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What Joining CrossFit Taught Me as a PT and an Athlete

My first introduction to CrossFit was by Olivia Ferguson – my best friend on my softball team at Francis Marion. She started the fall of our senior year, and I would tag along to not be alone in the apartment. But I wasn’t really interested in it. As I went to PT school the following year, the consensus was that CrossFit kept us in business. Those crazy athletes just moved around erratically and injured themselves, which led them to physical therapy. My first knowledge of Brandon Vaughn (part-owner of Vertex) was that he had a private practice within a CrossFit box – and that was a lucrative business model because they were always injured! Never did I think I would actually join a box myself or ever do CrossFit.

What I realized once I was out of PT school and began practicing was that all of my pre-conceived notions were totally false. CrossFit wasn’t a place where people did exercise with reckless abandonment.

I wanted to do Olympic Lifting because of Summer Strong. I knew without any introduction to Oly Lifts that I would end up injuring myself…and I knew I didn’t have friends. So, I finally decided to drink the Kool-Aid.  I joined CrossFit Soda City in June of 2017. What I realized the more that I went was that I found my new “thing.” I’d played softball in college for the physicality and for my Patriot-family.  I’d competed in Obstacle Course Races for the community and the challenge. And now I’d joined and began to love CrossFit for the community and the challenge.

So, what I learned joining a Crossfit Box is this:

  1. These people are way nicer than any other people you’ll ever meet in any gym environment. They genuinely care how you’re doing and what’s going on in your life.
  2. CF is not dangerous, if you’re being smart about it. You’ll always have people who take it too far – every box has “that guy.” But on average, people want to do it right and don’t want to get injured.
  3. CF gives you that competitive environment if that’s what you’re looking for. You push yourself hard because you have something to prove to yourself or you have a love of competition. If you don’t want to go hard, you don’t.
  4. CF helps you become a better mover. If you practice those motions, you build a better motor program for the motion. You get cleaner in your bar movements. You get better and faster.
  5. CF changes people’s lives. People become motivated to become healthier. It’s not JUST about losing weight. It’s about getting strong: mentally, physically, and emotionally. It helps you see who you are and how strong you are. Can you get through “Fran,” can you get through the MetCon when you’re dog tired and worked 10 hours that day? Yes. You can. You’re a beast.

I love my gym-Fam. Is CrossFit for everyone? Absolutely not. That’s why we have so many options – Pilates, Barre, Yoga. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you move. Once we STOP moving, we’re much more likely to sustain injuries. Find your thing, Jelly Bean!

-Tristan Faile, PT, DPT, OCS, CF-L1

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5 Things You May Be Doing That Aren’t Great for Your Pelvic Floor

Your pelvic floor is a set of muscles that make up the base of the pelvis. It functions to control bowel and bladder, add stability to the spine, and support the organs (among many other functions).  Both sexes have a pelvic floor, however they obviously look a little different between male and female. I focus only on Women’s Health, so for the purpose of this blog post – we will only focus on the female pelvic floor! It needs a lot of attention, however you could definitely be taking your self-care too far. So, lets delve into 5 things you may be doing that could be causing harm to your pelvic floor!

1. Using “Feminine Cleansing” Products

The vagina was designed to take care of itself without the assistance of perfumes, washes, or douches. The tissue can maintain it’s own pH levels, hydration, and bacterial levels – which is why some discharge from the vagina is totally normal! Large, copious amounts of discharge, colored discharge, or foul smelling discharge are signs of an issue going on – and are reasons to visit your doctor. And these symptoms can be brought on by using products that your vagina didn’t need. Water and mild soaps are fine, however strongly perfumed products can be irritating to the vaginal (internal and external tissues).

2. Using a Menstrual Pad for Urinary Incontinence

They’re MENSTRUAL pads for a reason, not incontinence pads! The vulva (or the external tissues of the vagina) can be irritated by pads, causing irritation, redness, and discomfort. If you’re experiencing incontinence, this is a reason to see a doctor – and definitely a pelvic floor physical therapist! Regardless of the number of children you’ve had, you should not leak with any motion. And strengthening/mobilizing the tissues of the pelvic floor and surrounding hips can definitely help to stop the leakage.

3. Tolerating Painful Sex

Pain during sex is not “normal.” One of the 5 functions of the pelvic floor is sexual appreciation, or the ability to participate in and enjoy sex. Studies have shown that the stronger the pelvic floor, the better the sex. Pain with sex can be caused by irritation of the vaginal tissues, dysfunction within the muscles, and hormonal changes. It’s a reason to talk to your doctor and seek out a pelvic floor physical therapist!

4. Not Drinking Enough Water

Water intake directly affects the function of the bladder and the bowels. Adequate hydration is required for normal bowel function, which helps eliminates wastes – but has also been implicated with pelvic pain. The Mayo Clinic recommends that women drink 11.5 cups of water/day. This recommendation changes with levels/intensity of exercise, health, pregnancy, and breast feeding. For more information on this, visit the Mayo Clinic website (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256).

5. “Hover Peeing” In a Public Restroom

I know…sometimes public restrooms are definitely gross; but squatting is not the answer! To allow the release of urine from the bladder, the pelvic floor has to be able to relax. In a 90 deg squatting position, the pelvic floor will be active (and attempting to hold urine). So, squatting and attempting to urinate will cause a confusing disconnect in the sphincter (or control) muscles of the pelvic floor. So, rather than squatting – use the toilet covers or make your own out of toilet paper. Save your squats for the gym!

One Final Note:

These suggestions are obviously not all encompassing. There are situations where one of these MAY be the right answer for you. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out; either to myself or to a pelvic floor physical therapist in your area. You should never feel embarrassed about any questions you have regarding your vagina or pelvic floor – we all have one!

Dr Tristan Faile, PT, DPT, OCS

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