Why the Pelvic Floor is Key to Your Sports Performance

Why the Pelvic Floor is Key to Your Sports Performance

We all like to live an active lifestyle. For some of us, being ‘active’ simply means that we’re able to carry out day to day activities, getting ourselves up and about, jumping in and out of the car for the school pick up run etc. For others it may mean having the freedom to travel, get up for a dance at a family wedding, or go on a long walk with family. But if you’re someone whose active lifestyle involves ‘fitness’ - short or long distance running, competitive sport, weight lifting, cycling etc. we may have a little ‘life hack’ that could change the game for you completely.

The pelvic floor and core strengthening exercises

Core strength is vital for great sport or exercise performance. It forms the foundation for all movement, balance, stability and flexibility. And while we tend to factor core strengthening exercises and activities in to our fitness regime, we often forget to think about the bodies biggest unsung hero – the pelvic floor. Almost every exercise or physical activity you do affects or utilises your pelvic floor, so it’s important to fully understand it, to enable you to better your sport & exercise performance.

"When we think of the core, we often think of the superficial core, i.e. the abdominals or ‘washboard stomach’ muscles. However genuine core strength comes from working the muscles that lie underneath. I like to refer to this all-important inner core unit as the ‘3D core'."
Jane Wake, Pelvic Floor Expert & Pilates Instructor

 

This 3D core that Jane Wake refers to above, is made up of:

  • The deep abdominal muscles at the sides (Transversus Abdominals)
  • The stabilising spinal muscles which run up our back (Multifidus)
  • The Diaphragm or ‘breathing muscle’
  • The Pelvic Floor muscles

Throughout our lives, our pelvic floor, which is a deeply internal, basin shaped muscle holding all of the pelvic organs in place (uterus, bowel, vagina, bladder), and which also provides us with control over when and how often we urinate, can become weakened, losing its tone & strength. This is commonly a result of pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and pelvic and prostate surgeries, leaving 1 in 3 women and 1 in 10 men unable to control urinary leaks.

“Many active and athletic women (including Olympic athletes), also suffer from urinary incontinence due to the additional pressure placed on the pelvic floor by high impact sports like running and gymnastics. These activities can result in a weakening of the connective tissue that supports the bladder”, says Jane.

Strengthening your entire core (that 3D core) can reduce the risk of injuries while exercising, running or competing in athletic events. A weak pelvic floor can hinder your ability to anticipate and prepare for accidents, resulting in significant pain & injury.

Treatment options for incontinence

The great news is that whether you’re an athlete or sports & fitness enthusiast, or have a more moderate level of fitness, restoring pelvic floor strength and control is completely achievable. Banishing leaks will enable you to focus on your sports performance and even improve it through a stronger 3D core.

INNOVO provides a compelling solution to urinary leaks as its clinically proven to restore pelvic floor strength in as little as 4 weeks. Suitable for both women and men, INNOVO is the only truly non-invasive solution for urinary incontinence, and is used in the comfort and privacy of your home. Easy to use and comfortable to wear, INNOVO helps you safely and effortlessly strengthen and re-educate the entire network of pelvic floor muscles through gentle muscle stimulation.

Using INNOVO for just 30 minutes a day/five days a week over 12 weeks has been proven to treat bladder weakness – delivering results in as little as four weeks3.

INNOVO treats Stress, Urge & Mixed Incontinence in both women and men by targeting the root cause of the problem. And best of all? INNOVO actually works. A clinical study found that:

  • 80% of users saw a significant reduction in leaks after just 4 weeks1
  • 87% of users were defined as either dry or almost dry after 12 weeks2
  • 90% of users would recommend the therapy to others3

Sources

  1. Soeder S, et al, A randomised, controlled, double-blind, clinical study to compare two neuromuscular stimulator devices in female stress urinary incontinence: Effects on symptoms and quality of life. IUGA Conference 2018
  2. R. Dmochowski – Novel external electrical muscle stimulation device for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: randomized controlled noninferiority trial versus intravaginal electrical stimulation. ICS Conference 2018
  3. 3 Observational study on the treatment of stress urinary incontinence with Innovotherapy, April 2014
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