The Only Episode You Need to Understand Pelvic Floor Strength, Tightness and Kegels

What does it actually mean to have a strong pelvic floor - and is strong even the right thing to chase?Kimberlee Sullivan is a board-certified women's health physical therapist and Head of Clinics at Origin, where she leads nationwide clinical strategy. She has spent over twenty years in pelvic floor PT and founded her own Austin clinic, Sullivan Physical Therapy, in 2005.We cover the difference between strong and healthy, what the 0 to 5 strength score does and does not measure, why tight is not the same as strong, and how a constantly contracted pelvic floor gets weaker over time. Kimberlee also walks through relaxation versus lengthening, reverse kegels and straining, breath work, at-home tools, and why she does not have a five out of five herself.If you are dealing with hypertonicity, postpartum, or have only ever been told to do your kegels - start here.Kimberlee demonstrates much of this on camera, so watch on YouTube or Apple if you can.Sponsors:Pelva: pelva.com, code TWTC10 for 10% offOrigin: theoriginway.com/TWTC, code TWTC for a free first month of On-TrackConnect with Origin:Origin: theoriginway.comInstagram: @theoriginwayConnect with Mathilde:IG: @theworldstightestcommunityWebsite: theworldstightestcommunity.comSign up to the newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/4h4snzzdSupport the podcast: https://tinyurl.com/mtxnzhsdChapters:00:00:00 Intro00:01:58 Kimberlee Sullivan, Origin00:03:30 Strong vs Healthy00:05:08 Muscle Tone, Bicep Analogy00:06:38 Sucking in Your Stomach, Bracing00:07:52 Relaxation vs Lengthening00:09:14 The Contraction Spectrum00:10:10 Postpartum Score, 0 to 5 Scale00:10:52 Manual Muscle Testing, Grades00:11:37 Healthy at Three, Dysfunction at Five00:14:10 Tight vs Strong, Constant Kegels00:15:51 Tight for Whom, Societal Pressure00:16:44 Does Tight Mean Weak00:17:45 Losing Strength Over Time00:18:45 Internal Exam, Thigh vs Neck00:19:53 False Positives, Testing Both Sides00:21:20 Hypertonicity, Learning to Lengthen00:21:56 Basket and Balloon00:22:34 Tool: The Soft Spot Check00:23:49 Reverse Kegels, Down and Out00:24:32 Straining, Micro Tears00:27:04 One Long Kegel, Rest as Pushing00:27:52 Hotel Lobby, Elevator, Garage00:29:09 Not Knowing Your Baseline00:29:49 Sponsor: Pelva00:31:39 Sponsor: Origin00:33:30 Breath, Diaphragm, Pelvic Floor00:35:04 Fight or Flight, Chronic Pain00:35:55 Chest vs Belly Breathing, 36000:37:02 Reverse Kegel vs Breath00:38:40 At-Home Devices00:39:15 Tools, Getting Assessed First00:40:02 The 100 Kegels a Day Myth00:40:47 Tool: Finger Biofeedback00:41:54 Partner Check, Dilators00:42:40 Movement, Coordination00:43:39 Perifit, Kegel Devices00:44:41 Reinforcing a Contracted State00:46:33 Chasing Healthy, Not Perfect00:47:50 Incontinence as Transient00:48:21 Stress, Illness, Life Stages00:50:00 Being Your Own Advocate