Hi friends. We are excited to share, Pelvic Floor Therapy: How to Strengthen and Tone Your Pelvic Muscles by Heidi Thiel of Rory.com this week. Thank you for providing this awesome post for us!! We really enjoyed it and appreciate the time you took for us!!
By now you’ll have heard about pelvic floor health and how it’s connected to your well being. But just what is the pelvic floor? The pelvic floor is a grouping of muscles that help to support the uterus, bladder, and bowel. You may also have heard that Kegel exercises, the quick tightening and releasing of the pelvic muscles, is the only way to strengthen and tone the pelvic floor. But there’s a better way – through breathing and stretching.
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PELVIC FLOOR THERAPY
HOW TO STRENGTHEN AND TONE YOUR PELVIC MUSCLES
Why You Need a Strong Pelvic Floor
Although helpful for men as well, it’s women who benefit the most from a strong pelvic foundation. After childbirth, as women age, and after the hormonal changes of menopause, the pelvic floor muscles become weaker, often causing incontinence and other health concerns.
Having a strong pelvis promotes a healthy bladder, good balance, and better breathing habits. Strengthening and toning the pelvic muscles can help to alleviate incontinence, lower the risk of vaginal prolapse, and speed up recovery after childbirth. Keeping these muscles toned can also relieve misalignments with your posture that can cause back and hip pain.
Stretching for Strength With Pelvic Floor Therapy
With pelvic floor therapy, doing daily exercises can help to strengthen your pelvic muscles. Start by focusing on your breath and learning to relax and engage the pelvic muscles. With deep diaphragmatic breathing, also known as “belly breathing”, the pelvic muscles drop down and lengthen, becoming supple and toned. Every time you exhale, focus on the upward movement of the pelvic floor.
Practice belly breathing and continue breathing low into the abdomen while doing relaxing stretches such as the butterfly stretch and happy baby pose. When doing the happy baby, let your knees open to the sides just enough to get a good inner groin stretch. Then as you inhale, feel yourself letting go of your pelvic floor as your belly and lower ribs expand.
Move on to strengthening exercises which help to safely work the pelvic muscles. The split tabletop, squats, and glute bridge are all ideal and can be performed every day. Focus throughout the pose on your breath, relaxing the pelvic muscles with each inhale and contracting with every exhale.
Along with a regular stretching routine to strengthen your pelvic floor, health up your diet. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, 6 to 8 glasses per day, and substitute herbal teas for caffeinated and carbonated drinks. Eat foods that are high in omega-3 and low acid fruits such as melons and bananas. Moderate your use of alcohol and avoid artificial sweeteners, which are a definite no when it comes to a healthy diet.
By adding a few pelvic floor stretches and focused breathing to your day, you can strengthen your pelvic floor, making the muscles toned and fit so you can feel your best. Take a look at the visual guide below for further pelvic floor therapy instructions!
Author Bio:
Heidi Theil
Heidi is a writer at Rory, and is passionate about holistic health and wellness.
When she’s not writing, you can find Heidi at the beach or hanging out with her bearded dragon.
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