Pelvic Health for Performing Artists
If you are a dancer, gymnast, aerial artist, or other type of performer, you may not think very much about your pelvic floor. You probably know that you need to have strong and flexible leg, arm, and back muscles. But did you know that your pelvic floor also needs to be strong and flexible to deal with the pressures of training and performance?
Why is the pelvic floor important for performing artists?
The pelvic floor is an important and often overlooked part of the body. It plays a vital role in supporting your organs, keeping you from leaking, and maintaining stability through the pelvis. Dancers, gymnasts, and other performing artists are susceptible to high rates of pelvic floor dysfunction, possibly due to the large amounts of pressure put on the core during these activities. These are also populations that often have higher levels of stress with a large emphasis on body image, all of which can affect how the pelvic floor functions.
Pelvic floor dysfunction often falls into one of two categories: too much or too little tension in the muscles of the pelvic floor. Ideally, we want full range of motion in the pelvic floor, just as we want full range in all the other muscles and joints of the body.
Pelvic floor dysfunction often falls into one of two categories: too much or too little tension in the muscles of the pelvic floor. Ideally, we want full range of motion in the pelvic floor, just as we want full range in all the other muscles and joints of the body.
Symptoms of too little tension, or weakness in the pelvic floor can include:
- Leakage of bowel or bladder (especially when coughing, sneezing, lifting, or jumping)
- Feelings of pressure or heaviness
- Hip or low back instability.
Too much tension can lead to symptoms such as:
- Pelvic pain
- Pain with intercourse
- Bladder irritation
- Chronic constipation
- Other bodily symptoms like headaches, abdominal distress, and jaw pain.
Dancers are often prone to having too much tension in their pelvic floor because of the constant pulling in of the abdominals and glutes, which puts excessive pressure downward into the pelvis.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, pelvic physical therapy can help! Since the pelvic floor is a group of muscles, it can be trained like other parts of the body. And if you’re a performing artist, pelvic health physical therapy can help you start on a journey of becoming more in tune with your pelvic floor and discover how it can help, rather than hinder, your progress in becoming a better athlete and performer.
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