03/03/2022
This week I worked with a high school basketball player, a triathlete, a competitive weight lifter, a dancer and a soccer player. Athletes across ages and genders but one thing in common - their pelvic pain has sidelined them from returning to their sport of choice 😞
Just like any other injury to the body, creating an effective pelvic pain rehab plan to return you back to the sport that brings you joy should be a priority.
Working through these 3 key rehab phases really helps my patients feel focused on the plan towards their goals. So I hope you find this helpful.
🪜🔆STAGE 1: Reduce pain and Improve mobility
This can include manual (hands-on therapy) in and around the pelvic floor/ spine/ abdomen etc; breathing exercises; mobility/ stretching exercises; alignment and postural re-education work.
Goal: Improve blood flow, calm down the nervous system, relax and gently stretch those stiffened pelvic floor muscles and the muscles that surround it.
🪜🔆STAGE 2: Strength train
Work on lengthening AND strengthening the muscles around the spine, pelvis, legs. Add some resistance with body weight, dumbbells/ kettlebells or resistance bands.
Goal: Change how the nervous system responds to those muscles contracting and relaxing. Start to incorporate modifications of your sport of choice e.g do some weightlifting at 25-50% of where you were when you were at your best etc
🪜🔆STAGE 3: Challenge your body!
Start to add more load i.e heavier weights or resistance. Add more reps, more impact. Use the principles you learned from Stage 1 and apply them here while you train. Stick with the general rule of thumb and limit your increase in resistance work (eg dumbbell training) to 10% at a time. Take 1-2 days to recover and monitor how your pelvic floor responds after each progressively harder routine.
Goal: To steadily, safely and mindfully challenge your body with heavier resistance exercise, until you are back to the sport you love.
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