Posture and Urinary Incontinence
Do you remember how your mother always reminded you to stand up straight? And for just an instant you would engage all muscles, perk up straight as an arrow, and as soon as she was gone, so was your good posture. Well, as it turns out, once again, your mother really did know best.
If you have ever taken a pilates class there is much discussion about holding your spine in a neutral position. To do this you have to use your core muscles, or the tiny muscles along the spine. Sadly, in many people, these muscles are sorely underutilized, but the good news is that they can be rebuilt fairly quickly.
Subtle changes in your posture can dramatically affect all parts of your body including back, neck and knees. It can even affect your breathing, and when it comes to continence, it affects the tilt of your pelvis, which in turn determines the position of your internal organs. The bones of your pelvis are designed to help support your pelvic floor muscles, which keep you continent. However, if your back and pelvis are out of alignment, then your pelvic floor muscles are not getting the support that they need.
If you have extremely strong pelvic floor muscles, then you may be able to sneak by with poor posture, but as you age and your muscles weaken, you are destined for problems. Your good posture begins from the bottom and ends with your head and shoulders. Often, when someone catches themselves slouching, they straighten out their head and shoulders. To really stand up straight, you want to start where your feet hit the ground.
Make sure that you have equal weight on each foot. Close your eyes and feel how you are standing. Now slightly bend your knees, just enough so that they are not locked. Your pelvis should be straight, not tipping forward or backwards. You should notice that your midsection naturally tightened to hold your spine in place. Now put your hands on your head and move your elbows out over your shoulders. Then gently let your arms fall open to your side with your palms facing outward. This will align your head and shoulders.
Stand for a moment with your eyes closed and notice how this stance feels, because this is what your mother was talking about. So as you travel through your day and notice that you are slouching, take a minute to straighten yourself out. In time, good posture will become a habit, and the cards will be stacked in your favor for avoiding any unnecessary urinary incontinence as you age.
If you are already dealing with incontinence problems, improving your posture may help you regain proper urinary function, and while you and your health care professional work to solve your problem, you will want to get through your ordeal with the help of good quality incontinence products. DryForLife offers a discreet and completely confidential solution to all your incontinence needs. We have been providing quality incontinence products for over forty years, and we are here to help.
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