Yoga for Pelvic Floor

by Kristina Kehoe April 28, 2022

Most people barely know how the pelvic floor functions or if they even have one. That is, until things start to go wrong. Our pelvic floor does a lot day-to-day to help keep our bodies functioning properly. The pelvic floor helps with bowel and bladder function, sexual function, and support. It's important to take care of our pelvic floor muscles just like any other area of our body. However, it's not quite as straight forward when it comes to the pelvic floor. Strengthening alone isn't going to fix things. Yoga can be helpful whether you have pelvic floor dysfunction or not. Read on to learn more about yoga for pelvic floor dysfunction.

What is normal pelvic floor function?

Normal pelvic floor function looks like living your daily life without having to give much thought to your pelvic floor. You can go about your day without worrying about leaking urine when you laugh or having pain with intercourse. With that being said, it can still be hard to know if your pelvic floor is functioning optimally. Some things we've deemed "normal" for us may actually be signs of pelvic floor dysfunction.

Signs of pelvic floor dysfunction:

Urinary Urgency- running to make it to the bathroom on time
Leaking urine when you laugh, cough, or sneeze
Straining with bowel movements
Pain with intercourse
Feeling a bulging sensation in the vaginal area
Pressure in the pelvis or lower abdomen

In addition to knowing whether you may be experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction, it can be helpful to know if your pelvic floor is too tight/ tense or too weak. It is possible to experience both at the same time. While it is possible to get a good sense of what's going on with your pelvic floor, this is where a pelvic floor therapist can be incredibly helpful. He or she can help you determine the root cause of your pelvic floor problems.

If your pelvic floor is too weak, you want to focus on strength and stability poses and exercises

If your pelvic floor is too tight or tense, you want to focus more on relaxing and restorative postures and poses

Why Yoga for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Yoga is the perfect tool whether you have pelvic floor dysfunction or not. Specific to pelvic floor issues, however, yoga serves a variety of purposes. If you're experiencing things such as leakage or pressure, strong, strengthening yoga poses can help improve strength and awareness of the pelvic floor muscles. On the other hand, if you're experiencing issues such as pain or things related to tension like constipation, yoga is the perfect adjunct to promote relaxation.