A cesarian section can affect your pelvic floor (impacting sex, bladder leakage, and more) and creates scar tissue that can cause changes throughout the rest of your body. Worldwide, approximately 18.5 million babies per year are born via C-section. While sometimes a C-section is necessary for a variety of reasons, it’s also becoming more common for women to schedule one even when it is not medically necessary. “C-section scars are nothing more than a build-up of fascial adhesions,” says Ashley Black, founder of the FasciaBlaster. “They run through some of the most important fascia tissue in the human body that connects our upper and lower halves. The whole body can be affected by this scar tissue. Think of it like buttoning a shirt too tight––it pulls on everything. So we don’t want to leave this scar tissue dry and hard; we want to remodel the tissue.”
A C-section scar can impact the way your body moves and functions. It can create problems such as pelvic floor dysfunction, faulty movement patterns, and a weakened core. Having a C-section can also cause endometriosis, increase your risk of needing a hysterectomy later in life, and increase your risk of placenta issues. Many women mistakenly think pelvic floor issues only happen when you have a vaginal delivery, but a C-section can create issues as well. Painful intercourse, bladder leakage, pain in the pelvis, hips, or low back, and other sexual problems are all common after both C-sections and vaginal deliveries. After any birth, restoring pelvic floor health is important and can help you in your recovery and feeling your best. My online Go-To program was designed to help you recover, no matter how long ago your pregnancy was, and to get your pelvic floor, core, and entire body strong and aligned.
Another important component of healing after a C-section for many is taking care of the scar tissue. “I have had three C-sections within a five-year period, so I can speak from personal and professional experience,” says Ashley Black. “There is a misconception about C-section scar tissue. Most massage therapists are trained to shy away from this area, and women are usually a bit apprehensive to break up their own scar tissue, although that is exactly what we need to be doing. You can use this FasciaBlaster kit to help you remodel your fascia. Just brush your C-section scar like you do your teeth, briskly up and down, and side to side (see video below). Take a look at this peer-reviewed and published study here. Please seek your doctor’s approval post-operation to find out when massage is safe before any use of the FasciaBlaster tools.”
The pelvic floor program and FasciaBlasting are two things you can do easily at home to help recover from a C-section. It is never too late to start, and the impacts physically and emotionally can be profound.
Courtney Virden is a pelvic floor expert, fitness trainer, and writer who has created several specialized core and pelvic floor programs. Her online programs, used by women around the world, are designed to correct pelvic floor dysfunction, fix diastasis recti, and promote pelvic floor health from the comfort of home. Courtney also offers full-body workouts along with fitness and nutrition tips. For more information, visit her website www.courtneyv.com or follow her on Instagram @courtneyvfitness.
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