hi I recently went on a course on pelvic floor and it had me questioning many of the abdominal exercises that we do in Pilates! I learned that 2/3 people have pelvic floor dysfunction. We were also taught that many abdominal exercises compound the pelvic floor. So now what do I teach...I have to admit it was a course where for me the lightbulbs went on! I have had pelvic floor dysfunction for years. The course was delivered by physiotherapists. the website is PelvicFloorFirst.org.au. Would love to hear a Pilates perspective...HELP

Hi Alex - I was just wondering if you'd had any response / further information regarding your question?

Hi Alex! I will be back here tomorrow to suggest a book, It has helping me great and it is my new Pilates bible.Although the book is all about the psoas it has help me to understand other connections. As far as the exercises we teach in Pilates I always keep in mind that nothing in the human body is designed to work alone but always in connection with other parts even when we are trying to isolate a specific part of the body.

check out the work of Tasha Mulligan. Her website is www.hab-it.com. She is a physiotherapist who suffered with prolapse after all of her deliveries. She teaches that all supine spinal flexion is bad for most people as it puts too much pressure on the pelvic floor. She much prefers plank work to target the abs. I teach abdominal work but always advise caution to my clients.

I'm no expert, but PF dysfunction includes over and under active pelvic muscles. Healthy muscles must contract and relax. Brent Anderson has an amazing video on the way the PF mirrors the diaphragm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dih56AMrTMo). If I teach a group class with a PF focus, I try to cue folks into ideal rib cage to pelvis alignment, get them practicing 360 degree breathing, then explain the diaphragm/PF relationship. I have them imagine it and maybe even feel it while it's happening, and make sure to say what I said above - "all healthy muscles must contract and relax." My mentor pointed me toward the work of Julie Wiebe (http://www.juliewiebept.com). I also teach a lot of the usual abdominal exercises in neutral pelvis rather than with a post. tilt.

I'd caution against lumping all PF issues into one category. I had a client with pudendal nerve entrapment who for almost 10 years was told to do kegal exercises by the medical professionals she was seeing.

What was the book?