Influencer Explains Why Her Bladder Collapsed At The Gym

As the spring season starts and folks start working toward their “summer bodies,” we need to have a conversation about how you should approach weightlifting, or specifically, weighted squats, so you are not injuring yourself. Recently, on TikTok, one woman gave a cautionary tale about what happens if you push your body too far and—whew—you are going to want to strap in for this one.

Beauty influencer Stacey Dee had a primary goal when she started going to the gym: build a booty. Beginning her story, Dee said she looked up advice online, and the number one piece of advice she saw was to make sure you are lifting, which is true. According to Women’s Health magazine, weight training dates back to the ancient Greeks as one of the most effective ways to tack on muscle mass.

“Everything I read said you have to really lift heavy. I am trying to build an ass. You need to lift heavy, so you are going to get you an ass. I go to the gym, I am like, you know, I will do squats. Everybody says squats are going to build a huge ass, and that is what I want. I want to be dragging a damn wagon,” she stated.

However, as Dee continued to load weights onto the barbell and bent down to complete her eighth squat, she realized something had gone horribly wrong.

@missstaceydee

Welp that’s the end of strength training #fyp

♬ original sound – Stacey Dee

“I feel pressure. Pressure coming from my girl. I go to the bathroom, look down, and there is stuff dangling down. What is going on? Like I am panicking. What do I do with this? So I just get up. I really have to go home, take a picture, and send it to my momma. My momma says that is your damn coochie. I am like, I cannot believe it, my coochie done fell out.”

What Dee would come to find out was that she had actually experienced a bladder prolapse, otherwise known as a cystocele, which is when the muscles that hold your bladder in place weaken, causing it to bulge through your vaginal opening, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

While a bladder prolapse can be caused by various reasons, such as vaginal births, obesity or even genetics, one reason can be lifting heavy weights. Australian health clinic Continence Health Australia reported that the downward pressure weight training puts on a woman’s pelvic floor can cause it to weaken, especially for women who have gone through vaginal birth, which is the most common cause of a fallen bladder.

One woman in a case study done by Continence Health Australia experienced difficulties using a tampon and controlling her bladder and had to adjust her sex life because of her experience with a prolapsed bladder. Some women have to have surgery to fix the issue.

Now, although this does all sound very concerning, bladder prolapses are much more common than you might think. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 50 percent of women have some form of cystocele, and it can range from severe grade, where your bladder falls significantly past your vaginal opening, to mild grade, where it just drops slightly in your vagina.

In the case of beauty influencer Dee, she was told her situation was not urgent, and she was able to push it back in herself before being seen by a gynecologist on the next working day. The doctor had her do Kegel exercises and told her it was a mild prolapse that they could not do anything about.

“I’m like, alright, whatever, I can’t get the surgery (to put her bladder back in place). What I need to know is, if I decide to throw it back, can he catch it? Do it work? She was like, yeah, it works fine. So I mean it is what it is,” Dee ended her storytime.

So if you are getting ready to start your gym workout, do not let this scare you, but be cautious not to jump straight into the deep end when lifting heavy. Instead, the Canadian pelvic health clinic KW Pelvic Health suggests starting with a light resistance that you gradually increase, incorporating pelvic floor exercises and stopping if you experience any discomfort down below.

But also make sure to always speak to a professional trainer, physiotherapist, or doctor for specific advice for your body. Other than that, good luck with your training!