In this interview with our founder Daniel, pelvic floor expert Pia Flake explains why a toilet stool is more than just an accessory. The experienced yoga teacher sheds light on the often overlooked importance of the pelvic floor for our health. From pregnancy to the menopause, from incontinence to sexuality - Pia shares her extensive knowledge of the pelvic floor and gives valuable tips for everyday life. Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the pelvic floor and discover how you can improve your quality of life with simple methods.
Daniel:
Hello Pia, I'm delighted to have the opportunity to interview you on the topic of the pelvic floor, which is so important, but unfortunately still receives too little attention. But before we clarify what exactly is meant by the term pelvic floor and what significance it has for our well-being, we would of course like to find out a little more about you and how you actually came to this topic. Why don't you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Pia:
Hello Daniel, thank you for inviting me to talk about my favorite topic - pelvic floor health.
Briefly about me: I am a female health guide, yoga teacher, pelvic floor trainer and mom of two children (born in 2017 and 2019). My home is the beautiful town of Kempten in the Allgäu in Bavaria. My births have partly contributed to why I now focus on pelvic floor health. However, it all started in San Francisco, where I began my yoga training in 2015. Although the pelvic floor was repeatedly mentioned in my many years of yoga practice before that (mula bandha - the energy lock on the pelvic floor has long been practiced by ancient yogis), this area of the body was not really tangible until then.
It was only during a pelvic floor workshop as part of my yoga training that I realized how crucial this area is for our well-being. At the time, I suffered from a lot of tension in my pelvic floor, which repeatedly caused abdominal pain and constipation. After my first pregnancy, I got to know the pelvic floor from a different perspective: A feeling of width and lack of strength appeared, accompanied by various symptoms.
As I was able to experience both sides of pelvic floor weakness myself, I became more and more interested in pelvic floor health. After further education and training, the focus of my yoga classes is now on this important area of the body. I offer pelvic floor yoga classes for pregnant women, for postnatal recovery and for women (or people with vaginas). Over the past four years, I have developed “Restore Your Roots” - a holistic pelvic floor training concept that includes active and passive exercises from yoga, functional training and fascia training, as well as many impulses for movement sequences in everyday life.
I am particularly keen to get the topic of the pelvic floor out of the taboo zone. If we talk about it openly and exchange ideas, we can better understand how we can specifically support our well-being.
Daniel:
Pelvic floor training and yoga - that sounds like a very good combination! We have a lot in common, both in terms of the area of the body we focus on and the fact that we somehow seem to be in a taboo zone. But I still have two very basic questions: what is the pelvic floor and where is the pelvic floor?
Pia:
The pelvic floor is a multi-layered group of muscles and fascia located at the lower end of the pelvis. This tissue of muscles and fascia is attached to the ischial bones at the sides, the pubic bone at the front and the coccyx at the back. It is an area about the size of the palm of your hand that closes off our bony pelvis at the bottom. If you realize where the pelvic floor is, it quickly becomes clear that it has quite important functions for our body: It stabilizes the surrounding joints and is partly responsible for supporting and securing the position of the organs as well as supporting the lower abdomen (pregnancy, birth), holding it in place and closing it. On the other hand, it must open and release during the daily excretion of urine/stool and during childbirth. It helps to maintain optimal pressure in the abdomen (intra-abdominal pressure) and fulfills important functions in sexuality (orgasm). If the pelvic floor is out of balance, everything above and below it can also be out of balance.
Daniel:
It is really impressive how many functions the pelvic floor performs and how much it influences our well-being. However, action is often only taken when symptoms already occur. That's why I would like to know: How can you tell that the pelvic floor is out of balance and when is it advisable to do something about it?
Pia:
There are several signs that the pelvic floor is not in balance and that pelvic floor weakness is occurring. First of all, it is important to know that this is not always due to a muscle that is too weak and weak, but that a muscle that is too strong with too much tone can also cause pelvic floor weakness.
Forms of incontinence are probably the most common type of pelvic floor weakness, i.e. involuntary loss of urine or stool. Pelvic floor dysfunction can also manifest itself through a prolapse of the pelvic organs (bowel, uterus, bladder). In these cases, you often feel a kind of “foreign body” sensation in the vagina. Instability of the torso, pelvic and back pain, a bulging lower abdomen, pain during sexual intercourse and constipation can also indicate pelvic floor weakness.
Daniel:
There really are a lot of symptoms that can indicate pelvic floor weakness. But what actually triggers it? Are there certain life situations, predispositions or habits that have a particularly negative effect on the pelvic floor?
