Changing the position of your body will either make it easier or more difficult to engage your pelvic floor muscles. Once again, this supports the fact that having good, efficient posture helps the small muscles that we don’t even see.
The person on the left does not look they have the ability nor the energy to do much whereas the person on the right looks like they have the strength to accomplish whatever they need to throughout their day.
When you are sitting or standing in a more slouchy position, you are changing the position of your spine and pelvis. This changes how your muscles are positioned and therefore how effectively they are able to work.
Feel how difficult it is to reach for your coffee cup on the table in front of you when you are sitting in a slouchy posture. Its hard for your muscles to lengthen, reach and have enough strength to accomplish this task.
When our bones change position in space, they are taking the muscles attaching to them with them. If this position is not a strong, efficient position, the muscles are less able to work effectively.
What does this mean for you?
you will tire more quickly overall
your muscles will feel more fatigued and achey
you won’t feel that overall great feeling of energy
Now try reaching for your cup from a nice, tall posture and feel how much easier and less effortful it feels. Your pelvic floor muscles are the same! They work hard to support, among other things, your bladder! They work more efficiently just like the other muscles in your body, when they are working from an efficient posture. This means they will be able to better support you and your bladder, especially when you need it the most.
It is important to remember to:
- keep pulling our shoulders slightly down and back
- to keep lifting our chests gently upwards
- to breath in while we allow our belly to expand
but it is equally important to think about standing straight and lifting our pelvic floor up. Don’t forget about your pelvic floor.
Its not just about your “core” and pulling your lower belly in. Add in your pelvic floor and lift upwards.
Cues to think about when engaging your pelvic floor
- elevator going up, just to floor 3…so its not an intense lift
- drawing your tampon gently upwards
- stopping the flow of pea
- wading into some “cool” water
- stopping the passing of gas
Connect your posture to your pelvic floor: Straighten up and pull up!