It’s a girl thing: PelviLates

It’s a girl thing: PelviLates.

• FEMALE URINARY INCONTINENCE/L.A. Examiner
• MARCH 12, 2012
• BY: SHERYL CRAIG

Attention ladies…this one’s for you. Do you find you can’t go for a jog without having to stop for an emergency pee break at Starbucks? High knees in your circuit cardio class make you race to the bathroom? A cough, a sneeze, a little laugh, an orgasm make you drip? Your pelvic muscles might be in need of some serious strength training.

American Urological Association (AUA) Foundation says that one in three women live with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which is a condition characterized by an involuntary loss of urine due to forces of the bladder caused by physical movement of the body. For many women, this health concern is caused by the weakening of the pelvic muscles from hemorrhoids, having babies (pregnancy & childbirth), menopause, the prolapse of the vagina, and while we don’t necessarily want to hear it…age.

“Many of us feel that this is an embarrassment and, some of us are reluctant to discuss these conditions even with family members or doctors,” says Elizabeth Pinter, PelviLates instructor in the Santa Monica area.

Short of using Depends, which are uncomfortable and often, embarrassing, and without giving up your 5-day a week cardio regimen, what are your choices? Surgery is certainly an option for some, but the success of these procedures depends largely on the strength of the patient’s muscles and ligaments. Frequently patients require a second surgery. Fortunately, there is an accessible exercise program which is a true alternative to surgery and can help curb urinary incontinence. PelviLates® offers an excellent program tailored specifically to strengthen and tighten women’s pelvic floor muscles. PelviLates originated in Hungary.

“We will improve the speed, strength, fitness, and control of the pelvic muscles. This sense of achievement increases our self-esteem, and self-confidence, and helps to keep us motivated,” consults Pinter.

By adhering to a regular pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) program, women will find better blood circulation to their pelvic floor allowing for the muscles to become stronger and more elastic, thus improving bladder control.

In Pinter’s class, she suggests wearing loose-fitting clothing (Beyond Yoga has comfy relaxed pants) while she leads you through various exercises using floor mats, Swiss balls, and chairs to teach pelvic floor stretches, isolating and contracting the pelvic muscle, and at home exercises to last a lifetime. Classes are taught through the City of Santa Monica. Pinter is a certified PelviLates instructor, who has suffered from SUI. She is committed to helping women with this age-old health problem and is available to customize a workout for people who need extra assistance. Her clients range in age from 25 years old to 95 years old. All client information is kept confidential.

What is the pelvic muscle?

• The pubococcygeus muscle or PC muscle is a palm-size, hammock-like muscle, found in both sexes, that stretches from the pubic bone to the coccyx (tail bone) forming the floor of the pelvic cavity and supporting the pelvic organs. It is part of the levator ani group of muscles. The PC controls urine flow and contracts during orgasm.