What does it actually mean to have a strong pelvic floor - and is strong even the right thing to chase?
Kimberlee Sullivan is a board-certified women's health physical therapist and Head of Clinics at Origin, where she leads nationwide clinical strategy. She has spent over twenty years in pelvic floor PT and founded her own Austin clinic, Sullivan Physical Therapy, in 2005.
We cover the difference between strong and healthy, what the 0 to 5 strength score does and does not measure, why tight is not the same as strong, and how a constantly contracted pelvic floor gets weaker over time. Kimberlee also walks through relaxation versus lengthening, reverse kegels and straining, breath work, at-home tools, and why she does not have a five out of five herself.
If you are dealing with hypertonicity, postpartum, or have only ever been told to do your kegels - start here.
Kimberlee demonstrates much of this on camera, so watch on YouTube or Apple if you can.
Sponsors:
Pelva: pelva.com, code TWTC10 for 10% off
Origin: theoriginway.com/TWTC, code TWTC for a free first month of On-Track
Connect with Origin:
Origin: theoriginway.com
Instagram: @theoriginway
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Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:58 Kimberlee Sullivan, Origin
00:03:30 Strong vs Healthy
00:05:08 Muscle Tone, Bicep Analogy
00:06:38 Sucking in Your Stomach, Bracing
00:07:52 Relaxation vs Lengthening
00:09:14 The Contraction Spectrum
00:10:10 Postpartum Score, 0 to 5 Scale
00:10:52 Manual Muscle Testing, Grades
00:11:37 Healthy at Three, Dysfunction at Five
00:14:10 Tight vs Strong, Constant Kegels
00:15:51 Tight for Whom, Societal Pressure
00:16:44 Does Tight Mean Weak
00:17:45 Losing Strength Over Time
00:18:45 Internal Exam, Thigh vs Neck
00:19:53 False Positives, Testing Both Sides
00:21:20 Hypertonicity, Learning to Lengthen
00:21:56 Basket and Balloon
00:22:34 Tool: The Soft Spot Check
00:23:49 Reverse Kegels, Down and Out
00:24:32 Straining, Micro Tears
00:27:04 One Long Kegel, Rest as Pushing
00:27:52 Hotel Lobby, Elevator, Garage
00:29:09 Not Knowing Your Baseline
00:29:49 Sponsor: Pelva
00:31:39 Sponsor: Origin
00:33:30 Breath, Diaphragm, Pelvic Floor
00:35:04 Fight or Flight, Chronic Pain
00:35:55 Chest vs Belly Breathing, 360
00:37:02 Reverse Kegel vs Breath
00:38:40 At-Home Devices
00:39:15 Tools, Getting Assessed First
00:40:02 The 100 Kegels a Day Myth
00:40:47 Tool: Finger Biofeedback
00:41:54 Partner Check, Dilators
00:42:40 Movement, Coordination
00:43:39 Perifit, Kegel Devices
00:44:41 Reinforcing a Contracted State
00:46:33 Chasing Healthy, Not Perfect
00:47:50 Incontinence as Transient
00:48:21 Stress, Illness, Life Stages
00:50:00 Being Your Own Advocate
