Mgr. Lucie Kafková is a gynecological nurse and a certified pelvic floor school instructor. She has completed training in traditional Chinese medicine and dietetics, aromatherapy, and various types of health, fitness, and dance exercises, including holistic massages. She is fascinated by the female body and approaches it holistically, with passion and immense respect. She helps clients through individual consultations, courses, and workshops within her "My Healthy Pelvis" program, and also works at the Balneo Lípa rehabilitation and physiotherapy center and at a private gynecological clinic in Prague. You can connect with Lucie on Facebook or Instagram.
Lucie, thank you for taking the time to talk to us about the influence of the pelvic floor on women's health. To start, could you tell us what exactly falls under "pelvic floor" in our body and how the pelvic floor is physically, energetically, and psychosomatically connected to the rest of our body?
The pelvic floor is a muscular bowl located at the bottom of the pelvis, made up of muscles grouped in layers. In women, three outlets pass through the pelvic floor: the urethra, the rectum, and the vagina. Its main function is to close the pelvis and keep the organs in place. However, it also helps us to lift ourselves, supports our motor skills, contributes to our stability (it is part of the deep stabilization system and the head – pelvis – feet axis), and participates in spinal erection and pelvic alignment as such.
Energetically, the pelvic floor is related to kundalini energy. Kundalini is an energy that we all have in our bodies and is hidden in the pelvic floor. When it appears, it symbolically travels as a snake along the spine upwards towards the head. Kundalini energy can often be awakened by a powerful experience, such as childbirth, or by yoga practices. It is an energy that is difficult to describe, but it is good to know about it if a woman feels its activation.
Psychosomatically, the pelvic floor is connected to stored emotions, which, if not processed correctly, can affect our health. The pelvic floor is related to our most intimate events such as births, miscarriages, sexual intercourse, menstruation, and if we have any unprocessed trauma associated with these events, emotions created during their occurrence may still be stored in the pelvic floor. These then manifest as physical difficulties in the organs located in the pelvic floor – i.e., organs of the reproductive, urinary, or excretory systems. When a woman starts working with her pelvic floor, these stored emotions may begin to manifest.
I see that you approach women's health holistically. How did you arrive at this approach, and why do you think it is so essential to work with women's health holistically?
The Pelvic Floor School unequivocally taught me to look at women's health holistically. Its 3x3 method is much deeper than it may seem at first glance. It's like physiotherapy with personal development and spirituality all in one. Personal development and psychosomatic aspects are increasingly being considered in conventional treatment and simply belong to a holistic approach. Only spirituality has somehow disappeared... and I consider that to be crucial to consider and work with.
Why do you think it is so important for us women to care about the health and proper function of our pelvic floor?
Unequivocally, due to the prevention of future pathological conditions – a weakened pelvic floor is associated, among other things, with excretory disorders, and women usually come only when it's too late. Furthermore, the health of the pelvic floor manifests itself in the quality of our intimate life, and also, as I have already mentioned, it points to unprocessed emotions. When we work with the pelvic floor, it's as if we are peeling off the individual layers of our body.
What are the most common symptoms of weak or overstrained pelvic floor muscles? How can we know that our pelvic floor is not doing well and that what we need is pelvic floor exercises?
The truth is that there are several manifestations of poor pelvic floor function, and women often don't even think to associate these complications with the pelvic floor. The most common symptoms are pain in the lower back, hips, tailbone, neck, head, increased or decreased tension in the gluteal muscles, tense facial muscles and clenching teeth, pathological posture, hard walking, the development of bunions (hallux valgus), shifting weight to the heels, inability to release tension, etc. From a gynecological perspective, these include menstrual cycle disorders, painful menstruation, PMS, frigidity, infertility, insensitivity or hypersensitivity during sexual intercourse. Finally, there's the aforementioned urinary incontinence – involuntary leakage of urine during sports activities, coughing, or sneezing is often the first sign that something is wrong.
