Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Did you practice yoga for pelvic floor relaxation? If you’re struggling with a hypertonic pelvic floor, relaxing yoga can help a lot. On our Pelvic Floor Dysfunction page, we the difference between a hypertonic (tight) and a hypotonic (lax) pelvic floor. Regardless of whether you have hypertonicity, hypotonicity or just a normally functioning pelvic floor, you can benefit from doing yoga for pelvic floor relaxation.
Today, we have released a simple 10-minute yoga sequence for relaxing your pelvic floor. This video has music only, no talking, and it uses timers to let you know when you need to change position. There are no props needed to do this sequence, although as always, you can adapt your practice to suit your body and use props if you require them.
Yoga for Pelvic Floor Relaxation
Practicing yoga has many benefits, especially when it comes to your pelvic floor. One study1 concluded that “The practice of yoga causes a reduction in the pain intensity and improves the quality of life in patients with chronic pelvic pain”.
The benefits are not just with pelvic pain. Studies into Bladder Pain Syndrome have shown improvements in bothersome symptoms form practicing yoga2. It’s not just pain conditions that benefit from yoga. Another study3 found improvements in Urinary Incontinence in women who practiced yoga.
How Yoga Creates Balance In the Body
Your connective tissue and muscles work together to help manage your movement. Every muscle has a job in the business of your body’s movement, and if you have muscles that are hypotonic or hypotonic, that can interrupt this business. Yoga allows you to gently stretch and strengthen muscles throughout your body without overloading your tissues. It allows muscles to come back to a balanced resting length, which has a very positive effect on the pelvic floor. Yoga also helps you to find some stillness and release the stresses of the day.
If you do practice yoga, it is important to practice with compassion while listening to your body. Aggressively pushing yourself into a yoga pose can cause injury, so take it easy, move slowly and met your body where you find it. Props are always welcome in your practice, even if the teacher isn’t using them. Practice with some blankets, pillows or a bolster and yoga blocks, using them for support when you feel your body needs it. Speak with your doctor or pelvic floor physiotherapist before adding any exercise into your schedule and they can add some additional guidance based on your specific body and symptoms.
Yoga Therapy for Bladder Pain Syndrome Showed Evidence of Benefit for Improving Bothersome Bladder Symptoms, Pain and Voiding.2
Would You Like to Follow a Structured Program?
If you are struggling with pelvic floor dysfunction, we have lots of options to help you as you work to come back into balance. From our YouTube videos to our 30-Day Challenge, there are lots of free options. If you would prefer a more comprehensive structured program to help you to overcome pelvic floor dysfunction, you can follow our Eight-Phase training which is detailed in full in the book Empower Your Flower.
We also have the Eight Phase training available as an online course, which gives you access to premium areas in our community including weekly Zoom calls with Denise. The online training also gives you access to our new training courses (Overcoming Vaginismus launches March 18th 2022). If you could prefer 1:1 coaching, you can book a call with Denise from our teachable school.
Above all, make sure that you take steps to deal with your pelvic floor dysfunction. Seek help rather than suffering in silence, and remember that if we all talk about pelvic floor dysfunction, we can break the taboo.
References
- Saxena R, Gupta M, Shankar N, Jain S, Saxena A. Effects of yogic intervention on pain scores and quality of life in females with chronic pelvic pain. Int J Yoga. 2017 Jan-Apr;10(1):9-15. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.186155. PMID: 28149062; PMCID: PMC5225749.
- Khandwala S, Cruff J. The Role of Yoga in the Management of Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Single-Arm Pilot Study. Adv Mind Body Med. 2020 Fall;34(4):4-9. PMID: 33186125.
- Huang AJ, Jenny HE, Chesney MA, Schembri M, Subak LL. A group-based yoga therapy intervention for urinary incontinence in women: a pilot randomized trial. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2014 May-Jun;20(3):147-54. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000072. PMID: 24763156; PMCID: PMC4310548.