room, but the biggest difference is that as a pelvic floor therapist I check the performance of the pelvic floor muscles
Endurance, Coordination
Speed, Power
Flexibility
Your pelvic floor also gets tested standing especially if this is the area where you are having leakage or prolapse symptoms.
For folks who are an appropriate candidate for a pessary, a pessary fitting service is available at Radiance PT so that we can find a right fit for you!
What Happens during a Pessary Fitting at Radiance PT?
During your 1 hour pessary fitting measurements of your prolapse and how much movement are in your vagina walls are taken, this informs your provider on what size might be a good fit for you. Fitting for the right pessary, might take a few tries to find the best one that helps reduce your bothersome prolapse symptoms. While you are in the clinic, we’ll test the movement that bothers you such as running, a heavy lift, jump, or cough!
So, are you ready to stop babysitting your vagina and want to get for treatment for prolapse in Durham, North Carolina?
At Radiance PT, you will work with an experienced pelvic floor physical therapist who specializes in the athletic performance for people dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction.
The Radiance PT office is conveniently located off of highway 40 in Durham with quick access for Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Cary, and Morrisville.
Fill out this form and the Radiance PT Patient Care coordinator will get back to you ASAP!