Frequently Asked Questions

  • This is stress urinary incontinence — a sudden rise in abdominal pressure that overwhelms the pelvic floor’s closure muscles. If the ligaments or fascia are already stretched, the muscles have to work even harder to maintain closure. By retraining the reflexes and improving pressure management, we make that closure response automatic.

  • Stages are described by how far the bladder wall has descended:

    • Stage 1–2: Inside the vagina, may feel like a soft bulge.

    • Stage 3: Reaches or presses against the opening.

    • Stage 4: Extends beyond the labia.
      But more important than the stage is how your prolapse feels.

    • Symptoms — heaviness, dragging, or discomfort guide what support you need, not just the “number.”

  • Not necessarily. If your prolapse is soft, mobile, and not causing symptoms, surgery isn’t the only option. Breath-work, Hypopressives, fascia release, and postural awareness can reduce pressure, lift organs, and improve function often enough to live without symptoms. Surgery is just one path, not the only one.

  • Surgery repairs the ligament or fascial supports, but if you don’t retrain the muscles and pressure management system, symptoms can return. Pre- and post-op pelvic floor rehab is essential for long-term results. Following one of my courses or seeing me 1:1 are a great way to get started - book here

  • A weak pelvic floor can’t generate enough force to support the sphincters or organs effectively, which often shows up as leaking or heaviness.
    A tight (or overactive) pelvic floor is constantly switched on, which can cause pelvic pain, painful sex, constipation, and even difficulty starting to wee.
    Surprisingly, many women with prolapse have both weakness and tension. That’s why I focus on restoring balance, not just “strength.” - To get started choose one of my packages - here

  • Because ligaments and fascia are load-bearing tissues, and after hours of standing, lifting, or being on your feet, they stretch slightly under gravity. By evening, symptoms like dragging or heaviness can be more noticeable. The good news: strategies like Hypopressives, posture resets, and release work can help you “reset” mid-day.

  • Maybe if you do nothing, however, by improving both the active muscular support and the passive ligament/fascial support( plus optimising breath and pressure management) you can reduce symptoms and prevent progression. In some cases, women even see their prolapse improve. Surgery should not be the first or indeed only option.

  • Kegels work on the muscular part of the system, but they don’t address the fascial and ligamentous support or how the whole body manages pressure. If your pelvic floor is already tense, Kegels can make symptoms worse. Many of my clients improve more with Hypopressives, release work, and postural strategies that restore balance to the whole pelvic support system.

  • Yes, but you’ll need to adjust how you move to start with so the ligaments, fascia, and muscles aren’t overloaded. With the right breath and posture strategies, you can return to walking, strength training, and even running without making symptoms worse.

  • This happens when the vaginal walls lose some of their support, creating little pockets of space for air to get trapped. It’s common after childbirth or with prolapse. Improving posture, breath, and alignment, especially with Hypopressives, can reduce it significantly and for many they never experience it again!

  • This is usually a pressure management issue. If your diaphragm, abdominal wall, and pelvic floor aren’t working together, heavy lifting pushes down on the organs and fascia. The fix isn’t avoiding weights forever — it’s learning breath and posture strategies that let you lift without symptoms.

  • Changes in pelvic floor tone, scar tissue, or prolapse can all alter sensation. Pain is often linked to a tight or guarded pelvic floor, while reduced sensation may happen if the tissues are stretched. Breath-work, release techniques, and posture resets can improve comfort and pleasure. With many of my clients reporting back that sex feels great again. To book a session or a proper supported guided package - click here

  • Release work can temporarily free up nerves and fascia, changing how pressure moves in your system. That can sometimes increase symptoms short-term, but it’s a sign your body is shifting. With the right follow-up (gentle nerve glides, Hypopressives, and rest), things usually settle and improve.

  • Shapewear squeezes your midsection, stopping your diaphragm and ribs from moving fully. That trapped pressure pushes down onto your pelvic floor, leaving it weaker over time. It might smooth the outside, but inside it disrupts the system. Mobility and posture give you a naturally supported shape without the squeeze. See my blog post on shapewear to find out more.

  • Pelvic floor dysfunction is when the muscles of your pelvic floor, the group of muscles that form a supportive “hammock” at the base of your pelvis aren’t working in the way they should.

    These muscles are meant to support your bladder, bowel, and (for women) uterus and vagina, while also helping control when you pee or poo, stabilising your hips and spine, and even playing a role in sexual function.

