Yoga and Incontinence

March 21, 2018

Do you suffer from incontinence? Try yoga! Weekly yoga exercises can help strengthen pelvic floor muscles similar to doing kegels exercises. Individuals suffering from incontinence can benefit from yoga because it relaxes the pelvic floor muscles while strengthening the muscles at the same time! Studies have shown a substantial reduction in urinary leakage amongst those who regularly practice yoga.

The Yoga Journal recommends the following Viniyoga sequence to help create pelvic stability:

1. Hook Lying with a block

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet slightly apart. Place a yoga block (at its narrowest width) between your knees. Inhale deeply. Exhale, and sequentially begin squeezing your knees into the block with your hip adductors, lifting the pelvic floor up, and pulling the transversus abdominis toward your spine. Keep your feet and back on the floor; the lumbar curve may flatten slightly. On an inhalation, sequentially relax the transversus abdominis, and release the pelvic floor and hip adductors without dropping the block. Repeat 8 times.

1. Reclining Bound Angle Pose

Start in the same position, but this time with your feet together. As you inhale, relax the pelvic floor, transversus abdominis, and hip adductors and let your knees drop open to the sides. Exhale and bring your knees up to the starting position while lifting the pelvic floor and pulling the transversus abdominis in. At the end of the exhalation, briefly accentuate the muscular contraction. Repeat 8 times.

1. Two-Footed Pose

Place your feet hip-width apart and close to your buttocks. As you inhale, push down through your feet and lift your hips, keeping the transversus abdominis and pelvic floor relaxed and soft. Ex--hale and slowly lower your hips back to the starting position while you lift the pelvic floor and pull the transversus abdominis firmly inward. Repeat 8 times.

1. Reclining Wide-Legged Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

Lie perpendicular to a wall with your legs raised and your buttocks against the wall. Inhale and open your legs wide as you relax the transversus abdominis and then the pelvic floor. As you exhale, lift the pelvic floor, contract the transversus abdominis, and bring your legs together, squeezing your knees together at the end of the breath. Repeat 8 times.

1. Legs-up-the-Wall Pose

Lie perpendicular to a wall with your legs raised and your buttocks against the wall. Inhale and open your legs wide as you relax the transversus abdominis and then the pelvic floor. As you exhale, lift the pelvic floor, contract the transversus abdominis, and bring your legs together, squeezing your knees together at the end of the breath. Repeat 8 times.

Shop our Incontinence Solutions for additional protection!

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