Yoga poses for pelvic floor pain
The pelvic floor muscles are a broad band of muscles stretching from the base of the spine in the back, to the pubic bone between your legs in front. They support the bowel, uterus and bladder inside the abdomen. They help you maintain control over bladder and bowel movements. Pregnancy and childbirth sometimes stretches or weakens these muscles of the pelvic floor. This causes stress incontinence, leading to leakage of urine when you laugh, sneeze, cough or exercise.
It can also cause pain in the pelvic area, as well as in the lower back. Yoga poses can help in such cases. In fact, these poses are also recommended during pregnancy starting from the first trimester and continuing into the third trimester. The exercises also ensure smoother, quicker and less painful natural childbirth.
Weak pelvic floor can also lead to a prolapsed uterus. Yoga poses are especially helpful in strengthening the pelvic floor and leading to reduction in pain.
First find your pelvic floor muscles: Imagine that you are trying to stop from passing wind and the flow of urine, both at the same time. It is a sort of lift and squeeze movement where the back and front passages are drawn together, and your tail bone is brought to the pubis. Do not contract the buttocks.
Yoga poses called asanas can help cure weakness and pain of the pelvic floor. They will also help increase your circulation and give you more stamina. While standing postures are good, squats are also good because they increase the flow of blood to the pelvic floor.
The yoga poses found to be helpful for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles are:
- Easy Pose - Sukasana
- Child’s Pose - Balasana
- Cobra Pose - Bhujangasana
- Fish Pose – Matsyasana
- Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Triangle Pose - Utthita Trikonasana
- Supine Spinal Twist - Supta Matsyendrasana
- Tree Pose – Vrksasana
- Shoulder Stand - Salamba Sarvangasana
- Tiger Pose - Vyghrasana
- Shoulder Pose – Skandhasana
- Thunder Pose – Vajrasana
Most of these poses merge gradually from one to the other. A few blend two or more poses together.
Along with these poses it is also essential to practice some ‘mula bandhas’ or ‘root locks’. These root locks are some physical practices which correct certain physical imbalances, encourage better posture and also lead to inner awareness.
First gently uplift the muscles of the pelvic floor, which are situated between the coccyx (tailbone) and the pubic bone. Contract these muscles as if you are stopping the urge to urinate or have a bowel movement. Hold for some time and repeat this 3-4 times. Next engage the uddiyana banda or abdominals. Regular practice of these locks will strengthen the core, and along with better aligned and more powerful postures, will also improve our endurance.
If your pelvic floor is healthy and well-trained, it will give you better control over bladder and bowel functions, enhance your sexual sensations and decrease pain in the pelvic floor as well as in the lower back.