Pelvic floor exercises can effectively prevent these problems and thus improve our quality of life. We all know that pain or psychological discomfort affects our behavior and perception of our surroundings. And now consider that the female body is also predisposed to cyclicality, which is why it is even more important for a woman to take care of herself and cherish her pelvic floor, which reacts sensitively to every change.
I like the concept of the Pelvic Floor School, which speaks of pelvic floor function as an emotional barometer. We can take this literally and with a pinch of salt. Simply put – every pressure manifests in the body. If I have tension within me, I often clench my teeth and facial muscles, I will probably also be clenched in the pelvic floor and gluteal area through "connected orifices" (tight pelvic floor muscles). This excessive tension can result in hemorrhoids, urinary incontinence, menstrual disorders, personal imbalance, hypersensitivity, tension... simply what an unhealthy pelvis does :)
And what are the causes of poor pelvic floor function?
The causes can be hormonal, for example, after childbirth or during pregnancy. Furthermore, overweight can cause problems. Over-exercising is also unsuitable, as a contracted pelvic floor can have the opposite effect. We recognize a contracted pelvic floor when women experience tension around the mouth, tension in the face, grinding or clenching of teeth. Generally, it can be said that the pelvis suffers when we sit. We are not made for sitting, so it's good to walk or dance more :). And then there are the already mentioned settled emotions...
How can we release emotions stored in our pelvic floor? And how do you recommend working with them so that they don't accumulate in the pelvic floor area (or elsewhere in the body) in the future?
Physical pelvic floor exercise is just the basic. If emotions start to emerge, then it is necessary to continue working with them and process them. If it is a complex problem, there is psychotherapy. The second option is that I don't need to talk about it, or I'm already in psychotherapy, but I need to do something physically. In that case, there are bioenergetic exercises. These involve stomping, kicking, jumping, shaking the body, screaming, even vomiting, which allow us to release tension and process emotions as they arise. Some people can also run off emotions, but I would only choose such an activity if it is not my regular activity.
Apart from psychotherapy and bioenergetic exercises for processing emotions, I can also recommend breathing exercises (e.g., yin and yang breathing), which also help a woman become more self-aware, as well as meditation, or music therapy. It is important to find an activity that suits me and in which I feel comfortable. Then I combine it with processing emotions and create a ritual out of it, an approach that is solely mine, personal, and to which I regularly return. Working with emotions thus becomes my new lifestyle.
I would also add to this topic that our diet has a great impact on emotions. If we eat certain foods at inappropriate times of the year, it will not do us good either physically or emotionally. The organism then has to work hard to break down and process inappropriate food, and no longer has the energy to process new emotions. So, the way we eat also affects our emotional side.
How can a woman start with pelvic floor exercises?
Ideally, every woman should find her guide – an instructor, physiotherapist, or someone who deals with pelvic floor exercises. Such a guide would show her how to perform individual exercises, correcting errors in arm and leg positions. It also involves providing mental support, confirming that the woman is on the right track. Therefore, rather than a video, I recommend a group session, workshop, or individual session. I believe that 1-2 hours of individual lessons are sufficient for a woman to understand how to properly exercise her pelvic floor. It's not complicated; it's more about having the confidence that you're doing it right. The core understanding comes when the woman internalizes the exercises.
What is your opinion on yoni eggs, Ben Wa balls, and other aids for strengthening the pelvic floor?
That is individual for every woman. I dare say that in recent years, women have become very distant from their femininity, and that women have become fond of the patriarchal world. They very often act like men, and then they use these aids in that masculine way and very insensitively towards themselves. For example, Ben Wa balls are a brilliant aid for pelvic floor exercises, but it is important to use them gently. Make it a ritual, know why you are doing it, shower, be mindful of yourself, treat yourself with love. Ben Wa balls have a ball inside that vibrates, creating friction that activates the pelvic floor muscles. Yoni eggs, on the other hand, are made of minerals that can have a positive energetic effect on the pelvic floor area. With yoni eggs, it is important to be careful about the string they often contain - it can be unhygienic. In general, I recommend choosing aids that are sympathetic to you and whose effect you believe in.
