Women's Fitness: How To Avoid Falling Through the Gaps
This blog was a fun collaboration between Paige Dunmore PTA, Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (Pelvic Underground) & Jessica Dufault, PT, DPT (Mindful Motion Physical Therapy).
Paige and I, who are both trained in Physical Therapy and specialize in Women’s Health, are astutely aware of the gaps that are present in the general fitness industry, especially when it comes to women’s needs. Navigating the sea of opportunities that one could take within their fitness journey is no easy task and can feel overwhelming when seeking support with fitness specific to her needs. There are several things we would like to highlight in this blog and certainly hope this opens up further discussion and dialogue.
The concern with group classes. Even with movement instructors who do have specific training in women’s health, it is an extremely hard task to address specific needs within a group format. We believe each woman benefits from very specific feedback, cueing and guidance in order to best address her unique needs. Global cues like “flatten your back into the mat” during core exercise or other overly restrictive guidance like “if you have prolapse or diastasis recti, please don’t do planks” may not be accurate for every woman in the class.
Solutions? Private sessions with a pelvic PT or a specialty-trained personal trainer are important PRIOR to a shift into a group format. This empowers women to know their unique needs and how to modify and make informed exercise decisions.
Women often do not understand the fluctuations in the body (and symptoms), especially when it comes to fitness during transitional periods such as pregnancy, postpartum, peri-menopause or menopause. The body drastically changes within these unique periods of time and understanding how to adapt to this is important.
Solutions? Women must educate themselves, seek reputable resources and providers to help guide them in their fitness goals. It is important to work WITH your cycle instead of against it which can mean the difference between health and strong life transitions vs. falling apart and getting injured at every turn. Often women experience prolapse and hernias around menopause as a result of never learning the signs and symptoms that were present years prior. Women can get away with a lot of compensation and ‘ignoring’ of mild symptoms for only so long! Pregnancy and menopause are two of the great equalizers when it comes to fitness. One of them will get women to eventually listen and start asking better questions about their fitness.
There is some ambiguity on what “CORE” actually means in the fitness world. When we are attempting to address women’s health concerns and symptoms, it is important to really understand what core means. This blog goes into more detail here, but it’s really about the communication and responsiveness of an entire ‘system’ of muscles which include the pelvic muscles, the respiratory diaphragm as well as the deep abdominals (transverse abdominus). The big three that make up the core help to support the spine, pelvis, and pelvic and abdominal organs. Alignment, good breathing patterns, and form are essential to tap into this core system and is foundational in how we address symptoms and keep women injury free!
Solutions? Understand this system! Work with PTs, PTAs, movement instructors and online programs with people who work with the core in this way.
Lack of guidance on postpartum healing timeline and guidelines from care providers. Culturally, there is a push for early return to activity and ‘bouncing back’ ASAP. At 6 week check-ups women are told everything is good to go and ‘life can resume as usual’. And some women return too quickly to higher impact activity that can cause unwanted pelvic symptoms. It is important that women and the fitness industry understand that cueing and graded-exercise progressions are essential for women returning to exercise. Just as we would advise someone on how to gradually train for a marathon, there is a specific way we advise postpartum women to gradually return to higher level exercise. It’s important to honor the body’s need to heal both inside and out before asking it to do everything it did before birthing a baby. The same goes for abdominal surgery (whether it is C-section, hysterectomy, or any other surgery where the abdominal wall is opened up).
Solutions? Women need 12 weeks of healing before returning to ‘bootcamp’, HIIT, higher level cross-fit or running activity BUT the preparation for those activities can start sooner. So that by the time 12 weeks hits, her body is prepared for the return to the exercise of her choice.
Not all PTs, trainers or general health providers are created equal. We all come from different backgrounds, experiences and a different lens on the human body.
Solutions? Seek providers and instructors who have very specific training in Women’s Health (resources listed at end of blog!). If you aren’t sure about someone’s credentials, ask!
There is ever-evolving evidenced based ways to approach women’s healthcare and fitness! How we have supported women with diastasis recti, prolapse and strength training programs to improve or stave off symptoms has changed SO much, even in the last 10 years. The field of women’s health has seen significant growth recently as more and more providers finally begin to pay attention to the unique needs of women. There are so many more options available that didn’t used to exist. It’s exciting!
Solutions? Do a little digging and find the professionals/classes/education that feel best to you. Be informed and take control of your health. Check out some of the resources listed below and let us know how we can help or if you have any questions! Last, but not least, don’t take no for an answer, whatever that no might be. If you aren’t happy with the solutions you are provided, seek out another opinion. Every woman is unique and needs to be considered individually. Work with someone who has such specialty training in this that they are able to keep up on the updates (I keep saying the same thing??)
Specialty Trained PTs, PTAs and Fitness Pros
Julie Weibe-Women’s Fitness Professional
Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
Trainers with PCES certifications
Other resources:
Prenatal and Postpartum Care in Madison WI
All women’s bodies are unique. If you would like to know more about how the above relates to your specific condition, email me here. Please also follow us on Instagram or join our private Facebook Group for a ton of free support on common women’s health concerns.