By Amanda Fisher, PT, DPT - Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist at Empower Your Pelvis, Kansas City (Lee’s Summit, MO and Overland Park, KS)

If you love yoga and want to enhance your practice while protecting your pelvic floor, these tips from a pelvic floor physical therapist can help you move with greater awareness and control.

1. Exhale on Exertion:

A key tip from pelvic floor therapists: exhale on exertion—or as we like to say, "blow as you go." This means that during the hardest part of any movement, like transitioning from plank to downward-facing dog or lifting from a forward bend, exhale. While this might differ from traditional yoga breathing cues, using your breath in this way allows your core to stabilize and prevents undue pressure on your pelvic floor.

2. Inhale to Lengthen Your Pelvic Floor:

During an inhale, your pelvic floor naturally lengthens. The pressure created in your abdominal cavity from deep breathing helps your pelvic floor muscles relax and lengthen. When you're in Savasana (corpse pose), instead of only focusing on relaxing during the exhale, try to actively relax and lengthen your pelvic floor on the inhale. This mindful breathing can give your pelvic floor some extra care.

3. Engage All Your Abdominal Muscles:

Your core consists of multiple muscles, each with a specific role. Some stabilize your lower back, others help rotate your trunk or create that "six-pack" look. One of the most important, yet often forgotten, is the transverse abdominis, which supports your lower back, holds your abdominal contents, and lifts pressure off your pelvic floor. Ensuring all your core muscles are equally engaged will provide better support during your yoga practice.

4. Check Your Pelvic Alignment:

If you experience lower back, hip, or pelvic pain, checking your pelvic alignment is key. To do this, place your hands on your iliac crest (the top of your hips) and see if they're level. You might find one side is higher or rotated. Correcting this alignment can help prevent aggravation of any existing symptoms and ensure a more balanced yoga practice.

5. Stack Your Bones, Engage Your Muscles:

It can be tempting to sink into a lunge or Warrior II pose, but doing so often means you're relying on your ligaments instead of engaging your muscles. To protect your joints, focus on stacking your bones. Think of your pelvis sitting over your hips and your ribs stacked over your pelvis. From there, press into the ground and engage your muscles. While this might feel like more effort, it ensures you're stretching and strengthening in a functional and effective way.

6. Rethink “Engaging Your Pelvic Floor” During Yoga:

You may have heard cues to "engage your pelvic floor" in yoga classes, but this isn’t always the best advice for everyone. Some people may benefit from engaging their pelvic floor, while others might need to relax those muscles. Think of it like a tight muscle knot in your shoulder—you wouldn't keep squeezing it. If you're dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction, it’s best to consult a pelvic floor physical therapist who can help determine whether you should be engaging or relaxing these muscles during your practice.

Go Forth and Flow, Yogis!

Incorporating these pelvic floor-friendly tips into your yoga routine can make a big difference in how you feel during and after your practice. If you experience any pelvic pain or dysfunction, don't hesitate to seek guidance from a professional pelvic floor therapist.

Get Professional Help

If you're looking for “pelvic floor therapy near me”, consider scheduling a consultation at one of our locations in Kansas City-Overland Park, Kansas, or Lees Summit, Missouri. Click here to book your appointment.

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With wellness in your pelvis-

Amanda Fisher, PT, DPT
Owner, Empower Your Pelvis, a pelvic floor physical therapy clinic in Kansas City (Lee’s Summit, MO and Overland Park, KS)