Can Pelvic Floor Exercises help Rectocele?
Pelvic floor exercise like Kegels is helpful for Rectocele (pelvic organ prolapse), but there are other types of exercise too. Don't let prolapse stop you from moving.
Early-stage prolapse is very manageable and sometimes even reversible. Once the prolapse progresses to stage 3 or 4, it may become more challenging to manage, and some choose or require surgery.
What is a rectocele?
A Rectocele is a type of pelvic organ prolapse indicated by the rectum bulging into the posterior wall of the vagina. It can contribute to discomfort, difficulty voiding, feeling like ‘something is in there,’ and difficulty inserting a tampon or keeping it in. It can also be asymptomatic. Many people don’t even know they have a prolapse, and symptoms do not always indicate severity.
Does everyone need surgery?
Absolutely not. There are many conservative approaches to managing prolapse, with diet and pelvic floor exercise being of utmost importance. Most symptoms associated with a rectocele can be managed effectively without surgery. However, untreated, it can lead to other complications. Surgery may be an option if your rectocele prolapse negatively affects your lifestyle, and pelvic floor exercise is essential before and after your surgery.
How can I ensure the best outcome?
Work with a pelvic floor physical therapist before, after and for life
Keep your diet and elimination optimized - avoiding constipation is ESSENTIAL!
Be proactive as you approach menopause and consider local vaginal estrogen and/or DHEA supplementation to support the walls of the vagina
Work to reduce inflammation in your body and help your immune system
Choose exercises that build your body up
The Best thing you can do
The best thing a woman can do to prevent prolapse (and any pelvic floor dysfunction) and also manage a prolapse that already exists is to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist at least once a year. They assess the pelvic floor muscles for function and the internal organs to see if they are where they should be.
Having a prolapse does not mean exercise should be halted.
Some exercises may feel better if modified, but avoiding movement may contribute to the worsening of the condition, and it puts you at risk of other concerns due to inactivity.
One technique that is immensely powerful for prolapse is the Hypopressive Method. The technique involves a series of hypopressive postures (meaning “low pressure”) done with rhythmic breathing and apneas (pauses in breathing) that improve resting tone in the abdomen and pelvic floor and may even reverse early-stage prolapse.
Pelvic health is a lifestyle, not a quick fix. As women, we have menstrual cycles, hormone fluctuations, pregnancies for some, birth for some, and menopause for all. So many things influence our pelvic health, and we need to pay extra attention to this important part of our body so we can live our life fully and without suffering.
Many women believe there is no hope because they have had this problem for years. With consistent attention to bladder retraining and a pelvic floor exercise program, you CAN make changes no matter your age or stage.
The 28-Day Challenge and Buff Muff Membership
I recommend checking out my comprehensive pelvic health education and fitness programs on my Buff Muff App. The most complete Pelvic Floor & Kegel exercise App to strengthen the pelvic floor.
The Buff Muff 28-Day Challenge (housed in the App) gets you started, and the Annual membership keeps you progressing so you can laugh, run, jump, and lift without the pesky leaks and annoying discomfort of prolapse symptoms.
