Did you know that 60% of women who have a vaginal birth will have some degree of bladder descent, and most of them have no idea?

In this episode of Her Body, Her Story, Women's Health Physio Heidi wraps up the leaking miniseries with part three: prolapse. Heidi breaks the taboo around prolapse, explaining what it actually is, why it's so common, and why having a prolapse does not mean adult nappies or giving up the things you love.

This episode is for those who simply want to understand their pelvic anatomy more deeply, as well as for those who are navigating a prolapse diagnosis, leaking related to prolapse, or fear and uncertainty around what a prolapse actually means for their life.

Heidi walks through the anatomy of prolapse, why so many women have it without any symptoms at all, how it can contribute to leaking, and the practical support options available, including pessaries and pelvic floor strengthening.

In this episode, we explore:

• what a prolapse actually is, and the anatomy behind your bladder, uterus and bowels
• the common causes of prolapse, including pregnancy, obesity, chronic constipation and hypermobility
• the different grades of prolapse, and why grade one and two often come with no symptoms at all
• why 60% of women with a vaginal birth have some form of bladder descent, and why that statistic shouldn't scare you
• how prolapse can contribute to leaking through a flexible urethra, using the hose and trampoline analogy
• how a pessary works, and why Heidi describes it as "a bra for your vagina"
• the role of pelvic floor strength and lifestyle factors in managing a prolapse

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome Back and Recap01:09 Prolapse Isn't So Scary02:11 Pelvic Anatomy Basics03:18 What Causes Prolapse04:42 Grades and How Common06:35 Symptoms vs Diagnosis07:52 Why Prolapse Can Cause Leaks09:09 Hose and Trampoline Analogy10:13 Pessaries and Support Options11:03 Pelvic Floor and Lifestyle Steps11:58 Series Wrap and Resources

Put this into practice

If you're wanting to understand your body more deeply and apply this to your own training, recovery or injury prevention, you can explore:

• Your Free Pelvic Floor Essentials Guide → HERE
• Your Free Bladder Leaking and Core Weakness Guide → HERE
• Read health blog posts or Work 1:1 with me → HERE
• Wanting individualised support for bladder leaking and core weakness? Ask me about the Core Comeback Program, a 12-week online physio-led program with education, exercise and fortnightly group coaching → email me HERE

Stay connected

You can follow along for more conversations and education here:

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If you're wanting any future topics or questions unpacked, email me HERE titled "Podcast topic". I tailor these episodes to you.

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Episodes drop every 3 weeks on Tuesdays.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for education only and does not replace personalised medical advice. Please consult your health professional for support specific to you.