Spring Physio

Think you always need to “brace your core” in Pilates? Think again! 👇

Let’s talk about that standard cue we’ve all heard a million times: “Engage your core,” or “Brace the abdominals!”

A new randomised trial (by Lunkes et al, 2026) in patients with chronic low back pain might just change the way we approach Pilates.

They compared two groups: 1️⃣ Group 1 (Control): Engaged their core consciously. 2️⃣ Group 2: Abdominals were relaxed, with a focus on smooth movement.

Both groups did the same 12-week, 2x per week Pilates programme.

The Surprising Results? ❌ There was no clear difference in patient-specific function or overall perceived improvement.

Wait, it gets better: ✅ Disability improved in both groups, with a small additional improvement in the relaxed group. ✅ The relaxed approach may have produced a small additional benefit for pain.

The Takeaway: Core activation isn’t always required for Pilates to help chronic low back pain. We don’t have to fear abdominal muscle activity, but this study suggests conscious bracing is NOT necessary.

Save this post and read the study yourself at a later date here:

Lunkes, L. C., et al. (2026). Keeping the abdomen relaxed versus contracted during Pilates improves disability slightly and may improve other outcomes in chronic non-specific low back pain: A randomised trial. Journal of Physiotherapy, 72(2), 116–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphys.2026.03.007

Let’s discuss.🤔 How do you cue your clients?

Think a pelvic health check is only for AFTER you give birth? 🤰✨

Your body undergoes massive structural changes from the moment pregnancy begins. Seeing a pelvic health physio isn’t just about treating pain—it’s about preparing your body for a smoother pregnancy, an active birth, and a more straightforward postnatal recovery.

Swipe through to see exactly how we support you:
📅 Strategic timeline planning from week 12
💪 Going beyond kegels
⚡ Treating lower back & pelvic girdle pain (PGP)
📋 Building your early postnatal recovery blueprint

👉 Speak to your GP or midwife for a referral, or click the link in our bio to book your appointment today.

Your pelvic floor doesn’t always need more squeezing — sometimes it needs a little more letting go.

If you carry tension through your pelvic floor, these gentle stretches can be a lovely way to encourage relaxation, improve body awareness and reconnect with your breathing.

✨ Try:
Cat-cow
Pigeon
Child’s pose
Happy baby

As you move, focus on breathing slowly and imagining your pelvic floor softening and releasing on the inhale.

Remember, there’s no need to force a stretch. Find a position that feels comfortable for your body and allow the movement to be gentle.

Save this post for your next stretch session & send it to someone who might find it helpful

What’s your favourite pelvic floor release stretch? 👇

Your scar is healing—even when you can’t see what’s happening underneath!

Scar healing isn’t just about how the skin looks. Your body goes through different stages as new tissue forms, remodels, and gradually becomes stronger and more mobile.

✨ Early healing (first ~2–3 weeks):
New tissue is laid down, but it can be irregular and tight. Gentle movement, appropriate wound care, and monitoring for infection are key.

✨ Remodelling (up to 2 years):
This is where scar therapy can make a real difference. Massage, desensitisation, lymphatic techniques and abdominal/core rehabilitation can help improve tissue mobility and function.

✨ A well-healed scar:
Ideally, your scar should be flat, mobile, comfortable and not limiting movement or muscle activation.

And remember: a scar can look “healed” on the outside while the deeper tissues are still adapting. Your recovery doesn’t stop when the incision closes.

If your C-section scar feels tight, sensitive, numb, painful or restricted—or you simply want to understand how to care for it—physiotherapy can help. 🌿

um

Your local sports and pelvic health physiotherapy practice

What we offer:

✅Post Natal MOTs - A bespoke 75 minute appointment providing a full health check post birth.

✅ Menopause MOT - A bespoke 75 minute appointment to discuss peri or post menopause pelvic health concerns.

✅ C-section Recovery - Holistic rehabilitation including scar massage, progressive core rehab and LymphaTouch treatments.

✅ Sports Physio - All musculoskeletal conditions.

✅ Core Classes with a pelvic floor focus - Small group classes regularly throughout the week to build strength and mobility.

✅ Pregnancy - Treatment available for those experiencing pain in pregnancy, wanting to prepare for birth and/or treatment for pelvic health symptoms.

✅ 1:1 treatment also available for bowel conditions, pelvic surgery such as hysterectomy, incontinence and prolapse.

Www.springphysio.co.uk

If you’re constantly “holding your tummy in” to engage your core, you could actually be making it harder to build true core strength.
A lot of people grip through their abdominal muscles during exercise, believing that more tension equals a stronger core. But excessive gripping can interfere with breathing, increase pressure through the abdomen, and prevent your deeper core muscles from working effectively.

Instead, try focusing on these key principles:

Connect to your pelvic floor first.
Think of a gentle lift through the pelvic floor rather than pulling your stomach in. This creates a more balanced core connection.

🌬️ Breathe with your diaphragm
Allow your ribs and tummy to gently expand as you inhale. As you exhale, softly engage your pelvic floor. Your breath should support your core, not fight against it.

Find your deep core muscles
The transverse abdominis (TVA) sits deep within the abdominal wall and acts like your body’s natural support system. Aim for a subtle engagement low down in the abdomen rather than a strong gripping sensation through the front of your stomach.

🏃 Modify exercises when needed
If an exercise causes you to hold your breath, bear down, or excessively tense your abs, it’s often a sign that the movement needs adapting. Building control and coordination first will lead to better long-term strength.
Core training isn’t about bracing harder or holding more tension.
It’s about learning how to coordinate your breath, pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles so they can work together as they were designed to.

