3 Ways to improve prolapse symptoms during deadlifts
Are you experiencing prolapse symptoms during your deadlifts? A recent client of mine was getting heaviness, pressure and dragging during her usual deadlifts. Having been recently diagnosed with a prolapsed bladder, we made the following changes to her deadlifts, so she could continue to deadlift without the prolapse symptoms.
Changing the range of movement
3 easy ways to change the range of movement for deadlifts so you can reduce your prolapse symptoms when lifting
- If you are using a barbell, popping the end of the weights on weight plates or blocks changes the range of movement so there is less drive into the hips
- Use a trap bar for your deadlifts. Again, this increases the angle at the hips so there is less distance to pull and less push back into the hips
- Swap your kettlebell for a dumbell on its end. This subtle change slightly reduces the range of movement and can help you feel less pressure
Change the timing of your breath
The peak of intra-abdominal pressure during a deadlift is as you pull from the floor. Timing your breath so you exhale just before you lift means you have ‘switched on’ your pelvic floor muscles for some extra support and stability. Cues such as breathing into the lats can also be useful to help spread the pressure across the whole core (not just the pelvic floor)
Need to work on your breathing? check out this blog on breathing strategies and when to use them
Deload the bar
Taking some weight off the bar can be a useful exercise to see if there is a (load) point where symptoms kick in. Once you find this point, I suggest working here for a few sessions or even weeks before adding a little more load again.
I did Helen Keeble’s High Impact and Weightlifting course and she recommends using the following
Symptoms during the exercise – reduce load by 50%
Symptoms after workout – reduce load next time by 30%
And I always recommend checking in with your pelvic health physio if your symptoms are persisting.
Beth Davies is a highly experienced personal trainer and coach specialising in female pelvic health, pelvic organ prolapse and exercise. Her programmes educate, empower and support women back to training or their active life, eliminating symptoms and building strength and confidence. She has been featured in women’s lifestyle magazines and websites, including Stylist, Metro, Woman & Home and Marie Claire UK
Beth’s training and coaching for women with pelvic organ prolapse provides face-to-face personal training in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and online across the UK and Europe.