I sat down with the folks at @original_strength for a hopeful chat about pregnancy recovery. A perfect way to kick off Mother’s Day weekend. Supporting those that give birth and the folks that help them get back to function and fitness. You can watch the video at Original Strength‘s youtube page following this link. Listen in and enjoy! The post Pregnancy Recovery and Restoring Pelvic Health Podcast with Original Strength appeared first on Julie Wiebe PT ..read more

Recently, I attended the Female Athlete Conference. After decades of working to get a seat at the table to have folks consider the needs of the female athlete, what a switch to be surrounded by 100’s of others with the same passion. I was immersed in all-things female* athlete, and it was glorious.   Female Athlete for the Win The conference pulled together the collective wisdom of athletes, coaches, sports med physicians, physiotherapists, athletic trainers, kinesiologist, nutritionists, researchers, etc. There was even an adolescent sports gynecologist….what?!! I didn’t even know that w ..read more

Q: To Kegel or not to Kegel?- Asking for a friend. A: Short Answer: Both/and, not either/or. Long Answer: Let’s move the conversation forward and ask new questions. What’s the Issue? To Kegel or not to Kegel is a hot topic these days. However, the controversy and conversation is not new. The concern is that the promotion of Kegels (a contraction and hold of the pelvic floor, followed by relaxation) may not be appropriate for everyone. However, it remains the go-to suggestion for anything related to pelvic health. Kegels are intended to strengthen. If someone’s pelvic health issues might be irr ..read more

Honored to be a guest on the EIM Practice Leadership Podcast with hosts and Movers and Mentors editors, Tim Reynolds, PT, DPT and Bryan Guzski, PT, DPT. We covered pushing pelvic health, and the physical therapy profession as a whole, toward more progressive programming. Being adaptable, and the link between failure and learning. More importantly, what my plans are if this PT thing doesn’t work out! Listen in to the Practice Leadership Podcast episode HERE. Practice Leadership Podcast-Movers and Shakers In addition, I will be joining a great line-up of speakers at the online EIM Elevate Pelvi ..read more

Kegels Don’t seem to stop leaks with running. What gives? Asking for a friend. Short answer: They aren’t enough. Long Answer: Read on. One Size Does Not Fit All (Activities) Many female runners have tried Kegels without success. Here’s the deal, a one muscle solution will not meet the complex needs of an activity like running. Instead, we must address leaks with a multifaceted approach. All the variables that play into continence control during sport must be considered to build a tailored program to help you. We would not ignore pain in an athlete, or encourage them to ignore it. Instead we wo ..read more

Running postpartum? Rotation is key! Often, postpartum mamas end up running with chests high, rotating through their upper chest and shoulders, and pump their arms to make it look like they are rotating. However, their belly buttons stay straight ahead (see pic on left). They have substituted this for the beautiful torso rotation you see in the comparison pic on the right. True, effective trunk rotation looks like the right trunk and arm driving through over the left lead leg (see right pic originally in @runnersworld). Want to reduce impact forces in running postpartum? Rotate Rotation helps ..read more

Weight training and prolapse-is it OK? Asking for a friend. Short Answer: Yes. Long answer: keep reading. A No-No? Heavy weight training activities like CrossFit© are often No-No’s in the conversation around pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Many women are advised to avoid these strenuous loads during pregnancy and beyond due to a potential for POP. However, similar to most pelvic health issues, the development of POP is multifactorial. Recent studies have provided us with a broader look at the relationship between weight training and prolapse. To shed new light, investigators have compared th ..read more

Q: Which Ab exercises are safe for prolapse? Asking for a friend. A: Short answer: It depends. Long Answer: Keep Reading. The Long Answer I wish I had a magic formula, but there isn’t one! Any exercise can be a bugger to prolapse or support it. Over-focus on exercises that target the abdomen may not be OK for you in this moment of your recovery process timeline. The forces you are generating at the center can be overwhelming to the pelvic musculature and support tissues below. Those tissues are regaining strength, coordination, timing, and resilience. They may not be able to match those forces ..read more

Let’s talk about return to running with prolapse! Activities with high impact forces can be tricky in the presence of a pelvic organ prolapse. We want to limit those forces and prepare for them as we recover from a pregnancy. However, integrating strategies to keep those forces inside the tolerance of the active (muscle) and passive (fascia, ligaments) structures that support the pelvic organs is a way forward. We can use these ideas to help keep impact activities on the table as you plan for a gradual return. Strategies for Running with Prolapse Here are some adaptions and strategies to consi ..read more

June is Pelvic Organ Prolapse Awareness Month, but I’m officially declaring it Prolapse Hope month! It’s a good time to share some #educatedhope to help ladies out who are getting their info from ye ole internet, which may be generating more fear than hope. Kicking it off with some info to help ease your mind…. Info to Empower 1. Immediately post partum you may feel like you have a prolapse, that is not just common, it is actually kinda normal. You may feel symptoms of prolapse like heaviness in your vagina, pressure or pain in the pelvis. Pushing a baby out may shift your pelvic or ..read more