Save and swipe through this post for your next workout 👇

Summer term updated timetable! Due to demand I've added an evening class, this currently has two spaces left for the coming term. Day time classes are full except for a couple of adhoc spaces. If you'd like to be added to the waiting list please get in touch.

You can choose to book adhoc or by the term.

https://spring-physio.uk1.cliniko.com/bookings

Classes take place at my clinic in Blackboys, just outside Uckfield. There are a maximum of 6 in a class to make sure I can tailor the class to each individual's needs.

This is class is a suitable for recovery/improving symptoms for the following conditions:
✔️Post hysterectomy
✔️Postnatal recovery (after 6 weeks)
✔️Diastasis
✔️Prolapse
✔️Incontinence
✔️Core weakness
✔️Back pain

Not sure if this class can help you? Feel free to DM me to discuss or email [email protected]

In one of my recent posts I discussed how stress can affect the pelvic floor, but there are many more factors that can contribute to pelvic floor tension.

Pelvic floor tension can build up quietly over time through things like:

✨ Trauma or emotional stress
✨ Habitual over-gripping (“holding on” without realising)
✨ High stress & nervous system overload
✨ Muscle imbalances in the hips, glutes, core or jaw
✨ Lifestyle habits like sitting for long periods, breath holding, heavy training, or constantly “bracing”

When the pelvic floor is stuck in a guarded, tightened state, it can become irritated, sensitive and painful — especially because these muscles are closely linked with the nervous system and our stress response.

This may contribute to:
• pelvic pain or pressure
• pain with intimacy or tampon use
• tailbone, hip or lower back pain
• bladder urgency or frequency
• constipation or difficulty emptying
• leaking
• abdominal tension or cramping
• a constant feeling of tightness, aching or “holding”

For many people, pelvic floor tension is influenced by a combination of physical, emotional and lifestyle factors — and it can be hard to know exactly what’s contributing or where to even begin.

This is where pelvic health physio can help 💛

A thorough assessment can help identify patterns, contributing factors and areas of tension or imbalance, whilst giving you practical tools to help your body feel safer, calmer and more supported again.

Pain is not “all in your head” — but the nervous system does play a huge role in how the body protects, tightens and responds to stress.

Most people don’t realise they’re holding tension in their pelvic floor until it starts affecting daily life — and even then, it’s often misattributed to something else.

Pelvic floor overactivity (sometimes described as a “too tight” or “guarded” pelvic floor) can be incredibly subtle. It doesn’t always feel like pain. In fact, it often feels like nothing obvious at all — just a sense that your body never fully switches off.

You might notice that you can’t quite let go after contracting your abdominal muscles, or that your core always feels gently braced even when you’re resting. Some people describe a constant “held in” feeling, as if they’re subtly gripping through the lower abdomen without realising it. Others find it difficult to fully relax when lying down or breathing deeply into the belly.

The challenge is that this pattern can become your “new normal”, so it goes unnoticed for months or even years.

Common but often missed symptoms of pelvic floor tension:

A persistent feeling of tightness in the lower abdomen, pelvis, or hips

Difficulty relaxing the abdomen or “letting go” after engaging your core

Pelvic discomfort or pressure without a clear cause

Pain or discomfort during in*******se

Difficulty inserting tampons or pelvic examinations feeling uncomfortable

Urinary urgency or frequency, even when there’s not much urine

A sensation of incomplete bladder emptying

Lower back, hip, or glute tightness that keeps returning

Feeling like you are constantly “holding in” your core

Importantly, these symptoms don’t always appear together — and they don’t always look severe. That’s what makes pelvic floor tension so easy to miss.

The body is very good at adapting. If it has learned to stay “switched on” for support or protection, it may continue doing so long after the original trigger has passed.

If any of this feels familiar, it may be worth exploring whether your system is holding more tension than it needs to. Working with a pelvic health physiotherapist can be a helpful step in identifying what’s going on and learning how to restore balance between strength and relaxation.

Stress doesn’t just live in your mind — it settles into your body too, and the pelvic floor is a common place it hides.

When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol (your primary stress hormone).

Cortisol ramps up muscle tension in a few key ways.

When stress triggers cortisol release, your nervous system shifts into a more alert, “ready for action” state (often called fight-or-flight). In that state, muscles subtly contract to prepare for movement or protection. This includes deeper, less obvious muscle groups like the pelvic floor. If stress is ongoing, that low-level contraction can become your new baseline.

Cortisol also makes your body more sensitive to other stress signals, keeping the nervous system switched on for longer than necessary. So instead of muscles relaxing after a stressful moment passes, they stay slightly braced — almost like a background hum of tension.

On top of that, cortisol can affect breathing patterns. Many people under stress breathe more shallowly or hold their breath without realising. This disrupts the natural coordination between the diaphragm and pelvic floor, which ideally move together with each breath. When that rhythm is off, the pelvic floor can remain in a more tightened position.

Over time, this combination — constant nervous system activation, altered breathing, and unconscious bracing — can lead to persistent muscle tension. And because it develops gradually, people often assume tight, uncomfortable muscles are actually weak ones.

The tricky part? You might not even notice you’re doing it. That constant tension can lead to symptoms like discomfort, urinary urgency, pelvic pain, or difficulty relaxing — which are often mistaken for weakness. This is why seeing a physiotherapist for a proper assessment and treatment is so important. It’s not just about “strength” — it’s about understanding how your pelvic floor is functioning overall, including its ability to relax.