Marathon season is just around the corner and running for 26.2 miles is no small feat. Running is an intense sport that has all kinds of impacts on the body, and one area that should not be ignored is the pelvic floor.
Specific exercises can strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, keeping any issues at bay so the focus can remain on the run time, making it across the finish line, or just having fun. To empower women through the final stretch of training as well as the marathon day itself, wellbeing brand INTIMINA is giving away free KegelSmart 2 devices to runners.
The KegelSmart 2 aids in strengthening the pelvic floor muscles by using vibrating pulses to guide the user through a series of exercises. They are available to claim to those running the London, Brighton and Manchester marathons (while stocks last) – register interest by emailing intimina@thisiscow.com
Dr Susanna Unsworth, women’s health expert for INTIMINA, said: “Running causes an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. As a result, it can put strain on the pelvic floor. Throughout the process of running, your pelvic floor is constantly engaged to provide support to the organs in the pelvis. Therefore, if there is any underlying weakness in the pelvic floor, the resulting symptoms can potentially be exacerbated by running.
“If you are someone who enjoys running regularly, it would be worth getting advice on appropriate pelvic floor exercises/training to reduce the risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunction issues.”
Like any training regime, the key to pelvic floor exercises is consistency: “It is important to perform regular and effective pelvic-floor exercises”, said Dr Unsworth. “Seeking advice from a women’s health physiotherapist can be really helpful.
“If symptoms of the pelvic floor are significant, you may need to adapt your running whilst your pelvic floor strength improves. Advice such as avoiding running on hard surfaces, reducing speed and distance, ensuring footwear is well supported and avoiding too much down-hill running can make a difference."