How often should every woman exercise then?
A great success for me is when a woman incorporates pelvic floor exercises into her daily activities – when she's sitting in the car, when she's on the metro, when she's brushing her teeth, when she's having breakfast... the exercise then becomes a habit, and that's the ideal state. Pelvic floor exercises only need to be done for a very short time, but several times a day. It's enough to just think about the pelvic floor, because even that automatically activates its muscles.
What results can women expect from this exercise and after how long?
After several weeks, differences in intimate life can be observed. If pathological conditions are involved, it usually holds true that recovery can take as long as the condition has lasted.
Do you have any tips for women who plan to get pregnant in the next 1-2 years but have only now learned about pelvic exercises?
It's never too late to start – it's better to start now than not to start at all. And definitely don't blame yourself for not starting to exercise sooner...
We were interested in your program "My Healthy Pelvis". Could you elaborate on what the program focuses on?
My Healthy Pelvis is a project focused on prevention and awareness. I often encounter women who come to me with a recommendation from their gynecologist for exercise, but they don't actually know what it entails. I must admit that on the one hand, I am very grateful for this recommendation and see it as great progress, but on the other hand, the thought bothers me that it would be great if women had greater awareness of this topic even before they develop a health problem.
So, what does a truly healthy pelvis look like?
You just know a healthy pelvis. Her gait is graceful, her pelvis has an attractive butterfly movement, and the woman radiates something you can't describe in one sentence, but you want it too.
From your practice of individual consultations, what is your approach with women who suffer from gynecological problems, menstrual cycle disorders, or hormonal fluctuations? What factors do you assess, and what areas of lifestyle do you adjust, or what activities do you recommend women newly incorporate into their daily lives?
This is very individual. It doesn't work by just pulling out a "drawer" of menstrual cycle disorders and "prescribing" exercises for them. I work holistically, so I talk with the woman, I'm interested in her intention and motivation, in short, we get in tune with each other. This phase is truly important not only because mutual trust and sympathy are necessary for successful cooperation, but also because if we don't connect, then it's perfectly fine, and we part ways amicably. With a bit of exaggeration, I like to say that when everything is in harmony, half the work is done. I get to know a woman best when I touch her, so I offer the client a massage for activating or releasing the pelvic area even before we start with exercises. Thanks to the massage, I better perceive the tone (tension) of her body and energy. If the woman is then interested in working truly holistically, we also look at her diet and overall lifestyle. I also like to recommend available associated methods such as lymphatic drainage, which forms an amazing combo. And if the client also reduces white sugar, starts drinking more plain water, eating fiber, legumes, or strong vegetable and meat broths, she will see results very quickly. Many diseases have roots in an inappropriately chosen diet, and for example, if I know that a woman suffers from heavy white discharge, is sexually restrained, and is often cold (almost always has cold extremities and buttocks), then I recommend changing her diet first. However, imagine small, gradual changes; there's no point in wanting to change everything right now, but rather thoughtfully without unnecessary gestures.
A question we very much like to ask at the end of interviews is whether you have a life motto that you live by. Would you share it with us?
Happiness is a state of mind.
What message would you like to convey to all women who are dealing with problems related to their cycle?
Not to panic, because the cycle is something we can influence with our approach.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a normal period last?
A healthy menstruation lasts 3 to 7 days. If you bleed longer or shorter repeatedly, consult a gynecologist.
Why is menstruation painful?
Menstrual cramps are caused by prostaglandins - substances that contract the uterine muscles. Magnesium, heat, exercise, or natural patches can help.
Are organic pads and tampons safer?
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What affects the regularity of the menstrual cycle?
Stress, diet, exercise, sleep, and hormonal balance - all of these affect the length and regularity of the cycle. Tracking your cycle will help you identify patterns and any deviations.
