NatNews

There are certain parts of the body that aren’t always given significant attention or acknowledgment on a daily basis but that still play integral roles in maintaining one’s physical health.

Hello, pelvic floor.

The pelvic floor serves as a hammock of muscles from the tailbone to the pubic bone, supporting the bladder, bowels, uterus for women, and prostate for men. These muscles, along with other nerves, ligaments, and connective tissues, contribute to core stability and help maintain the function of the bowel, bladder, and sexual systems. 

“The pelvic floor muscles act like a trampoline depressing when the pressure in the abdominal area pushes down on it, which happens during every inhale we take,” Katie Overton, a Dallas-based doctor of physical therapy, said. “During our exhale, the pelvic floor muscles recoil and push the pressure in our abdomens back up to assist with getting the air out of our lungs. This trampoline motion happens automatically in our bodies, but it can get a little out of whack with pregnancy, prostate issues, bladder infections, hip or back injuries, jaw tension, and ankle sprains. Seeking care from a pelvic floor physical therapist is the best way to determine the cause of muscle coordination issues.”

Overton said just as individuals keep their arms and legs strong to help with daily tasks, it’s essential to maintain strong and coordinated pelvic floors so that their pelvic functions work correctly.

“Weakness, overuse, or discoordination of the pelvic floor muscles leads to certain pelvic dysfunctions, such as peeing yourself while sneezing or laughing, frequent urination at all hours of the day and night, or even pelvic organ prolapse in which the pelvic organs begin to protrude from the body,” she said.

Overton also said a weak or uncoordinated pelvic floor can result in pain or injuries as well as other issues in the lower back, hips, knees, ankles, and even the neck and jaw.

“It is very important to make sure that you are working on exercises for the pelvic floor to maintain its ability to support the pelvic organs,” she said.

Most people, Overton noted, believe that the only way to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles is by performing Kegels, a term coined in the 1950s by OB-GYN Dr. Arnold Kegel to describe exercises involving the tightening of the pelvic floor muscles. However, Overton said Kegels might not always be the best idea.

“This can actually be detrimental to the pelvic floor because it can overly tighten the muscles, which, in turn, weakens them,” she said. “Think of it like squeezing your bicep muscle as hard as you can with the goal of having toned arms like Jennifer Anniston. Doesn’t really work that well, right? Over the course of the last 75 years, a lot has changed in medicine, including the way we strengthen the pelvic floor. It’s less about ‘strengthening’ the muscles (squeezing them as tightly as possible) and more about improving muscle coordination.”

According to Overton, the key to promoting a healthy pelvic floor with exercise is pressure management. She likened it to a runner trying new shoes that create too much pressure around the toes, leading to friction and blisters.

“It’s very similar to the pelvic floor—bad pressure management in the abdomen can cause issues with the pelvic floor,” she said. “Some of the most common issues with bad pressure management are leakage (peeing your pants), hemorrhoids, and pelvic organ prolapse.”

To improve the health and control of the pelvic floor muscles, Overton said the best first step involves working on diaphragmatic breathing.

“The trampoline movement that happens to the pelvic floor when we breathe also happens to the diaphragm muscle, which sits under the lungs and helps push pressure down into the abdomen with each inhale,” she said. “Improving diaphragm muscle control and working on 360-degree diaphragmatic breathing (not belly breathing) helps improve pressure management in the abdomen and pelvic floor.”

Overton said when it becomes second nature to employ diaphragmatic breathing in a relaxed position, such as when lying down or sitting, it’s time to start adding it to exercise patterns. For a runner, using diaphragmatic breathing while engaging in plyometric exercises will help keep the pelvic floor active throughout one’s run.

For those with previous injuries, Overton recommends seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist to evaluate movement patterns and assess if one’s feet, ankles, knees, hips, or lower back could potentially lead to future pelvic floor issues.

“It’s important to remember that the pelvic floor is part of the whole body, so doing one singular exercise like a Kegel isn’t going to keep the pelvic floor healthy,” she said. “You have to work on the whole body to keep it happy and healthy.”

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Being social can certainly be fun, but it can also begin to feel stressful or tiring at times. Many people are quick to describe themselves as “busy,” not leaving an extensive amount of time for them to devote extra hours to certain social situations. There are also times, though, when it’s not even the busy lifestyle or particular obligations that get in the way—it’s the lack of capacity within a person to engage in social activities.

Hinge recently released a “Social Energy Study” indicating that approximately 45 percent of individuals globally don’t fully understand their own social limits, and 38 percent of people begin to feel drained after two to three hours of socializing.

Your social “sweet spot” is the amount of time you can spend around others before you lose energy, become overstimulated, or feel emotionally checked out. Such a timeframe isn’t universal—it varies based on different individuals and personality types as well as the activities and people involved in the social environment. Dallas resident Suzanne Woodling said her social sweet spot typically depends on the people who are present in the setting in which she finds herself.

“I’m good for about an hour and a half to two hours if it’s a larger group (running club, work, etc.), but a small group of two to three close friends in a more intimate or quieter setting I can enjoy for much longer,” she said.

