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Tips for running without damaging the pelvic floor
Running and the pelvic floor, especially in the case of women, are not always a good combination. However, this does not mean that women can not practice this sport.
Running can take its toll on the pelvic floor, but if it is practiced in a moderate way and training well, it must not pose any risk. When it comes to putting on the first shoes it is important to take into account the possible risks of this activity on the body.
As soon as you get some practice in running it is also advisable To know deeply the body and know how to avoid problems in the future if everything is working correctly.
The running and the pelvic floor
The pelvic floor is the set of muscles that act as a base and support all the organs of the abdominal cavity: digestive, excretory and reproductive organs are located in this area.
In this sense, running, unlike other aerobic activities, can damage this area, or at least increase the impact. The own weight exerted by the gravity can generate certain damages on these viscera, to which the impact of each stride is added when running.
All this is enhanced in some cases, especially in beginner runners, with the lack of technique and the use of equipment, shoes, which are not appropriate.
When you run, every wrong stride increases the pressure on the pelvic floor, this is one hypertension over the area, which affects muscles and joints. In the case that there is no good muscle tone and training is not prepared properly, with strengthening and warm-up exercises, the practice of running may be discouraged, as progressively this bad training will weaken the entire abdominal area.
To avoid this situation, there are some tips that are useful to continue the practice of running without fear of damaging the pelvic floor.
Recommendations to continue running without suffering problems in the pelvic floor
The first recommendation has to do with weight, especially with overweight. People with high overweight have more options to suffer problems in the pelvic area, because the weight of gravity on the muscles is greater. In the case of running, it is interesting practice shorter and shorter distance training sessions, so as not to overload the impact on the abdominal area.
Also, if an overweight person starts running to improve their health, gain physical resistance and lose some weight, it is essential that they combine the running with walking sessions, starting in this last modality and when you acquire some physical background, start with the race. We leave a guide to start running with overweight to win the battle to the scale and the stopwatch. Strength training is essential, as it helps to strengthen the muscles of the pelvis.
The second recommendation is related to the distance of the race. Long distances are big enemies, because the number of strides is extended and therefore the number of impacts that the pelvic area supports is also greater. Continuing with the previous recommendation, if you are dealing with beginner runners, who know less about your body, it is appropriate interspersed strength training with short distances, as well as not neglect rest times between training sessions, allowing the body to recover from physical fatigue.
A third fundamental aspect is the terrain through which one runs. The harder the surface on which the footprints impact, the more options there are to weaken the pelvic floor and that this, in the most serious cases, is translated into a genital prolapse. If you suffer from problems associated with the pelvic floor, it is not advisable to carry out training sessions with descending slope, because this increases the chances of suffering from urinary incontinence.
Whenever possible, it is advisable run on grass, dirt or sand, and even on treadmills on machines, whether in gyms or at homeor, on Sports courts that are in good condition. If there is nothing left but to run on bike lanes or asphalt, the latter is very common because in Spain popular races are held every week, it is essential to have good shoes.
The shoes are also a great help, although you do not have to trust everything in the choice of shoes. When choosing good shoes you have to pay attention to aspects like the drop (the difference in height between the heel and the forefoot), the arch of the foot (It is best to undergo a podiatric study), the width, the size and the type of footprint and of course the race pace (depending on the speed we must bet on one or another shoe, without forgetting that there is no perfect shoe). One last aspect to keep in mind with regard to the shoes is that they must not be worn and their cushioning must be sufficient to reduce the impact of the body on the ground.
Pelvic floor reinforcement techniques
The previous recommendations had to do with the practice of physical exercise, that is, they start when running. There are also others exercises that can be useful to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor.
Pilates, postural reeducation, yoga, hypopressive gymnastics and Kegel exercises help fight urinary incontinence, common among those suffering from pelvic floor problems and running, as well as increasing muscle tone of the abdomen and perineum.
The pelvic floor problems, although they are more common in women than in men, can also occur in male runners. It is important to become aware of and make disappear certain prejudices that circulate on this subject, since there is a very generalized tendency to relate this part of the body only to women and elderly.
Women who run tend to have more toned pelvic floor, but are more likely to suffer problems of urinary incontinence, cystocele or urinary prolapse. However, with the measures described here, the possibility of suffering these discomforts is reduced.