Every year we celebrate World Continence Week with the aim of helping raise awareness that a little leak when you laugh, is not as normal as you may think. Laugh Without Leaking is this year’s campaign by the Continence Foundation of Australia.
With over 5 million Aussies suffering from incontinence, leaks are a common problem for many people. However, no matter what you see on TV ads, a little “light bladder leakage” in NOT normal. Many people suffer in silence or laugh it off, without realising that in most cases, incontinence can be significantly improved or even cured.
Exercise is so important for all aspects of our life, including healthy pelvic floor function. However, many people are unaware that some types of exercise may actually be making their pelvic floor problems or incontinence worse! With so much information out there, it can be overwhelming and confusing to know what’s the right thing to do and what the next step is.
The Continence Foundation of Australia have released a free exercise app that is designed to be Pelvic Floor Safe for people of all fitness levels. The app is called PelvicFloorFirst and can be downloaded on both Apple & Android devices. The wide range of exercises on the app have been designed by Physiotherapist and fitness leader Lisa Westlake to ensure people enjoy the benefits of a total-body workout that protects their pelvic floor muscles.
The app has a range of workouts and provides visual guides on how to do every exercise. You can even build your own custom workouts so you only do exercises you enjoy. A nice touch is that it allows you to play music through the app. You can record your workouts as you do them to help monitor amount of exercise you are doing each day and to chart your progress. The videos are simple to follow and have both verbal and written instructions.
The app is very thorough, but like any app that is trying to help with managing a condition, it’s not always a case of one size fits all. A thorough assessment with a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist is still recommended for getting a proper diagnosis, pelvic floor rehab program and specific guidance regarding safe and appropriate exercises to do in conjunction with your favourite workout sequence on your PelvicFloorFirst App.
What we do like about PelvicFloorFirst:
It’s free! Simple and easy to use, the beginner exercises are safe for most people and any free app that encourages everyone to exercise more or to build confidence in women who may have been too frightened to do ANY exercise because of their pelvic floor problems is great.
What we don’t like about PelvicFloorFirst:
Videos can take a while to download and will chew up data if you’re not on WiFi. This app is designed for those just starting their exercise journey and the advanced level isn’t enough for any women wanting to get back into more vigorous exercise.
Last word:
A nice, easy free app that will help people with pelvic floor issues exercise safely in their own homes.
To book in for Pelvic Floor Physio – call the clinic on 3869 1099.