On Jan 20, 2012 DrOzfans.com posted some of Dr. Oz’s comments on pelvic organ prolapse. He suggested training the pelvic floor with.. “Kegel exercise(s). Dr Oz showed the audience how to do this by envisioning an elevator and breathing in and up. (It should take 10-15 seconds, when breathing in and up.)”

I respectfully disagree….

Hi Dr. Oz,

Thanks for tackling such a difficult women’s health issue pelvic organ prolapse. Many women suffer in silence. It is extremely valuable for women to see that they are not alone and that there are things they can do to address this issue. I was glad to see that you were recommending conservative, active measures versus simply suggesting surgery.

However, it is vital for women to be provided with correct information regarding how the pelvic floor functions. Yes, it is connected with the diaphragm, and works best when they are linked together in breath. However, the pelvic floor should lower on inhale accepting the abdominal and pelvic contents. It should rise on exhale. This is critical for proper activation of the central stability complex that is the inner core, which supports posture, movement as well as pelvic organs.

In addition, in the women’s health world we are advocating functional, integrative work for the pelvic floor. An isolated contraction of the pelvic floor like a Kegel will not train it for its role in movement, core, fitness or sport.

I demonstrated these pelvic floor “fun facts” in this video: The Fit Floor Part 1: Training Your Pelvic Floor for Fitness. Using the pelvic floor as it functions is the first step towards healing a pelvic organ prolapse.

Thanks for helping women seek solutions for tough issues!

Julie Wiebe, PT

Women’s Sports Medicine Physical Therapist