This upper body workout shows you safe strength exercises for your upper body & better posture with pelvic prolapse or previous prolapse surgery for home or gym with Physical Therapist Michelle from
These exercises are pelvic floor friendly exercises for exercising with pelvic organ prolapse or after prolapse repair prolapse surgery.
Tips for Pelvic Floor Safe Upper Body Exercises Demonstrated
The following tips will help you reduce your risk of overloading your prolapse whilst doing these upper body exercises. Cease any exercise that causes physical discomfort.
The exercises demonstrated in this exercise video help you strengthen and tone your upper body muscles including:
Arm muscles – biceps and triceps at the front and back of the upper arm
Back muscles – trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles in the middle back
Chest muscles – pectoral muscles overlaying the upper chest
1. Seated Bicep Curls
Strengthen and tone the front of the upper arms, forearms and wrists.
• Sit when doing this exercise rather than standing on a chair, exercise ball or bench
• Lift a weight that feels manageable and avoid straining to lift
• Maintain good seated posture with your spine lengthened
• Lift one weight at a time
• Breathe out as you raise the dumbbell weight
2. Low Dumbbell Row
Strengthen and tone the upper/middle back and back of the upper arms.
• Lean on a bench or chair to support your upper body
• Keep the size of the weight manageable and never strain with lifting
• Breathe our as you raise the dumbbell
3. Lying Down Tricep Dumbbell Extensions
Strengthen and tone the back of the upper arms.
• Do this exercise lying down on a firm supportive surface
• Breathe out as you raise the dumbbell towards the ceiling
• Keep the size of the weight manageable to avoid straining
4. Lat Dumbbell Pull Over
Strengthen and tone the middle back and chest muscles.
• Perform this exercise lying down
• Keep the size of the dumbbell weight manageable and avoid straining when lifting
• Breathe out as you raise the dumbbell towards the ceiling
5. Prone Push Back
Strengthen and tone the back of the upper arms and the middle back muscles used for maintaining good upright posture.
• Maintain contact between both your head and feet with the mat throughout this exercise
• Breathe out as you raise the weights away from the ground
How Many Upper Body Exercises to do?
When you start upper body exercises focus on using the correct technique.
You may start out doing a couple of repetitions using no weights until you’re sure you have the correct form.
• Aim to perform 8-12 repetitions (1 set) of each exercise in a row
• Repeat 3 sets of exercises resting between each set of exercise
• Perform upper body exercises on alternate days of the week for a total of 2-3 weekly sessions per week
Always stop any exercise that causes physical discomfort during or after exercise.
