Like the song goes, “Words don’t come easy to me”.
However, how we use words can be a powerful part of our treatment strategy for our clients
Bowl – An open, rounded container for holding things.
The six bones of the pelvic girdle fuse as we grow to make up the pelvic cavity which resembles a bowl.
If BOLWVIS is not already a word, it should be so let us use it here to talk about the pelvic bowl.
For a bit of orientation in your Bolwvis;
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The uterus sits centre of the female pelvic bowl with the rectum behind.
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The bladder in front and below.
In males, the prostate gland sits behind the pubic bone, attached to the bladder above, and the rectum is behind.
If I want my movement clients to be aware of the position of the pelvis, I can use the word bowl or container with a visualisation of it being full of liquid. Tipping too far in any direction and we spill the juice. Asking clients to mix ingredients without sloshing anything over the sides can help them move in different ways and feel the depth, width and space in the Bolwvis.
If I decide the movements clients are making are too big, jerky or causing pain, I change the word. For example, if I say “pelvic cradle”, you probably notice you soften your thoughts and movements. You gently rock a cradle; you want to be soothing, calming.
I can also use funnel-shaped to help get the thought of wide to narrow and where the bottom of the funnel is projecting. Often I ask people to visualise the Ischial tuberosities (easy for our clients to feel). These boney landmarks sit in the same line and below the ischial spine. It can be a guide to visualise the direction that the bottom of the funnel points (the pelvic inlets and outlets directed towards the rear) if on the outside we are using the boney landmarks of the Anterior Superior Illiac Spine and Posterior Superior Illiac Spine. I find this is a light bulb moment for many of my ladies.
For a bit of fun movement and to see if it changes how you feel or your awareness. Try standing with the different words as your focus, work through the list.
A bit off piste – Many of my clients ask about pelvic floor biofeedback devices. This piece of research came to my attention today. Scientific evidence for pelvic floor devices presented at conferences 2019 – Conclusion. Sample sizes were small and there was a lack of evidence for most devices. Click here for the report. Despite this, many devices were available in the market. Our findings indicate the process for introducing new devices is in stark contrast with the strict requirements for introducing new drug classes.
