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I have been told throughout my three years of coping with Uterine prolapse that high impact sports (e.g. jumping, running and basketball) often worsen pelvic prolapse as it increases the downward pressure on the pelvic floor which can over time weaken the pelvic floor. Numerous articles I have read read 'Exercises to avoid' and 'What not to do at the gym', although these articles are informative they can be very disheartening, especially for women who are only young when being diagnosed with prolapse. Instead I think it is important that we focus on what sports we CAN do and how we can alter our current exercises so that our prolapse does not get any worse. This largely differs person to person so it is important to monitor if your prolapse gets worse with the activities you are doing. Pay attention to what sports do and do not make your symptoms worse.
Personally, I use sport as a way to vent my anxiety and stress. I play netball and attempt to run at least twice a week both of which are high impact sports. When I was initially diagnosed with prolapse I began to read a lot of articles to do with prolapse and exercise. I found most of them so disheartening and there was just lists and lists of sport I shouldn't do. I stopped running, I stopped doing star jumps or basically anything with jumping. However, when I finally booked an appointment with my pelvic health physio she taught me that I CAN DO THESE EXERCISES I just had to alter the way I was doing them. She noticed that when I do these certain sports I hold my breath which consequently pushes my cervix down. This is very common in a lot of people who do sport as it makes the exercise easier which enhances your performance. However it also puts added strain on both your pelvic floor and also your heart. Instead, it is vital you make sure you are inhaling during the easy part of the exercise and exhaling on the hard part of the exercise. Applying this small change has actually had noticeable results and my cervix doesn't protrude as much after my workouts as it used to. Every time I workout or do sport I make sure I am monitoring my breathing and ensuring I do not hold my breath. I still however avoid the squat rack, both weighted lunches and squats and double leg raises as I know from personal experience these make my prolapse worse.
Besides breathing exercises many women also use the option of a pessary. Pessaries support your pelvic floor muscles and prolapsed organ whilst you are doing high impact sport or sports that could potentially make your prolapse worse. If you wanted you can just wear the pessary during these activities and then remove it afterwards.
It is important to remember that there is HOPE and you still can do the sports you love. You just need to monitor how your body responds to what you are doing and if certain exercises do make your prolapse worse.
Here is a really informative and reassuring article that really helped me learn more about doing exercise whilst having prolapse:
https://jennadalton.com/think-you-have-a-prolapse-and-feeling-terrified-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
The steps Jenna recommends to take are as follows:
1. Book an appointment with a pelvic health physio
2. Pay attention to what exercises and events bring on symptoms
3. Build up your pelvic floor strength
4. Explore the idea of pessaries
Additionally, here is a useful website for learning about the pelvic floor and core exercises: http://www.pelvicfloorfirst.org.au/pages/pelvic-floor-safe-core-exercises-.html
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