    When the pelvic floor is too tight, too weak, uncoordinated, or under constant pressure, it can’t do its job properly. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms, including:

    • Leaking urine when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or exercise

    • Difficulty starting or fully emptying your bladder or bowel

    • Constipation or straining on the toilet

    • A heavy, dragging, or bulging sensation in the vagina or rectum (possible prolapse)

    • Pelvic, hip, or lower back pain

    • Pain or discomfort during sex

    • An urgent or frequent need to urinate

    Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t mean your body has failed you. No way it simply means your pelvic floor muscles are out of balance. Sometimes they need to relax and release, sometimes they need better coordination and strength.

    There is good news though as with the right approach, combining breath-work, posture, release techniques, and functional movement , pelvic floor dysfunction can often be improved without surgery.

  • Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues forming a supportive hammock at the base of your pelvis. The muscles act like the closing mechanism for your bladder and bowel (and contribute to vaginal closure), helping you stay continent. The ligaments and fascia inside the pelvis provide the main day-to-day suspension for your pelvic organs, the bladder, bowel, and uterus, keeping them in their natural position.
    When the whole system is strong and supple, you barely notice it. When it’s not working well, the symptoms can be hard to ignore.

  • No. While pregnancy and birth can stretch both the muscular and fascial supports, other causes include chronic coughing, constipation, heavy lifting, high-impact sport, menopause, hypermobility, surgery, or trauma. Even prolonged postural patterns and stress-related breathing habits can weaken the system.

  • Never. Even if the ligaments have some permanent stretch, improving muscle coordination, breath, and posture can dramatically reduce symptoms at any age. Check out my blog posts - here

    Or book a discovery call with me - here

  • Yes. Stress changes your breathing patterns and increases tension throughout the body. Many women unknowingly hold their pelvic floor tight when anxious. Over time, this can disrupt function and even worsen prolapse symptoms. Breathwork and nervous system regulation are key parts of my approach.

  • Yes. Scars from C-sections, hysterectomies, or even abdominal surgery can “tether” fascia, changing how the muscles, nerves, and organs move. This can contribute to pain, poor coordination, and pelvic floor dysfunction. Part of my work includes gentle scar tissue release and movement strategies to restore mobility. Book a session here.

““I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.””
— Louisa May Alcott

  • For most women, yes. We retrain the system to handle load gradually, so the ligaments, fascia, and muscles work together under pressure, meaning you can lift safely and without symptoms.

  • It depends on your symptoms and consistency. Some women feel changes within weeks; others need months to rebuild both muscular and fascial support. My 12-week programmes are a starting point, but the best results often come with a longer-term plan.

  • Yes. Reduced oestrogen affects both muscle tone and the collagen in fascia and ligaments. This means the passive supports may lose some elasticity, making symptoms more noticeable. The good news: movement, breath-work, and pelvic floor training can still make a big difference. Check out my blog posts for more info about this.

  • Running isn’t automatically “off limits.” It depends on your symptoms, stage of prolapse, and how well your body manages impact. We start with breath-work and strength to build the foundation, then progress step by step back into running if it’s your goal. My 6 week or 12 week programmes would be the best fit here.

  • A pessary can be a brilliant tool, it’s a small device inserted into the vagina to help support the organs mechanically. It can reduce symptoms, especially heaviness. But it doesn’t “fix” the underlying muscle or fascial issues. Many women use a pessary alongside rehab to stay active and comfortable.

  • Yes. Urgency and frequency often have less to do with a “weak” bladder and more to do with how the pelvic floor and nervous system are communicating. Breath, Hypopressives, and release work can calm urgency signals and give you back more control.

  • Your feet are full of nerve endings that link directly to your pelvic floor through shared nerve roots and fascial lines. If your feet are stiff, collapsed, or rotated inwards/outwards, that tension travels up into the pelvis. Free, mobile feet = better pelvic support. Simple releases, toe lifts, or calf raises can transform both your balance and your pelvic health.

  • Yes — if your pelvic floor system is conditioned. Rebounding can actually improve fascial recoil and pelvic health when done progressively. The key is preparation: breath, alignment, gradual loading, and resilience before you bounce. Jumping in too soon can overload your system — but with the right build-up, it’s both safe and fun. if you leak when you jump - you aren’t quite ready yet…

    Think of it as a 12-week journey: begin with Hypopressives and walking, then layer in skipping, resistance training, and small hops. Progress slowly so your fascia, breath system, and pelvic floor adapt. By week 12, you’ll be ready for sustained bouncing without fear of leaks or heaviness.

  • Hypopressives use posture, breath, and apnoea (breath hold) to reduce pressure, lift organs, and retrain reflexes. No squeezing required. Instead of isolating muscles, you train your whole system to support you automatically.