Dr. Kelly Starrett on Pelvic Floor Health & Movement
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The Hidden World of Pelvic Health
The conversation around pelvic floor muscles is often shrouded in discomfort and misunderstanding. Yet, it's a crucial aspect of our overall health that affects everything from athletic performance to basic bodily functions. What we're discovering is that many issues we attribute to specific organs are actually systemic problems involving the entire pelvic region.
Athletic Performance
In Olympic lifting gyms, it's not uncommon to see towels on platforms - not for sweat, but for bladder incontinence during heavy lifts. This isn't normal. While it's natural for animals to evacuate before a fight, urinary incontinence signals a deeper dysfunction in our body's pressure management system.
Posture Matters
Many of us unconsciously adopt positions that compromise our pelvic floor function. Think about the common stance men take while urinating - leaning forward with an anterior pelvic tilt. This position actually inhibits proper pelvic floor engagement. The same principle applies to exercise: when we lose proper pelvic positioning, we compromise our ability to generate force and maintain control.
Daily Practice
The solution isn't complicated, but it requires consistency. Simple practices like the "hip spin-up" - just 8-10 minutes in the morning - can make a significant difference. You don't need supernatural flexibility, just basic range of motion that aligns with standard medical understanding.
Beyond Traditional Training
Traditional ab work often misses the mark. Instead of endless crunches, consider hanging leg raises or anti-rotation exercises. The trunk should be trained as a power generator, not just a stabilizer. As Serge Gracovetsky explains in "The Spinal Engine," movement should flow from core to periphery, creating a wave of contraction that powers everything we do.
Recovery and Maintenance
Simple self-maintenance techniques can make a huge difference. Using a ball to mobilize the endopelvic fascia - working the area from your pubic bone to your belly button - shouldn't cause discomfort. If it does, you've identified an area that needs attention. Remember: while we regularly address our hamstrings and quads, when was the last time you worked on your abs and obliques?