Learning About Pelvic Health at the Local Y

By Paul J. Watkins

Women's Health Foundation is an organization that helps bring education, funding, and research to the field of women's pelvic health. One of the ways the foundation has achieved this is by developing the Total Control™ program. Designed by urogynecologists, physical therapists, and fitness experts, this comprehensive fitness and wellness program can help women regain confidence and improve their quality of life by improving their pelvic health.

Women of all ages, fitness levels, and life stages can benefit from Total Control™ program classes, which are offered at select locations around the country, including many YMCAs and YWCAs.

The program brings together essential stability and mobility exercises designed to improve pelvic health and fitness, and it focuses on the three major muscle groups of the pelvic area, often called the "Pelvic Pyramid."

Along with improving women's pelvic health, the Total Control™ program also teaches women about common problems related to pelvic health, their causes, and the different treatments available. Women learn about other topics related to pelvic health such as nutrition, bathroom habits, and sexual behavior. The Total Control™ program helps women achieve flatter stomachs, improved bladder control, enhanced sex and orgasms, and even better sleep habits. The program lasts seven weeks, and classes meet twice a week. Led by certified instructors, women enjoy sixty minutes of exercise followed by fifteen minutes of important pelvic health tips. Course materials and a workbook are included.

The Schlessmann Family YMCA in Denver, Colorado has been offering the Total Control™ program since it first became available in 2003. Stacy Hansen, Health and Wellness Director of the YMCA, says the organization saw how the program could benefit many of the women in the area.

"Bladder leakage is an extremely common condition, especially after a woman hits menopause," says Hansen. "However, many women choose to just 'live with it,' which in turn, plays a contributing role in more severe problems such as obesity, depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. A woman who is experiencing bladder leakage tends to avoid social situations and doesn’t exercise as much, putting her at risk for these more complicated diseases. She may also delay seeking care or telling her health care provider about her condition, ultimately compromising her condition.

There is no other program out there like Total Control™, which has been proven in medical research to help alleviate bladder leakage. Thus, we decided to do something about this condition and offer the class to our members," Hansen adds.

Hansen says the feedback that the YMCA staff has received from women who have completed the classes has been very positive. "We have gotten a full spectrum of feedback from the women who participate in Total Control™. A lot of women now understand how to do proper Kegels, some sleep through the night without having to get up and go to the bathroom, but most love the camaraderie, open discussions, and the fact that they can get their quality of life back."

Karen Keenley, Fitness Director of the Elmhurst and Greater LaGrange YMCAs in the Chicago area, says the Total Control™ program classes have been offered there since June 2007. "We talked with a new instructor at our Elmhurst YMCA who also was a Total Control™ Master Trainer," says Keenley. "She provided us with information on this class and the benefits it offers to so many women such as increased bladder control, flatter stomachs, improved posture, and more confidence.”

Jerri Pratt is the Association Health and Wellness Director of the YMCA of Greater Boston, where the Total Control™ program has been available to women there for the last 18 months. "The program was unique," she says, "and there was a need for it based on the latest research." Pratt adds that women who have taken the classes have reported a decrease in their bladder leakage. "Many of the women who take this class notice some sort of improvement in bladder control after three weeks. Most have improved bladder control by the end of the seven week class."

If you’re experiencing bladder leakage, the Total Control™ program may be a good option for you. Bladder leakage is not a normal part of aging, it is not something you just have to live with, and you are not alone. Educate yourself. Take the first step. Take Total Control™.

For more information about the Total Control™ program, and to see a list of YMCAs, YWCAs, and other organizations offering classes, visit www.totalcontrolprogram.com.

For more information about Women's Health Foundation, visit http://www.womenshealthfoundation.org/default.php.