Pia:
Yes, there are many factors that can affect pelvic floor health. Problems that occur during pregnancy, after childbirth and in old age are particularly well known, as hormonal changes affect the fascia and muscle tissue and it becomes less elastic over time. Pelvic floor complaints also occur more frequently after pelvic and abdominal surgery, as the procedures themselves and the resulting scar tissue can make it difficult to access the pelvic floor.
In addition, it is becoming increasingly known that many competitive athletes suffer from pelvic floor weakness, as the constant high levels of stress put a lot of strain on this area of the body. Permanently poor posture (e.g. sitting a lot, crossing legs, standing sideways), a lack of exercise in everyday life, being overweight and unfavorable toilet habits (e.g. sitting for long periods, pushing hard) can also have a negative impact on pelvic floor health.
In addition to physical causes, emotional imbalances can also affect the pelvic floor, particularly in connection with the root chakra. These include anxiety, difficulties with confidence, a feeling of alienation from one's own body, self-doubt, insecurities, disorientation, stinginess and problems with letting go.
Daniel:
Very interesting! This naturally raises the question: what can you actively do to strengthen the pelvic floor and alleviate discomfort? What measures or exercises do you particularly recommend?
Pia:
There are a variety of ways to strengthen and balance the pelvic floor and make the tissue more elastic. Many people probably immediately think of Kegel exercises (such as consciously tensing and relaxing the pelvic floor) when they think of pelvic floor training. However, there is much more you can do than just this targeted contraction and relaxation.
Before getting deeper into training, I think it's essential to understand your own pelvic floor better. What complaints do you have? Are there certain symptoms? Is the pelvic floor perhaps overly tense or rather weak? Is there a prolapse? What is the nature of the connective tissue - soft and elastic or firmer and stiffer? Stress can also play a role.
As pelvic floor weakness is often associated with increased tension in the pelvic floor (almost 50% of cases), it is important to focus on relaxation first. The nervous system should be put into “rest & digest” mode. Exercises from yin yoga, restorative yoga and breathing exercises are extremely helpful here.
Once this basis has been created, it is often easier to establish a connection to the pelvic floor. Now the training of the enduring and fast-acting muscle fibers as well as the fascia can begin - always with regular breaks.
The surrounding areas of the body are then included, especially the core muscles. The pelvic floor is a central component of the core and plays an important role in core stability. The hip flexors and gluteal muscles are also important in this context. During training, we also take into account important fascial chains that are connected to the pelvic floor.
In addition to training on the mat, it is also important to protect the pelvic floor in everyday life. This includes establishing pelvic floor-friendly movements and routines. For example, we look at breathing and posture in everyday life and integrate movements that are gentle on the pelvic floor. Another example: I recommend using a toilet stool to minimize pressure on the pelvic floor, as pressing and prolonged sitting are harmful to the pelvic floor tissue.
Daniel:
Pia, you mentioned the importance of a pelvic floor-friendly posture in everyday life. To what extent can the use of a toilet stool influence pelvic floor health? Do you see it more as a preventative measure or as a way to alleviate acute symptoms?
Pia:
Using a toilet stool relieves the pelvic floor immensely, as the squatting position removes the kink in the bowel, making it easier to empty the bowels without pressure. The toilet stool is an excellent way to protect the pelvic floor, especially if you are prone to constipation. If you already have symptoms, it is all the more important not to put any more strain on the pelvic floor. In the case of problems such as organ prolapse, haemorrhoids or after childbirth and operations, a toilet stool can make daily elimination easier and alleviate acute discomfort.
I believe that a toilet stool should be in every bathroom as it makes the process so much more comfortable and easier.
Daniel:
Finally, do you have any other toilet tips for a healthy pelvic floor? I once heard that you can also train the pelvic floor when urinating by holding the urine stream?
Pia:
Good point! In my opinion, stopping the urine stream is actually detrimental to healthy pelvic floor function as it sends the wrong signal to the brain: The pelvic floor should close, although it is actually set to release. This is more likely to cause discomfort again. It is therefore better to do pelvic floor training on the mat. My tips for a toilet routine that is gentle on the pelvic floor are: Let it flow (without pressure, even if it has to be quick), always sit down (even on the go, disinfectant helps), only stay as long as necessary and don't urinate as a precaution - this only confuses the brain.
Daniel:
Thank you, Pia, for the valuable insights into pelvic floor health and the practical tips and exercises for the pelvic floor. It was really exciting to learn how important a holistic view of our pelvic floor is and how even small adjustments in everyday life can improve our quality of life. I wish you all the best for the future and look forward to staying in close contact.
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