Christina Christie, PT
Christina Christie, PT
Article Archive
"I wish someone had told me this could happen to my body after having a baby!" . . . "Why did my doctor tell me I could return to exercise at my 6–week checkup?"
Read MoreEverywhere you turn, it seems there is a commercial, headline, advertisement or article discussing some type of women’s health issue. In particular, many women face challenges with their Pelvic Core Neuromuscular System (PCNS). These problems affect women in all walks of life, including health professionals, teachers, executives, athletes and homemakers. Many do not even know that the pattern they’ve developed is not normal.
Read MoreOne in three women has some form of pelvic-floor dysfunction—for example, incontinence, pelvic pain or pelvic organ prolapse (Christie & Colosi 2008). The start of pelvic core muscle weakness is commonly associated with pregnancy. Many pregnant women also have low-back pain and diastasis recti (splitting of the abdominal muscles at the linea alba), which can lead to the lower abdominal protrusion or “pooch” that so many women develop after childbirth or significant weight loss.
Read MoreThe “core” by its simplest definition includes the muscles of the abdominals and back. However, the core is actually an integrated system that includes many parts. The “roof” is the respiratory diaphragm; the abdominals support the front wall; the back and hip muscles make up the back wall; and the pelvic-floor muscles make up the bottom. Together, these parts can also be referred to as the Pelvic Core Neuromuscular System (PCNS).
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