Urinary Incontinence Tied To The Strength of Your Psoas Muscle and Visceral Fat Levels
I have a habit where I read very widely, and often very deeply into unrelated subjects. I have discovered that there are insights and extreme value from putting facts together. It also helps in problem solving to have ability to pull theory, rules, systems and effects from different areas of science.
So – something that is rife in nursing homes, and in normal homes is bladder problems. If your confidence in not peeing yourself is low, or alternatively the discomfort of not being able to pee properly is high, you may not leave home much, and your general health will cascade downwards. And you will be depressed.
The PSOAS Muscle Is Very Important
The psoas basically holds your pelvis and spine in place. I have been learning more about it because I do Crossfit training, and I can be compulsively geeky.
Every kind of training requires your psoas to be in good shape. Strong, flexible, and not knotted up from sitting down for a few decades.
When I was digging into studies, I came across info that implicates a weak or spasming psoas with bladder problems/incontinence. It seems that while the psoas is not directly connected to the detrusor muscles (control your bladder and spasm to contribute to overactive bladder syndrome?), it does have an effect on that muscle.
Whoa!
So, if you or a loved one have a bladder problem, then you need to urgently add an understanding of the psoa to your knowledge base. And then embark on a program to improve the size, tone, and strength of this muscle to see how much it helps. If it does not affect your bladder problem, you will still benefit as your posture, movement, balance will improve – AND a variety of pain and inflammation may also reduce.
Symptoms of a Tight Psoas Muscle
- Radiating pain down the leg
- Sciatica
- Lumbar disc problems
- Limping
- Tension and pain in the lower back, hips, buttocks, pelvis, or groin
- Lower back spasms
- Snapping hip syndrome (I have this!)
- Functional leg length discrepancy
- Idiopathic scoliosis
- Hyperlordosis (curvature of the lower spine)
- Instability in the core of the body
- Limited flexibility in the lower back
Who doesn’t have any of that, ay? Now picture most grandads and grandmas. It is practically all of them.
Now add in bladder problems. And you now know that being weak/tight in the hips and pelvis (psoas!) is not a good way to head into old age.
What To Do?
- Firstly, if you have not decided that your body is designed to move, to lift, to be challenged (safely) as a normal part of life – and that by not doing this you are going to open the door to bloody misery sooner than needed – decide that now.
- Second, if you are already old and/or weak – decide that you CAN improve. Realize that your body is phenomenal and ADAPTS to stimulus – even if you are very old (and pathetically weak). If you can determine the safe starting point for both stretching of your psoas (and all other muscles, but start somewhere) – then determine it and begin asap. You can go and visit a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist if you have no clue, or are starting in a weakened state.
You need to both stretch and strengthen these muscles. It will not take many minutes per day. And it may give you your freedom and dignity back.
If you are in an aged care home, and you do not have an exercise program for everyone – slap your Centre Manager (with words!), and tell them they suck. If they do not respond well, take it on yourself to help yourself and others – and organize one. Do not wimp out and give in. All progress relies on the unreasonable man (or woman).
Here is the clinical paper on the Psoas and Bladder Problems (Click).
[This paper also talks about visceral fat (which means belly and midline fat levels) – reducing that is a good idea too. That requires another post, but it is much easier to not eat mushy, cr@ppy food when you feel better (stronger). When we feel weak and powerless, eating high carb, sugary muck gives us a little boost – but then makes us weaker.]
And please share this post. What if you help someone who is in bladder hell, and gets better with a few stretches?