First, let’s focus on what the pelvic ground does, precisely: “The pelvic ground is made up of muscular tissues, pores and skin, and fascia,” explains urogynecologist and pelvic ground skilled Betsy Greenleaf, D.O. “It’s this tissue that’s chargeable for protecting all of our organs from dropping out the underside, reminiscent of bowels, bladder, and reproductive organs in ladies.” Consider your pelvis like an open bowl constructed out of your hip bones—whereas it creates a sturdy construction, Greenleaf notes, little is holding your organs inside. “It’s a determined battle in opposition to gravity.” That is why it is vital to strengthen these pelvic ground muscular tissues so you’ll be able to higher help your continence (aka bladder management), intercourse drive, and extra over time.
Now collagen, as chances are you’ll know, helps make up the construction of your pores and skin, bone, fascia (aka connective tissues), and muscle (it is probably the most considerable protein within the physique, as a matter of reality).* So it doubtless does not come as a shock that collagen performs a key function in pelvic ground well being: “Collagen composes the tissue, reminiscent of fascia and ligaments and provides to the energy in opposition to gravity,”* notes Greenleaf. Particularly, your pelvic tissues comprise primarily sort I and sort III collagen1.
However, sigh, collagen ranges deplete over time, resulting from issues like growing old, smoking, genetics, and a host of different elements. Your pelvic ground additionally occurs to weaken over time as you lose muscle mass (plus, gravity afflicts us all sooner or later), and in keeping with Greenleaf, pure collagen decline can pace up that course of.
“Weakening of the pelvic ground is a mix of thinning of the collagen within the fascia and muscular tissues and weakening the muscle fibers,” she says. Basically: “It’s double hassle for the pelvic ground with reducing collagen and reducing muscle mass.” Analysis even reveals that collagen content material is decrease in ladies who must strengthen their pelvic ground2; an elevated breakdown of collagen can also be tied to emphasize urination in ladies3 (aka, every time a bodily exercise—laughing, sneezing, coughing, and so on.—places stress on the bladder and causes it to leak).