It is quite striking that many women do not pay attention to our pelvic area until we become pregnant (or even worse, until we give birth), even more so considering the importance that this area has for us due to all the physiological functions that complies. For this reason, for many, the pevic floor is a pending issue with which we must catch up once we have reached an adult age, we are thinking of having a baby, or it is already on the way.
Today we speak with Ana Victoria Heit , WOmum physiotherapist specialized in pelviperinology on this subject and we solve the most frequent doubts about the care we should have before and during pregnancy.
What is the pelvic floor and why is it so important to take care of it?
The pelvic floor is the set of muscles and ligaments that close the abdominal cavity in its lower part , and support the pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, vagina and rectum) in a correct way for their proper functioning.
A strong and toned pelvic floor will help to properly control the urinary and anal sphincter, in addition to playing a fundamental role during pregnancy, helping to support the extra weight of the baby, and pushing it through the vagina at the time of delivery.
When should we start taking care of our pelvic floor?
In general, we should start to take care of our pelvic floor from a young age , and especially when we practice impact sports, in fact in training we should take into account the time to stretch and compensate for all those exercises that have been able to generate pressure in this area.
According to Ana Victoria, when we are adults, there are several key moments in which we should pay more attention : ” if we have urinary incontinence, if after having sex there is some discomfort, pain or discomfort (because it is not normal), after pregnancy and during premenopause, due to the effects of the decrease in the collagen we produce in the area “ . In those cases it is advisable to go to a professional.
There is a point that we do not usually take into account and that is that even without having been mothers we can have a problem with the pelvic floor . It is a common consequence in athletes (men or women) and in people who spend many hours sitting, since it is a posture that generates hypertonia and dysfunctions of different types in the area. In fact, we can also develop vaginisms due to emotional trauma.
Should we visit the pelvic floor physiotherapist before we get pregnant?
There are two moments in which the expert recommends going to an expert pelvic floor physiotherapist:
1. When we don’t get pregnant , since the uterus and fascia can be a bit stiff. In these cases, treatments such as radiofrequency can be performed because they improve the vascularity of the pelvic floor, the tone of the muscles and the quality of the tissue, which in some cases can facilitate conception.
2. If we are pregnant because each body is a world and not all of us can (and should not) practice the same exercises. “Before recommending any type of routine, it is very important to assess the patient’s abdominopelvic status because some (such as Kegel ) may be good for treating certain pathologies, but may be counterproductive for others.” affirms the physiotherapist.
Why is it so important to monitor the pelvic floor during pregnancy?
It is advisable to do it after the first trimester, and even better on week 30 to 32, because it is a time when there is more abdominal distention due to the weight of the baby. It is also necessary to strengthen the entire abdominal girth to avoid pubalgias, and especially to those who have had in vitro fertilization because it is a procedure that also influences the state of the tissues of the pelvic area .
Subsequently, it is necessary to start working towards childbirth to strengthen the muscles of the floor, and try to increase its elasticity through perineal massages so that it dilates in the best possible way. In this way, we try to avoid an episiotomy or a tear during delivery and , incidentally, facilitate a quick postpartum recovery .
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