Relax Those Pelvic Floor Muscles!
Okay guys…here at Recharged Physical Therapy, we’ve made it our mission to normalize and demystify anxiety around the pelvic floor.
This includes everything from pregnancy to incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and low back pain. However, for a lot of people, their exposure to the pelvic floor begins and ends with “Kegels!” And, to be honest, some people haven’t even heard of those…
We’ve talked before about the differences between a hypertonic and hyperactive pelvic floor. But for a quick refresh ->
a hypotonic pelvic floor means that the “sling” of muscles is too weak to be able to fully carry out their duties. This in particular relates to incontinence, response to sexual arousal and pelvic organ prolapse. Pelvic floor hypotonicity has been well-studied and documented.
On the other hand, pelvic floor hypertonicity is a way less talked about. Sometimes called non-relaxing pelvic floor dysfunction, the muscles are overly tight and too tense to be able to do their job well. Muscles need a certain length to be able to be at their strongest. So a muscle can be tight and weak as well as loose and weak. Sometimes there are external factors that lead to hypertonicity like excessive exercise, lower body/back injuries, a variety of urogynecological diagnoses, and lower digestive tract disorders. Sometimes the cause is more insidious – a built up from tension over a long period of time. The common results of tight pelvic floor muscles include pee leakage, pelvic organ prolapse, low or no Orgasm, pain with intercourse/penetration, vaginal spasms, difficulty with bowel and bladder, and chronic pain.
So going back to those Kegels… A lot of pelvic floor disorders are focused on strengthening. But what about people with a tight pelvic floor? More strengthening is not always better – and can in fact lead tight muscles getting even tighter and making the problem worse.
So what can we do?
Here are 3 AMAZING ways to help your pelvic floor stay relaxed and amazingly strong… and guess what! They have NOTHING to do with Kegels!!
Diaphragmatic breathing (the old standby):
Lie on your back with one hand on your chest and the other on your belly
Take a deep breath in through your nose, focusing on expanding your belly and ribs in all directions
Try not to “force” or “push it” – see if you can also sense your pelvic floor relaxing down as you inhale
Exhale through your nose or mouth (whichever you prefer), trying to feel your pelvic floor rise up
Stretching:
Certain stretches or positioning can help to relax the pelvic floor, including:
Happy baby pose >> Lie on your back with your knees bent on either side of your trunk. Pull your feet/calves towards you and hook your fingers around your big toes.
Supine pigeon>> Lie on your back and cross one leg in a “figure 4 position.” Wrap your hands around your straight leg and gently pull towards your chest. You should feel a stretch in your outer hip. Repeat on the opposite side.
Child’s pose>> From hands and knees position, rest back onto your heels with knees wide. Gently breathe, reaching your chest to the floor as your arms reach forward.
Thigh press>> Lie on your back with your knees and hips in a table top position. Feet should be parallel to the floor. GENTLY press your hands against your thighs without letting either move. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 5 times.
Walking:
Walking 30-60 minutes a day is one of the best ways to help loosen your pelvic floor. It may seem like a simple thing – and easy to skip. But this is one of the most important activities to relax those tight muscles!
So…we don’t have to live with a tight pelvic floor. There are some simple, practical habits you can incorporate into your daily routine to help loosen everything up. If these tips don’t feel like enough, going to a pelvic floor physical therapist to evaluate your specific needs might help!
If you have more questions- PLEASE reach out to us directly! Or comment on this blog!
We are here for you!
<3 The Recharged Performance Therapy Team
References
https://www.kgoal.com/blogs/pelvic-health/relax-down-training
https://www.kgoal.com/blogs/pelvic-health/hypertonic-vs-hypotonic
https://pelvicguru.com/tips-for-pelvic-floor-relaxation/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2050052121000123
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3498251/
https://allisonrissel.com/end-pelvic-floor-pain/