Exercise and the Hidden Pelvic Flaw [news]

March 2012 Evening News….Yet another Silver Fern has made an early comeback just weeks after giving birth. Many viewers probably think this is heroic. I wonder if her coach knows the high risks to her pelvic floor and the association between urinary incontinence and sports like netball. As health and fitness professionals we know the importance of regular, weight-bearing exercise. It not only helps one feel good, but it actually reduces the risk of developing or dying from many of the leading causes of death and illness. However, lesser known is that every exercise affects the pelvic floor; and certain exercises can actually harm these muscles, contributing to, or causing pelvic floor dysfunctions such as incontinence and prolapse.