Some individuals feel energized and excited when they are surrounded by people, while others prefer quieter settings and more time to themselves. There are also those who are a mix of social personality types and like to find somewhat of a balance between introversion and extroversion tendencies.

“As an extroverted introvert, I have a very short fuse before my battery is drained,” Dallas-area resident Kyle Burnett said. “I’m probably good for an hour and a half, and then I become a wallflower.”

Dallas resident Carolyn Fan, an ER doctor, said she considers herself generally more extroverted than many other individuals, though she certainly needs some time to decompress after working a nine-hour shift at the hospital during which she spends a significant amount of time talking and interacting with people.

“I feel a little bit drained after my job and usually need an hour or two of alone time before I can socialize again,” she said. “On days that I’m not working, I am very enthusiastic about seeing people. There have been times when I have been traveling or doing something very social when I can feel drained, though, and I usually just Irish exit. Overall, based on my traveling experience in a hostel and having to meet new people, I think three days is usually my max before I want an hour or two of alone time.”

And even though Fan enjoys being social, she said her ideal situation for such a setting is talking with others in groups of fewer individuals.

“I like having good deep conversations, either in one-on-one chats or with a small group of people,” she said. “I don’t do the best with large groups of people, but if there was a party or large social gathering, people naturally tend to branch off into smaller groups. I usually like house parties, and I love meeting new people.”

Fan also said the setting is not what is most important to her. Instead, her desire to be more social is generally determined by the people who are around her at whatever gathering or event she attends.

“Those who have similar interests or hobbies or who are very different and interesting fascinate me,” she said. “I tend to like people with different sets of values and beliefs to help expand my own thoughts and beliefs.”

Crowds can often be overwhelming for some people, and preferences regarding social settings can also change in different stages of a person’s life. What was once fun and exciting in college and throughout one’s 20s can feel a bit more exhausting in the 30s and beyond. An ideal social setting is simply a matter of preference for the individual opting to attend.

“I really don’t like large group settings and loud spaces,” Woodling said. “I like a small group, even just a one-on-one situation, and meaningful conversations.”

Like Woodling, Burnett prefers to be able to feel more comfortable and surrounded by people he knows on deeper levels.

“My ideal social setting is with a core group of friends where I can just be me,” he said.

During this time of year, there are plenty of festivities (e.g., family get-togethers, work celebrations, parties hosted by friends, etc.) that put attendees in situations in which they might feel like they must socialize with others if they don’t want to seem standoffish. For someone with a similar social personality style as Burnett, such circumstances can create anxiety or the need to get oneself ready mentally.

“During the holiday season, I definitely have to plan ahead and ‘prepare’ for the gatherings,” he said.

As a general practice, including throughout the holidays, Fan said she likes to spend some time on her own to decompress and recharge by exercising/working out, as it allows her to have personal time all on her own.

“It gives me a chance to think and be by myself,” she said. “I also always joke to my friends that if I’m traveling with someone, I need some nonverbal alone time.”

Throughout the holiday season, Woodling said she makes concerted efforts to limit the number of parties she attends and surround herself with genuine friends and those individuals who bring her joy and energize her.

“I’m not really into holiday hype,” she said. “The hustle and bustle drain me, and I want to stay in my safe place with my dogs and/or close friends.”

There’s no requirement for a person to attend gatherings or stay for a certain period of time. Each individual often needs to do what is best for him or her in terms of lifestyle and/or emotional capacity. For Woodling, sometimes she simply needs to shut down for a bit.

“I don’t really care about the optics,” she said. “I do what I want and really try not to subject myself to situations or people who drain me. I’m old, and I don’t care anymore.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

NatNews supports the love of animals, so here is a picture of a horse grazing and enjoying some sunshine  

Monday, December 15: Stars vs. Kings at the American Airlines Center; Addison Speed Dating & Singles Mixer (ages 26–36) at Hawkers Asian Street Food
Tuesday, December 16: Free Rooftop Movie — Last Holiday at Sundown at Granada
Wednesday, December 17: National Maple Syrup Day
Thursday, December 18: Mavs vs. Pistons at the American Airlines Center; Board Game Night at The 2nd Tap at the Dallas Farmers Market; Candlelight — Christmas Carols on Strings at Edison’s
Friday, December 19: Dave Chappelle at the American Airlines Center; A Soulful Christmas with KEM at Winspear Opera House; Rocky Mountain High Experience — A John Denver Christmas at the Eisemann Center; The Improvised Hallmark Christmas Movie at Stomping Ground Comedy Theater
Saturday, December 20: WRRC Saturday run from Taco Joint; Pawlidays in the Bark Market at Community Beer Co.; Jazz at the Museum at the Dallas Museum of Art; Shane & Shane Holiday Concert at The OC Arena; Le Freak at Legacy Hall; Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the American Airlines Center (second show at 7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, December 21: Cowboys vs. Chargers at AT&T Stadium; Stars vs. Maple Leafs at the American Airlines Center; Cliff Cash at Dallas Comedy Club