One thing that we deal with a lot in clinic is breathing. Breathing is the primary task of the Intrinsic Core which is made up of the Pelvic Floor, the Transverse Abdominus, the Multifidus and the Posterior Fibres of the Internal Oblique.
(Image Credit: Healthwise Inc.)
These deep core muscles interact to increase abdominal volume and draw the bottom of the lungs down, allowing a nice big breath of air. This action combines with the muscles of the chest and lower neck to create an efficient "pump" for breath.
If someone has abdominal surgery, then chances are they will try to keep the abdomen still while it recovers, meaning that they have to work harder in another area of the breathing system.
A typical compensation we see here is that someone starts to breathe "Up" more, increasing reliance on the lower neck muscles. If this pattern becomes habitual then we can see neurological changes such as lower neck tension driving movement restriction, nerve entrapment and more.
Or we can see changes in the Pelvic Floor as we stop breathing inferiorly (down), which might effect our ability to hold urine or get into a nice deep squat. By relieving the trauma of abdominal surgery and then coaching effective breathing, we can restore the ability of the Core to work as a functional unit.
This will give us greater stability and enhance our ability to breathe freely and easily. Please factor this in if you can't get to the bottom of your back pain, incontinence or breathing issue.