5 exercises to strengthen pelvic floor

Pelvic muscles support the bladder, bowel and uterus. When they contract, the organs are lifted and tightened, preventing involuntary urine, bowel movements, and gas. Weak pelvic muscles can cause urinary incontinence due to bladder control problems.

Many factors can cause these muscles to weaken, such as pregnancy, childbirth, ageing, obesity, heavy lifting, constipation, and chronic coughing.

Daily exercise can strengthen the pelvic muscles so they can function well. Imagine you are trying to stop the flow of urine midstream. Those are your pelvic muscles.

Weak pelvic floor muscles can also cause sexual difficulties as it leads to tightening of the wrong muscle hence, pain during sex or pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

5 exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor

1. Tadasana or Mountain pose

Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Between your thighs, place a yoga block. Try to lift the block upwards by engaging your inner thighs.

2. Utkatasana or Chair pose

Take a deep breath and straighten your arms and legs. Exhale and bend your knees till your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground. To get into the ultimate posture, arch your back and push your tailbone down and bring your heels to the floor.

3. Setu Bandhasana 

Start the posture by lying flat on your back. Now bend your knees and elbows. Place your feet flat on the floor close to the hips and your hands firmly on either side of the head. While supporting both your hands and legs on the ground, slowly try to lift your body up into the air. Hold this arching posture for 20-30 secs and slowly bring your body up into a standing pose.

4. Paschimottanasana

Sit down on a flat, even surface on the floor. Stretch both legs completely forward, with the feet pointing directly upwards. Inhale deeply and raise both arms over the head. Then breathe out and curve the body forwards to try and touch the knees, maintaining a comfortable posture of the spine. Hold the big toes with the thumb and index finger of both hands. Stay in this posture for 10 seconds, then gradually release the hands, lift the torso and come back to the initial seated position.

4. Ananda Balasana 

As a warm-up exercise, raise your feet to the ceiling and pull down lightly with your first two fingers around your big toes. Maintain a neutral spine by resting your tailbone on the mat. As you relax, your hips open up, enabling your knees to come closer to your chest.