Updates for June
Readings/Learnings
-This is a really interesting blog article from hypermobility specialist and pilates teacher Jeannie Di Bon on the research regarding fascia and symptomatic hypermobility. Researchers are noticing the fascia in folks with symptomatic hypermobility tends to be thicker and has less glide. Researchers are wondering to what extent this is driving chronic pain and joint instability for folks. This is another great reason why I think gentle mobility work and bodywork can be really effective for hypermobile folks. I think folks had been scared into the “Don’t stretch if you’re hypermobile!!!!” camp for so long, and as with most things, there’s more nuance here! Static stretching at your full range of motion may still be ill advised with symptomatic hypermobility, but gentle movement in all planes of motion are imperative for “hydrating” the fascia, reducing guarding in compensatory muscles, and increasing proprioception.
-Also in the spirit of nuance, I’ve been trying to do my best to understand GLP-1s, in spite of them being a hot button topic. This article interviews local pelvic health NP Kathy Kates on some of the challenges related to GLP-1 usage, including side effects of decreased vaginal lubrication, constipation, and decreased pelvic floor strength. On the other side, I’ve been seeing more reports on the anti-inflammatory properties of GLP-1s, which are only just being fully uncovered. To learn more, here is an article from Scientific American about the anti-inflammatory aspects of GLP-1s, and here is something from the Bendy Bodies podcast about how GLP-1s might support folks with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. I am hearing more anecdotal reports of folks “microdosing” these medicines to support inflammation. (And to be clear when we’re talking about these things, I want to acknowledge the intense fatphobia and weight stigma present in society and in medicine. I appreciate the work of researcher and writer Ragen Chastain on this topic—you can find her substack on weight and healthcare here, as well as an article she wrote critiquing GLP-1 marketing. I support bodily autonomy and critical thinking when it comes to your healthcare!)
-My brilliant friend Hannah wrote this great article for dating app Feeld’s website on navigating antidepressants and desire. It reminded me of a lot of what Alex and I talked about in our workshop on chronic pain! How do we open up communication, deprioritize goal-oriented sex, and soak in the pleasures of everyday life?
-For a feel good item–watch these Tawainese elders at the gym!
Pelvic Health Tip of the month
Effort vs surrender
A client came in this week with instructions from a hypnobirthing class on breathing for labor, and we were talking about the difference between how I teach that style of breathing vs the hypnobirthing style. I noticed the hypnobirthing instruction had a lot of invitation language, words like “softening” or “allowing,” whereas mine was more direct and to the point: Do this, then do that.
I love thinking through this balance of effort vs surrender when it comes to any kind of movement. The next time you’re walking, moving from sit to stand, or even rolling over in bed, explore this difference between effort and allowing. How does it change the quality of the movement? Where do you notice more engagement or more relaxation? How can you find the balance between the two?
