MyFitProlapse

I see women who choose the first option of treatment. They have noticed their symptoms, they have either come to see me for a review or they have visited their gynaecologist or General Practitioner first. They attend physiotherapy for education, manual therapy, pelvic floor strengthening and lifestyle management advice. Often the conversation about lifestyle management is difficult. We all require different levels of pelvic floor strength and pelvic organ support for our individual lifestyles. One person might tell me that they would like to be able to stand all day at work without feeling their symptoms towards the end of the day, someone else will tell me that they would like to be able to complete their pilates class or to go for a long walk three times a week. Another client will want to get back to marathon training or will have noticed their symptoms when they returned to CrossFit or the gym after the birth of a child. I designed these programs to be used as an adjunct to whichever of the above options you have chosen. Prolapse management varies from person to person and its success depends on women’s goals as well as the type of prolapse, its level of descent in the pelvis, and the balance between pelvic floor strength and ligamentous support in the pelvic organs. Unfortunately there are no guarantees with any conservative approach to managing and treating prolapse but it is the only way to avoid surgery and there is no harm in giving it the best possible shot! In my clinic I have spent a lot of time designing home exercise programs for my patients but I have always felt that I could do better in terms of a progressive, independent program that would allow my patients more autonomy in their management of prolapse. I visualised every patient scenario that I have encountered while making these videos as well as considering the scientific and expert-based evidence that we have. I have noticed how people want to enjoy exercise regardless of their prolapse so this is a big part of my programme. I have been instructing Pilates for years so all my videos take the form of a Pilates class and the classes vary from ten minutes to forty five minutes.

There are five levels of exercises in the programme; It begins with information about and self-management of the symptoms of prolapse and moves on the strengthening of the pelvic floor, core and the whole body. There are short specific instructional videos and full body exercise videos at each level so that you can enjoy safe and challenging exercises while carefully monitoring and managing symptoms of prolapse at the level that suits you. As you grow stronger you will be able to move on to greater challenges and will be able to decide what works for you. This program is suitable for women of all ages. I designed this program based on my years of treating women individually in my clinic and in group Pilates classes. It is for you if: You have been diagnosed with a pelvic organ prolapse and would like to strengthen your pelvic floor and core to avoid other treatment options such as surgery You have symptoms of a prolapse and would like to avoid surgery if possible You are peri-menopausal or are menopausal and are starting to feel symptoms of pressure at the end of the day or after exercise You love exercise but are afraid to do your usual exercises because you have read or have been told to stay away from certain exercises. Your symptoms of prolapse are worse after you do your usual exercise. You are afraid to aggravate your symptoms and do as little as possible so that your day is comfortable. You are attending physiotherapy for treatment of pelvic organ prolapse and would like to add to your home exercise program and to make decisions about the exercises you can and cannot do. You want to exercise safely and to build up your strength, and to feel good.